Remembering the Cod Moratorium

It was July 2 1992, the Canadian government imposed a moratorium on the Northern cod fishery along the country's east coast.

Cod stocks were almost driven to near extinction.

The moratorium put about 30,000 people in the province out of work.

Crosbie was met with angry protesters after imposing the moratorium.

Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, John Crosbie famously said, "why are you yelling at me? I didn't take the fish from the God damn water, so don't go abusing me."

A variety of factors led to the commercial extinction of northern cod in 1992. Increasingly efficient technology allowed fishers to find and harvest unprecedented amounts of cod, while stronger vessels allowed fleets from around the world to visit and work on the Grand Banks for months at a time.