The union representing the coastal fishery harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador is urging the federal government to reverse its recent decision to reopen the northern cod commercial fishery.

Greg Pretty, the president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union, which has 14,000 members, stated to reporters today that northern cod stocks have not recovered enough to be fished again by what he calls "the sea sorcerers."

For the first time in over 30 years, the Department of Fisheries last week reopened the commercial cod fishery with a total allowable catch of 18,000 tons for the 2024 season.

Pretty says that about 1,000 tons will go to Canadian and foreign fishing fleets.

After today's press conference, the union shared a 2015 letter it received from the federal Liberals promising to allocate the first 115,000 tons of the commercial cod fishery to inshore fishers.

The Liberals were called upon to reaffirm this commitment and to restore provincial management of the northern cod fishery instead of opening up commercial fisheries this season.