Icewater Seafoods processes northern cod for the first time in 32 years

For over three decades, Icewater Seafood's Arnolds Cove fish plant has kept itself going processing fish from other countries. But on Feb 24, 2025, the plant processed its first N.L. offshore cod since the moratorium in 1992. 

Plant workers were thrilled this week to be processing local cod. Not only did it mean they get to work with fresher and higher quality fish, but it means more money will be coming their way. 

Janet Hynes has been at the plant for 38 years, and remembers the day operations shut down due to the moratorium. 

"We were devastated," said Hynes. "We didn't really know what was going to happen at that time." 

On Monday morning, she said workers were excited to come in and process northern cod, after over 30 years of not being able to do so. 

"It was amazing," she said, adding that the northern fish is better quality. 

Worker Brenda King said the plant was filled with positive energy that week, and that she "can't wait for more money to go into bank accounts."

"Fresh from the ocean is best," she said. 

Over the past 32 years, quality control coordinator Brenda Hickey, said she never gave up hope. 

"I was thinking this is going to come back … and it did. We're super excited," she said. 

The plant has been keeping people employed over the past 32 years by importing fish from Norway and Russia, said President Alberton Wareham.  

Having to import fish hasn't been easy for the plant, he said. After the moratorium ended, they had to find European markets that would pay a premium for their high quality cod. 

Now that the moratorium has ended, Wareham hopes to get 2,500 to 3,000 tons of cod through the plant, which is enough to keep the plant going for 10 to 12 full work weeks. 

Having northern cod back in the plant was a huge moment for the company, said Wareham. "Some of the fish were swimming two weeks ago and we're producing it now."