'It's more than just a fish:' Scientists worry cod will never come back in N.L. by Sarah Smellie, The Canadian Press Posted Apr 18, 2021 7:00 am EDT Last Updated Apr 18, 2021 at 7:14 am EDT ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — The latest assessment of Atlantic cod stocks, whose collapse crushed the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador, has scientists worried the species will never recover without drastic change within the federal Fisheries Department. The federal government report shows the stock continues to cling for life in what officials classify as the critical zone, meaning “serious harm is occurring to the stock.” Population growth has been stagnant since 2017, the document says.