Bernard Martin

Bernard Martin is a Canadian fisherman and environmentalist. He was awarded the Goldman Prize in 1999.

Early life Martin was born and raised in a fishing family in Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. He continues in his family's traditional cod fishing practices as a fourth-generation fisherman.

Cod fishing moratorium

Cod fishing was a way of life in Newfoundland for centuries, but after the Second World War, commercial over-fishing and environmental factors began to take a serious toll, with populations in steep decline. Martin and other inshore fishermen noticed their dwindling catches and alerted government officials to the situation. They hoped that preemptively lowering cod quotas might curb the decline.

Environmental work and prize Before and after the moratorium, Martin set out to publicise his experience and the mismanagement of the cod industry in the hopes that other marine ecosystems might be better preserved. He shared lessons learned in Alaska, Nicaragua, New Zealand and Eritrea. He also drew analogies between the over-fishing of cod and the logging of old-growth west coast forests. He was arrested near Clayoquot Sound for participating in a blockade against clear-cutting in 1993.

Martin was a 1999 Goldman Environmental Prize recipient after being nominated by the Sierra Club of Canada in recognition of his advocacy to save the cod industry from over-fishing and harmful commercial practices like trawling. He intended to use the prize money to repay debts incurred from the ban, to support his four children and to give back to charity. He was glad that the cause could gain credibility through his award.

As of 2012, cod remained scarce and environmentalists recommended that similar measures be taken on the east coast of the United States as well despite possible economic repercussions. While shellfish have been replacing cod as the main market, Canadian fishermen are more careful to remain within recommended catch limits to preserve healthy, sustainable populations. Martin himself transitioned to crab fishing. He is optimistic that the cod stocks are slowly recovering.