Thirty years after the cod moratorium, there’s a brighter future on the horizon in Conche, N.L.
A fishing stage in Conche, N.L. - ContributedToni Kearney is a writer, poet, and the founder of Moratorium Children, a social business dedicated to revitalizing her hometown of Conche on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland through sustainable tourism. An avid traveller, she splits her time between Conche and Melbourne, Australia. She is passionate about rural development, food and wine, and tourism.
The curious thing is, when I was finally of age to set off on my own, I noticed that the further I ventured away, the more I felt the call to return.Toni Kearney: “We’re still clinging to this peninsula like barnacles on a boat.” — Contributed photo - Contributed photo, a social business dedicated to revitalizing the economy in the place that I love most — my hometown of Conche.
And here we are, 30 years later. Still clinging to this peninsula like barnacles on a boat. Because this is where we belong. This is our home, come hell or high water. And we’ve already been through hell and back again. Like all outports, we lost dozens and dozens of people to outmigration. Reports still show that the population here is in decline. But, if history has told us anything, the spirit of our people has never been one to simply just accept our fate.For years, I believed the moratorium defined Newfoundland and Labrador. Maybe it’s because I let it define the way I looked at Newfoundland and Labrador.