The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) of Canada closed the mackerel and spring herring fisheries in 2022 to allow these depleting stocks to recover. However, the union representing fishers, FFAW-Unifor, argues that the stocks are actually abundant based on observations and data from fishers. The union is calling for the fishery to be reopened and has launched a petition to gain public support. This situation highlights the tension between scientific estimates and on-the-ground observations and the importance of collaboration between science and the fishing sector.