The article highlights the ongoing challenge of declining herring stocks in the south of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with a federal moratorium on spring herring fishing now in its second year. The struggle, evident since 2001, is attributed to low biomass, with spring herring stocks stagnant at around 30,000 tonnes. This situation has forced fishermen to seek alternative bait and bait fish, impacting other stocks like gaspereau and redfish. Laurie Maynard, a herring biologist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, notes that the effect of changing ocean temperatures and winter conditions on zooplankton, a critical food source for herring, is a significant factor. She suggests that the full impact of the moratorium may not be evident until it has been in place for at least six years.