The Independent
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Jenn Thornhill Verma

Jenn Thornhill Verma

@JenniferYVerma

Jenn Thornhill Verma is a journalist and landscape painter from Newfoundland and Labrador now living in Ottawa. In 2019, she published her first book, Cod Collapse: The Rise and Fall of Newfoundland's Saltwater Cowboys, with Nimbus Publishing. She has a MFA (creative nonfiction, University of King's College) and a MSc (medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland). In 2020, she became a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and wrote and co-produced the animated short-film, Last Fish, First Boat. Her work has featured in national publications such as The Globe and Mail, Reader's Digest, Canadian Geographic, The Narwhal, Explore, and Maisonneuve and regional outlets such as The Independent, CBC, Saltscapes and Downhome.

Seasplainer
Who Decides the Price of Fish at the Wharf?
The Standing Fish Pricing Panel is meant to provide stability. But volatile markets—and powerful processors—mean fish harvesters often lose out.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
May 31, 2022
Seasplainer
How Many Fish Are in the Sea?
It sounds like a rhetorical question, but figuring out how many fish are in a given area of the sea is hard work—and important for…
Jenn Thornhill Verma
April 29, 2022
CommentarySeasplainer
Will There Be Icebergs This Year?
With iceberg season nearly upon us, here's the science (and art) behind safely spotting icebergs off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
March 25, 2022
JournalismLongread
As the Climate Changes, So Does Managing Fisheries
Over 20 years ago, DFO recognized that "changes in climate cannot be ignored." Why is it taking so long to put this insight into practice?
Jenn Thornhill Verma
May 27, 2021
Commentary
Cod Haven’t Fully Returned, but We Still Return for the Cod
Fishing can still be an important part of our lives. Preserving the cod and traditional fishing approaches requires reverence for this big fish.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
October 4, 2020
AnalysisInvestigationLongread
Why NL Fishers are Protesting in a Pandemic: An Explainer
The fight over the 2020 fishing season has exposed many deeply rooted problems in a crucial but troubled industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
May 21, 2020
Arts & CultureNews
Yarnbomber Aims to Lift Spirits in Outdoor Art Gallery
Jenn Thornhill Verma
April 28, 2020
Analysis
Report: FLR Complied with Disclosure Rules in Salmon Die-off
Jenn Thornhill Verma
April 23, 2020
Arts & Culture
The Moment that Joined John Crosbie, the Cod, and Us
The 1992 Cod Moratorium was the toughest political decision of Crosbie’s career. The Independent remembers the man, the moment, and the decision.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
January 11, 2020
AnalysisNews
The NL Expat Survey, Part 2: Growth Opportunities
Last week, The Indy explored the reasons why young people are leaving Newfoundland and Labrador. Today, we’re exploring ideas that might bring them back.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
July 22, 2019
AnalysisNews
The Newfoundland and Labrador Expatriate Survey (Part 1)
As Newfoundland and Labrador struggles with demographic decline, its provincial government searches for answers from those who left the province behind.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
July 18, 2019
AnalysisNews
Cod and the Fishery: Down, but Not Out
Compared to pre-moratorium times, today there are fewer fish, fishers, processors, vessels, and plants. But the value of our fishery remains high.
Jenn Thornhill Verma
July 2, 2019