Many older residents of Freetown today can recall stories about poaching salmon from the Dunk. They tell of poaching by light at night with spears, nets or forks. One story tells that fox farmers would load a horse and wagon with poached salmon to use as fox feed. Allan Clow, a current resident recalls a story told him by his grandfather, Joseph Clow, of poaching raids to the Dunk River Hatchery where salmon could be easily plucked.
Salmon still frequent the Dunk River today. Their numbers have decreased due to poaching and the
siltation of the river system. The days of the water bailiffs are gone but enforcement of fishing regulations continues. Conservation officers from the Prince Edward Island Department of Community and Cultural Affairs patrol the area with Bryce Boswall of Victoria as chief officer. Federal fishery officers from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans also enforce the fishing regulations with Eric Bernard of Summerside the Chiefofficer for the area. Mr. Lloyd Heckbert of North Bedeque was the Chief Federal Fishery officer for the area for many years.
The Atlantic Salmon can now be legally caught from 1 July to 30 September. Sport fishermen must have both an Atlantic Salmon license and a trout angling license to fish the salmon. They may only be caught with a fly and fishermen are restricted to a daily limit of one and a season limit of five, all of which must be tagged. All salmon greater then sixty three centimetres in length must be returned to the river with a minimum of harm. Fishing salmon with artificial lights, flames of any kind, gill nets or trap nets is illegal in our river systems. If these rules are enforced then we may someday see the return of the salmon to the Dunk River in the numbers they formerly exhibited.
OTHER BUSINESS’S Some of these may be mentioned in their family history.
Donald Burns Poultry Farmer and Strawberry Grower Scott J ardine Agent for Massey Harris Machinery and Farm Equip. John Arbing Agent for Mowers and Reapers
Leo Mallett Trucking Business also Agent for Farm Machinery R.D. Moase Livestock Dealer and Butcher
Marcus Deacon Livestock Dealer and Butcher
Charles Basil Taylor General Mechanic
Harold Drummond General Mechanic
Reeves Brothers Painters & Carpenters
Allison Reeves Welding Operator
Basil Robbins Light Trucking
Elmer Hamilton T.V. Sales and Service
Garth Drummond Farm Equipment Dealer
George Deacon Agent for Nursery Stock and Magazines Irwin Drummond Plumbing and Heating Sales and Service John H. Heffell Electrical Contractor
Eustace Reeves Water Treatment Equipment Sales & Service Bernard & Profitt Motel Rental Business
Mary MacEachern Hair Dressing Shop
Carolyn Taylor Hair Dressing Shop
Jane Buell Hair Dressing Shop
Matilda Lewis Dress Making
Essie Walker Dress Making
Mary Deacon Lewis Dress Making
Mrs. Muriel Stetson Dress Making
Mrs. Russell Reeves Dress Making
Mrs. George Reeves Dress Making
Albert E. Campbell Agent for Massey Harris Machinery Henry W. Reeves Pump Repairs, Sawyer, Horseshoer Wanda Bertram Campbell Hair Dressing
Milton Drummond General Mechanic
Royal Construction Carpenter Services
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