fishing

Fishing for the residents of Stanley bridge has been an important part of the economy. When no one could afford to purchase meat products, there were always fish which would sustain the daily diet. Most fishermen went out in all kinds of weather in these boats. One of the first fisherman to own a two-masted fishing schooner was Thomas Hiscott, Sr. Later some fisher— men had small ‘back shore boats’ with 5 horse power Acadia engines. Many lost their lives try— ing to get to shore in the heavy winds and seas, because as you come closer to shore, the water was shallower and much rougher. The first to own a motorized boat, named WESTERN LADY, out of the Stanley wharf was Fred Bennett. He also operated the first cannery in the vil— lage, which was located on the eastern side of the bridge, opposite to the present wharf.

Many fishermen used gill nets at night. The nets were tied to the stern of the boat and let drift all night to catch mackerel and herring. While the nets drifted, the fishermen would hand—line for cod, which were very plentiful in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They would also set trawl lines with baited hooks for hake. They checked their nets several times during the night and, if they had a fair catch, they would haul their nets. They would be caught by their gills and therefore had to be taken out by hand. They would then proceed to shore with their catch. There was no chance of becoming wealthy in this business. The fisherman would get 1A to % cent per pound for the mackerel and herring. In the 1930’s the price started to go up. The mackerel were usu- ally packed in barrels with ice and some of the mackerel and herring were salted and shipped. The cod and bake were salted and dried on fish flakes. Some fishermen fished eels with spears, and fished smelts with gill nets. This provided a good living in the fall and winter, Buyers on schooners came to the port to purchase quantities of preserved fish. Some went to the Eastern Seaboard States and to the West Indies. The building of the railway across the country gave a more viable way of shipping fish.

In the early 1900’s, fishermen began to fish for the plentiful supply of lobsters. Prior to this there was no market for such a delectable crustacean The first use for the lobster was when the farmers gathered them after a storm and spread them on the land for fertilizer. The first lobsters were shipped off the Island in 1927. Times have changed! Today, this business is strictly con- trolled. Licenses are issued to boat owners and each north shore fisherman is allowed to fish 300 traps for the months of May and June. On the south side of the Island licensed boat opera— tors are allowed 250-traps for the August 10 to October 10 season. At the present time the price for lobsters ranges from $3.25 to $4.25 per pound for canners and $4.25 to $5.25 for markets.

Today, lobsters still remain an important Island fishing industry. Shipments are packed for des- tinations anywhere in North America, France, Belgium or Japan. One may also see thousands of lobsters stored in holding tanks, filled with constantly changing salt water, awaiting shipment out of the Province. Or they can be used to supply the famous “Island Lobster Suppers” which attract thousands of visitors to the Island. This, in turn, helps to sustain the economy and fur- ther promote the tourism industry. In the early 1930’s, fishermen purchased larger wooden boats which used car or truck engines. Today, the majority of fishermen have switched to the long-lasting fiberglass boats with the high-powered diesel engines. These use less volatile and

less expensive fuels.

Policies today regarding the fishing business have changed. The unending supply of cod in the oceans is a myth. The fish stocks have been depleted drastically, supposedly from the glutto- nous trawler fishing by world-class trawlers. Anyone fishing today in our area is only allowed

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