The Migratory Fishery
Topic 2.5 Markets for Fish An Inshore Fishery
Cod was the only important species in early centuries This fishery took place in the shallow waters just off the shoreline La morue seche The French Fishery in Newfoundland La morue séche The French Fishery in Newfoundland
The French sailed to Newfoundland every year and fished both offshore (on the Grand Banks) and inshore on the French Treaty Shore (see map p 113)
Offshore – the Grand Bank Fishery Ships arrived from France in January – they fished to supply fish for Lent and returned to France A 2nd voyage took place in the summer Fish were caught from platforms on ships with hook and line Fish were preserved with a heavy coating of salt aka the “green fishery” French Fishery cont….
Inshore Fishery 1st fishery near Placentia (Plaisance) on the southern shore Also fished on the north and west coasts – French Treaty Shore (see map p 113) Newfoundland 1768 Placentia/Plaisance – the French capital in Newfoundland Fort Royal The French in Newfoundland
Jean Baptiste Colbert, 1619-1683. King Louis XIV's controller general of finances, Jean Baptiste Colbert, encouraged French settlement at Plaisance in order to extend the French involvement in the Newfoundland fisheries, and strengthen the French presence in the New World.
The English Migratory Fishery West Country - England http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exp loration/17fishery.html The English Inshore Fishery
The shore fishery – ships brought crews and equipment from England. The ships moored along the shore and the fishing was conducted from small boats
The fishery lasted from June to August
Crews were originally paid a share of the catch by the 18th century they were paid wages
Ships left England in March to reach Newfoundland by June trying to claim the best mooring place called “rooms”. These were allotted on first come first served basis The cod followed the capelin and usually struck inshore in June and fishing continued throughout the summer
They fished in small, open boats with crews of 3 to 5 men
They used lines with baited hooks
Shore crews headed, gutted, split, washed, lightly salted and spread the fish to dry on flakes. Lightly salted, dried fish fetched a better price because it was better preserved and lasted longer
Suited the English market
The first ships returning to England gained the best price and profit
Ships remained in England for the winter and were refitted for the spring fishery Bristol England, St. John's, Newfoundland, about 1750. Picture is toward the southwest. In the foreground are fishers spreading cod on a fish flake.. http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/trin_trep_stjoh n.html Basque Whaling Basque Whaling
Basques began whaling near southern Labrador during the 1500s and early 1600s
They caught bowhead whales and right whales
There were ate least a dozen whaling stations on the Labrador coast
Red Bay, Labrador has become an archaeological sight depicting this period in our history Whaling Stations in Labrador Methods of Whaling Large sailing ships transported the whalers to Labrador from Spain
Whales were harpooned from small boats then towed ashore
Blubber was cut from the whales and heated in large cauldrons to be rendered into oil
Whale oil was stored in barrels and transported back to Europe in the fall. It was used for lighting, lubrication and in manufacturing
The baleen – whalebone - was used in industry End of Basque Whaling?
Why????? Possibilities Foreign competition Pirates Conflict with the Inuit Troubles in Spain Decline in number of whales due to overfishing The Basques whale fishery was over by the early 1600s http://www.landoffirstcontact .ca/sites/26-red-bay
The Economics of the Fishery
The fishery was an unpredictable industry - some merchants became wealthy others went bankrupt Why did merchants go bankrupt? RISKS Merchants spent large sums of money outfitting the ships which was recouped when the fish were sold. Any delays at the end of the season could ruin a merchant Ship wrecks Enemy ships in wartime Pirates Outbreaks of disease Scarcity of fish Bad weather Changing exchange rates Merchant Risk
“The merchants lived from season to season in a state of incessant panic, so their well known air of pessimism was surely not surprising.”
They have also been described as; “ ….a very discontented body of men.” Risk Management
Strict supervision
Employ relatives in senior positions (trust)
Risks shared with the crew by paying them a share of the value of the fish caught Risky Business Risk Management