The ACADIAN F!
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DFO — Fisheries and Oceans Pêches et Oceans Library I MPO — Bibliothéque 11*1 I I Canada Canada uanaua III UII IIUI UIU 1206336011111 UlI UI lUll 111111 The ACADIAN F! SHERY in Nova Hook: Acadian Museum and Archives, West Pubnico 0 I FOREWORD The origin ofthe name Acadia or Acadie is Published by: Communications Branch obscure. Whether the name was derivedfrom a place name in Europe, from a Fisheries and Oceans Canada Maritimes Region Mi’kmaq or Maliseet word, or possibly a combination thereof it hasfound a Dartmouth, NS wide and varied acceptance on two continents. No matter what the origin March 2004 ofthe name, Acadians and their culture have influenced the development © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2004 ofthe commercialfishery in Nova Scotia for 400 years. Cat. No. Fs23-442/2004 ISBN 0-662-68034-0 400th This publication cornmernorates the CR. E I) ITS anniversary ofthe Acadian presence in Nova Scotia and the third Congrès mondial Cover: Doymen Hauling the Thawl acadien, which is being held to celebrate this landmark anniversary. — Nelson Surette Codfish The publication is dedicated to Acadians who, from the early days ofthe i7’’ — Courtesy Dr. WB. Scott century, turned to the abundance ofthe sea for their survival Text pages: — Fish illustrations and who have continued to be a major influence in the Nova Scotia fishery — Brenda Guild Gillespie — Fishing vessel illustrations the biggest and most valuablefishery in Canada to the present day. V7alter Scott Thanks to the Acadian House Museum for assistance in obtainingphotographs. Photographs without credits are THE HONOUKABLE GEOFF REGAN the property ofFisheries and Oceans Canada. MINISTER. OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS The ACADIAN FISHERY in Nova Scotia 400 YEARS PROUD IE 1604 ACAD attempt by Historic First colonization SainteCr0x the French Ofl Isle 1605 become Port Royal which will of Acadie, the major town is settled. 1632 arrives with Isaac de Razilly of 300 settlers, ancestors most Acadian families. 1671 Acadian The earliest surviving total count census is taken. The comes to 340 people. The NeUWORLD The sturgeons and salmons ascend the Dauphin River at the said Port Royal in such quantities that they carried away the nets which we had setfor them. Fish abound there in like manner everywhere; such is thefertility ofthis country. Marc Lescarbot, Nova Francia (1606) Lescarbot, a pioneer at Port willing to work. Ever since first landing, Acadians today Royal with Champlain, wrote those early days, the fishery hold a major place in the that the New World had fish has formed part of Acadian Nova Scotia fishery; Canada’s salmon in abundance for those life. Four centuries after their biggest and most valuable. N ONE The early ACADIAN FISHERY After thefirst French settlers braved ocean and wilderness, the Acadian population grew mainly in the Port Royal, Grand Pré, and Isthmus ofChignecto areas ofwhat became Nova Scotia. The newcomersfrom Europe establishedgood relations with the Native population, beginning a long tradition ofpeace and co-operation. Acadians tamed the tides with dikes, turning marshlands into productzóefarmsfor the growingpopulation J I I I T W 0 Depiccion ofearly French fishing process Many families kept boats, learning and Cape Breton Island (Isle The British, suspicious of their to cope with the Bay of Fundy’s Royale). Sheltered by the fortress loyalties, decided to send them fogs and strong currents, and with at Louisbourg, Cape Breton into exile. In 1755 and following 1682 the world’s highest tides. Besides became a strong fishing and years, the Deportation and the Grand Pré, another major hooks and lines, early fishers trading centre. Fishers would split fall of New France scattered some used ingenious spears and other and salt cod and spread them ten thousand Acadians south into Acadian community, is devices. They fashioned weirs of on cobblestone beaches or on the American colonies, northward founded. brush to trap fish moving on the vigneaux (wooden platforms into New Brunswick and Quebec, tide. Meanwhile, France, England, known in English as flakes) to dry, and even across the sea to France 1713 and New Englanders intermittently before shipping them overseas. and later to Louisiana. argued and fought for possession Acadie is ‘permanently’ of Acadie. Outside the Bay of Acadians came to form a hard After peace came in 1763, many given to the British under They also used the ocean’s own Fundy, French settlements in working, self-helping people, Acadians made their way back the Treaty of Utrecht. wealth, In the main and outlying Nova Scotia and the Gulf of with their own songs, customs, to their original Bay of Fundy settlements, salmon, clams, cod, St. Lawrence remained relatively and culture. Then conflicts homeland, only to find that New 1755 shad, smelt, herring, mackerel, small and isolated at first. But between Britain and France in Englanders had taken over their eels, and other species provided after 1713, when Britain took North America uprooted them. best farmlands. To make a new Acadians are scattered food for the table. Fish also over mainland Nova Scotia, The Acadians, who had seen start, Acadians more than ever throughout the civilized French settlements grew at Prince previous wars and turned to the sea. figured in commerce. changes of world after refusing to Edward Island (Isle Saint-Jean) authority, wanted to stay neutral. comply with British government decrees. Over 6,000 are deported in the first year. Re-rnactment ofAcadian women removingfish from a weir Typicalfishing weir THREE Fishing in theAGE OF SAIL Taking what lands they couldget, the returning Acadiansfound themselves scattered in groups along the Maritime Provinces’ coastline. A primefishing area was the Pubnico-Argyle- Wedgeport area ofsouthwest Nova Scotia, where small numbers had lived andfished before the Deportation. Here, where the Bay ofFundy and GulfofMaine merge with the open Lobsterfishing. Three Fathom Harbour. 1941 a series ofislands and long inlets create beautf’ul coves and harbours. many schooners fished the banks, often called the longest village shore, Acadians founded communi companies based in the Channel or carried fish and other goods to in the world. In such places as ties including Pomquet and Havre Islands held many Acadian fishers distant destinations including the Pointe-de-l’Eglise, Meteghan, Boucher on the mainland, and in an iron grip of indebtedness, Fishing schooners in port West Indies, Local boatyards built and Saulnierville, houses lined Chéticamp on the northwest coast including some outside the Gulf vessels for shipping and trading. the water where meadows of Cape Breton Island. Others in at Isle Madame. Pay was low, I Ice-free waters hold a rich diversity A single Acadian company at sloped down to the sea. This the Gulf settled on Prince Edward poverty frequent, and schools of finfish and shellfish. The area Wedgeport operated 11 ships, and shore had fewer harbours than the Island or along the shores of New almost non-existent. lies relatively close to productive leased or held shares in several Pubnico-Argyle region. Settlers at Brunswick, which became the offshore grounds such as Browns others. Far more numerous here first followed mainly the lumber main centre of the Acadian But Acadian fishers hung on and Bank and Georges Bank, and to and elsewhere, however, were trade. But gradually they moved population. bettered their lot. In the late the important New England small open boats, especially as into the fishery, and also took 1 800s, the lobster fishery provided marketplace. the lobster fishery grew strong to wooden shipbuilding. Fishers in the Gulf of St. Lawrence strong new markets. The Channel after about 1850. faced special difficulties. From late Island companies gradually lost Acadians in this region built up a Other coastal Acadians took root December until April, ice blocked their power. Fishers became vigorous commercial fishery, for Further north, along the shore east of Halifax particularly in the most fisheries. The Gulf was far more independent, and new cod, poltock, haddock, herring, and of St. Mary’s Bay at the mouth of Chezzetcook area, and at Isle from New England and West Acadian-controlled enterprises other species. By the late 1800s, the Bay of Fundy, Acadian built a Madame off Cape Breton. On Indies markets. For much sprang up in fishing and trading. 800s, British string of neighbouring settlements Nova Scotia’s Gulf of St. Lawrence of the 1 fishing A Thro Wars resszon THE MODE FISHERY By the time ofthe First ‘World War, most Acadian fishers in the Maritimes owned their 1758 own motorboats. Larger enterprises operated many schooners. Then the DePressio1\. The Acadians who fled to Isle Saint Jean and Isle Royale battered the Maritimes, leaving manyfishers in desperate shape. are rounded up and sent to France. Acadian communities over the centuries had learned resilience 1763 and self-reliance. When fishers’ The war between the co-operatives began to spread, French and the British is Acadians in both the Gulf and over. Acadians who have Nova Scotia became their strongef supporters. Some co-ops survived the internment in enabled fishers to get larger England are sent to France. vessels, especially after the Some Acadians try to return Second World War. to and find their land settled by others. Post-war, Acadians took the lead in developing major new fisheries for shrimp and crab. They were quick to adopt modern techniques, for.nple in seining for herring or trawling for Their thousands of boats, mostly medium-size or small, fished an array of species including lobster, scallops, herring, mackerel, tuna, and various kinds of groundfish (white-fleshed species such as cod, haddock, and pollock, that live near the ocean bottom). Processors and exporters built up an international trade. Acadians grew in organization and Marine plants aquaculture site.