Fisheries Developrnent in Newfoundland from World War U to the Mid-1960S

EfE\KFOmM AND CANADA: THE EVOLUTION OF FISKERIES DEVELOPMENT POLICIES, 2940- 1966 by Miriam Carol Wright A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of History Mernorial University of Newfoundland May, 1997 Miriam Carol Wright, 1997 St. John's Newfoundland National Library Bibliothèque nationale of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et BiMiographic Services services bibliographiques The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive licence dowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bïbliothè~uenationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sen reproduire, prêter, distniuer ou copies of this thesis m microfom, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous papa or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format élecîronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT This thesis examines the history of fisheries developrnent in Newfoundland from World War U to the mid-1960s. In this period, the Newfoundland fishery undenvent a dramatic shift? as the older, saltfish industry based on the household economy declined and a new, industrial, frozen fish industry arose in its place. The central question this thesis poses is what was the role of the state in fishenes development and what factors affected the direction of fisheries development? What was the relationship between capital and the state in the development process? Why was the industrial solution, the capital expansion in the frozen fish industry a dominant agenda in fisheries planning. Were there other alternative visions of development that were lost? How did the growth of the foreign fishing fleets in the late 1950s and early '1960s have an affect on the needs of the fishery and fishing people, as weU as the state's response to these problems. Essentially, this thesis reveals the interconnected web of factors - the multi- layered state, capital, market structures, technology, international relations, demands of fishing industry organizations and fishen' groups and competing visions of the fishery in Newfoundland held by people at al1 levels of the state and society that iduenced the course of developrnent. Al1 factors, however, were not equal, and this thesis employs the Gramscian concept of hegemony to explain how a particular vision of development - the expansion of the industrial, frozen fish sector - came to dominate fisheries policies in this period. Indeed, the hegemonic mode1 of fisheries development, with its connections to the larger western, industrial capitalist culture, ikst appeared in Newfoundland during the Commission of Government era and has continued to command policy agendas ever since. Providing the cernent for the industrial model of development was the relationship that arose between the state and a segment of the capitalist class - a small group of frozen fish companies in Newfoundland. This alliance between capital and the state has been a characteristic feature of post-war fisheries development in Newfoundland. As well, having a profound effect on the course of fisheries development was the intensification of foreign fishing off the Newfoundland coast that began in the mid-1950s. Not only did this event have an impact on the resource itself, but it also changed the needs and demands of the fishing industry and fishing people. Taken together. the rise of the hegemonic model of fisheries development and the escalation of the international fishery would have profound repercussions for the fishery of the future. ACWOWLEDGEMENTS The writing of this thesis would not have been possible without the assistance of others. 1 would Ike to thank my supervisors Dr. Gregory Kealey, Dr. Rosemary Ommer and Dr. Linda Kealey for their guidance and support over the years. Other fadty members have also read drafts of various chapten and offered advice. As weli, 1 wouid Like to ackuowledge the assistance of the staff of the various archives 1have used in the past few yean, including the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Maritime History Archives, the Centre for Newfoundland Studies of Memoriai University, and the National Archives of Canada. I have appreciated the use of the computer facilities made available to students by the Maritime Studies Research Unit, Memorial University. Finally, I would like to thank Joan Butler of LabourLe Travail for the technical assistance in getting this thesis together. 1 would Like to thank my friends and fellow students at Memorial University for their h-iendship and moral support over the past four years. Robert Hong, besides being a constant friend and companion, has given me innumerable insights into the history and culture of this unique place. My family has been unwavering in their interest and encouragement throughout my studies and fostered my early initial curiosity about Newfoundland. Financial assistance in the writing of this thesis came from the lnstitute of Social and Economic Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .............................................. iv List of Tables ................................................ vii ... List of Abbreviations ........................................... wir Chapter 1 - introduction Scale and Scope of the Thesis Discussion of Relevant Literature Chapter Outline ........................................... 1 Chapter II - World War II and the Beginning of the Industrial Vision for the Newfoundland Fishery From Arnulree to Gorvin - Commission of Government and the Fishery in the 1930s The Impact of World War II The Emergence of a New Industrial Vision Assistance to the Frozen Fish [ndustry The Genesis of a Frozen Fish Industry in Newfoundland Planning for the Post-War Fishery Conclusion.. ........................................... 36 Chapter III - Federal-Provincial Relations and Cornpeting Visions of Developrnent, 1949-1939 The Playen - (a) the Federal Government The Players - (b) the Provincial Government The Players - A Collaborative Effort: The Newfoundland Fisheries Development Cornmittee The Players Disagree: Implementing the Walsh Report The Players Pan Company - the Newfoundland Government Goes It Alone Residual Co-operation - (1) the Community Saltfish Plant Projects Residual Co-operation - (2) Education and Technology Programs 1957 - Assessrnent of the Impact of the Walsh Report Conclusion ........................................ Chapter IV - An Interdependent Relationship: The Srnallwood Government and Fisher Products Limited, 1949- 1963 The Lnternationai Frozen Fish Market Newfoundland's Frozen Fish indus try Fishery Products Limited - Smallwood's Instrument of Fisheries Development Other Major Frozen Fish Companies The Little Report Conclusion ............................................. 136 Chapter V - A Changing Fishey and New Demands for Fisheries Development in NeMoundland, 1939-1963 A Fishery in Transition Response to the Threat of the Intensified Offshore Fishery Unemployment Insurance for Fishers General Discontent with Fis heries Policies Conclusion ................................. Chapter VI - The Federal Governrnent's Response to a Changing Fishery, 1959-1966 The Federal Government's Domestic Policies - A Renewed Cornmitment to Centralizat ion and Industrialization: 1) The Federal-Provincial Atlantic Fisheries Cornmittee 2) The College of Fisheries, Marine, Navigation and Engineering 3) The Household Resettlement Program 4) The Fisheries Development Act Canada, the Twelve-mile Fishing Zone, and the International Community Conclusion ............................................. 23 1 Chapter VI1 - Conclusion The Relationship Between Capital and the State Technology, International Capitalism and Diplornatic Relations in the Fishery The Hegemonic Mode1 for Fisheries Development The Legacy of Fisheries Development Thinking About the Future ................................ 278 Bibliography ................................................ 293 LIST OF TABLES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BCS Bonavista Cold Storage CNS Centre for Newfoundland Studies FFTA Frozen Fish Trades Association FLB Fisheries ban Board FPAFC Federal-Provincial Atlantic Fisheries Comrnittee FPL Fishery Products Lirnited FRB Fisheries Research Board ICNAF International Commission for North Atlantic Fisheries KNPFC internationai North Pacific Fisheries Commission MHA Maritime History Archives NAC National Archives of Canada NAFEL Newfoundland Association of Fish Exporters Limited NFDA Newfoundland Fisheries Development Authority NFDC Newfoundland Fisheries Development Comrnittee NFF Newfoundland Federation of Fishermen NFTA Newfoundland Fis h Trades Association PANL Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador viii Chapter One - Introduction Newfoundand's fortunes, it seems, have throughout history been closely tied to the state of the fishery. From the time of European settlement, Newfoundland's residents have, for the most part, looked to the sea for their livelihood. Prosperity associated with good economic times

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