Our Cultural Values are Being Eroded
We Newfoundland fish harvesters are good people, fiercely independent, modest and hospitable.
Our fishing and sealing industries mean a lot to us. We never looked to government or wanted the Canadian government to be a big brother to us — Mother Nature was our enforcer until the Department of Fisheries came along with their heavy hand that sent our culture in a downward spin.
DFO gave permits to offshore draggers, foreign and domestic, to reap the spawning grounds in winter while the ...
On the Waterfront — February 2016
Vessel Fire Contained at Harbour Grace Wharf
The vice-president of Quinlan Brothers, Robin Quinlan, said the 82-foot Abigail Grace will be ready for fishing in the spring, despite a fire on the vessel docked in Harbour Grace on January 6, CBC reported.
He said the engine room was not damaged and the hull is intact on the company’s fishing vessel.
Firefighters in Harbour Grace were called to the Harbour Grace Ocean Enterprises wharf where the vessel was moored around 5 a.m. The Abigail ...
Complementary Careers: The Best of Two Worlds
Every day, people head out to the bright blue sea to work.
Our earth is covered with 326 million trillion gallons of water, with 70 per cent of it ocean. This could be the largest workplace in the world and while there is a vast array of jobs on the sea, it doesn’t mean you have to pick just one.
“We’re always looking for good people,” says Wade Spurrell, Assistant Commissioner for the Canadian Coast Guard in the Atlantic Region, “We do actually hire people right off the street ...
Twine Loft – February 2016
Passed On: Keith Stubbert – North Sydney, N.S. Fisherman
Stubbert died tragically after falling overboard on dumping day off Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, November 30. Born in Point Aconi, he was the son of Janie (Edwards) Robinson and the late Edward Stubbert. Stubbert was a fisherman by trade, fishing for over 30 years. It was in his blood — he looked forward to fishing each season. He also enjoyed hunting. He was an avid dart player and played on many leagues. He was more than happy to beat ...
Port de Grave Light Show
The scenic fishing community of Port de Grave, Conception Bay, Newfoundland was shining bright once again this year. The annual boat lighting tradition is a point of interest for many in the province, with about 30,000 visitors each year. There is a strong sense of pride in the Christmas light display and this year was no different. Dozens of boats decorated with bright lights of various colours, shapes and sizes making for a breathtaking view.
Photos by Danielle Hoddinott and Alex Chafe
Atlantic Canada’s Marketing Conundrum
Can you just picture the colour print ads and television commercials?
A boat steaming to the fishing grounds as the sun slowly emerges over the horizon. Glistening water dropping from lobster and crab traps as they are hauled over the side by colourful crewmembers. Mouth-watering images of cod, halibut and shrimp being prepared by smiling, enthusiastic chefs — set against backdrops of quaint coves, rustic wharves, rugged cliffs and long sandy beaches.
What better fodder could any ...
As Luck Would Have it — Part II
When their 52-foot fishing vessel nearly totally submerged about four miles from Port Saunders on Newfoundland’s northwest coast, Captain Raymond Ryan, along with his two sons, Maurice and Rene jumped ship. Raymond and Maurice managed to hold on to a wooden fish chute to keep their heads above water but could do little to help themselves. Rene was nowhere to be seen and presumed drowned by his dad and brother. Their chances of survival looked grim but fate was somewhat kind on August 7, 1991 ...
Back in Business in Brudenell: Mothballed Lobster Plant Given Renewed Life Under New Owners
There is growing excitement in eastern Prince Edward Island regarding the fate of a shuttered fish processing plant.
The facility is in the community of Brudenell and was formerly operated by Mariner Seafoods. At its peak, it employed more than 300 people processing fish and at one point vegetables.
But the global recession hit the facility hard and its owners did not renew their lease in 2013.
However, a new owner has taken the facility under its wing and is gearing up to reopen in ...
Once a Farmer at Heart, Man Builds Family Fishing Enterprise
Pictured above: Members of the Ellis family: Kathyrn, Carolyn, Diane and Stephen.
Stephen Ellis had planned to be a farmer.
The youngest of 10, he wanted to farm the land that had been in his family for generations.
But sometimes life takes you in another direction.
For Stephen, now 60, that direction was to the water and fishing off the coasts of all four Atlantic provinces.
From his early beginning as a deckhand on his father’s lobster boat to owning five fishing boats, ...
