NL Organization Formed to Pass on Traditional Industry Practices
The name Petty Harbour has been synonymous with the fishery for centuries. And Kimberly Orren would like to ensure it stays that way for many years to come.
Orren is the executive director and driving force behind Fishing for Success, a new, non-profit organization formed to help preserve traditional fishing knowledge in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove resident explained her vision for the fledgling organization is “one day every child in the province will once again be taught the traditional fishing knowledge and skill of their ancestors and this will instill in them a sense of pride, of place and a longing to protect and conserve their natural home.”
“To fish for a living is one of the most honourable things you can do — to provide food for your community and food for your family is an honourable thing. We don’t do enough to recognize the work that our fishers do for us.”
Orren has purchased waterfront property in Petty Harbour, out of her own pocket, with plans to reconstruct traditional fishing premises — including a two-storey twine loft, with attached flakes, wharves and sheds. She added that the only non-traditional structure the organization is planning on building is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier for people with mobility issues. The property will be known as Island Rooms.
Orren plans on using youth-oriented programs to reconnect children of various ages with the fishing industry. “I absolutely would like to see young people get involved in the fishery, to grow up to be fishers, to appreciate the fishery, to appreciate the work that previous generations of fishers have done and fishers today are doing and continue to do. Or even if this program sparked an interest in a young person going into a marine-related field.”
The range of youth/educational programs being planned by Fishing for Success include such topics as my first fish — trout fishing on Petty Harbour River, my first dory row, food web — dip net sampling in Petty Harbour River, water quality study, basic boating and navigation and local food and gardening.
But the centrepiece, Orren explained, will be the youth cod fishery program.
“This will involve young people from (age) 14-17, who will be mentored in the traditional ways by fishermen. They will be on the boats with the fishermen.”
Promotional literature for Fishing for Success stated “Island Rooms of Petty Harbour, once the fishing premises of 12 families will be rebuilt as a recreation of a family fishing premise from sheds, twine lofts, flakes, stages, to the little wooden boats. Youth will be taught the local knowledge and skill of the cod handline fishery by community fishers. The fishing premise will be put into action as the youth learn the trade: fish being caught, processed, made, dried and salted on the flakes. Tourists will be able to visit and watch the learning in progress or join in.”
The feedback from the Petty Harbour fishing community has been positive to the proposed program, she noted. “They (local fishermen) like myself, would like to see locally-owned boats In Petty Harbour. They don’t want the harbour to be empty of boats. The average fisherman’s age in Petty Harbour is almost 60, so it is important to pass traditions down the line.”
“I don’t want the knowledge of fishing and the fishery to be lost. The fishermen here in Petty Harbour know things about the harbour nobody else knows. And that is true of every bay around Newfoundland. If this knowledge does not get passed on, it is going to be lost forever. It would be great if this inter-generational learning could occur so older fishermen could pass knowledge to kids,” she added.
Along with local fishermen, Fishing for Success has also received letters of support from other groups, such as the Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, Petty Harbour Fishermen’s Co-Operative Society, Harbour Authority of Petty Harbour, Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium, Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador and Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador, to name a few.
However, in order for Orren’s dream to become a reality, she needs to get the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) on side. Specifically, the local organization needs access to groundfish, notably cod and is looking for a special DFO handline license that could be used from May to November each year — outside the normal summer/fall recreational fishery.
“This would be a five-year pilot project, for Petty Harbour only and would be within the Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove Protected Fishing Area. Local fishermen have signed a petition for this, they are not threatened by it,” Orren explained.
Information on Fishing for Success can be found on the organization’s website: www.islandrooms.org.
