The Twine Loft – January 2023

Passed On: Matthew Petten — Port de Grave, N.L. fisherman

Petten, 87, passed away in Carbonear on November 20. He was born on May 14, 1935 in Port de Grave. A man of the sea, he was a fisherman for most of his life. He told many stories about fishing adventures on the 32-foot 8 Acadia, the Old Grey, Island Star, and the Miss June. Adorned in his blue coveralls and knitted blue toque, he spent many hours in the harbour working in the stage, on the boat and on his roadside monument in Port de Grave, known as The Crown.

Passed On: Norman Saulnier — Meteghan, N.S. fisherman and fish plant worker

Saulnier, 71, passed away in Meteghan on October 30. Born in Beaver River on February 7, 1951, he worked as a taxi driver, a fisherman and in a fish plant.

Passed On: Joshua Phillips — Nova Scotia fisherman

Philips, 27, passed away on October 21. He was born on December 29, 1994. He loved his months every year crab fishing in Newfoundland and made many good friends over the years that he spent there.

Passed On: Wayne Oickle — Mill Village, N.S. fisherman

Oickle, 77, passed away on November 22 in Liverpool. He was born in Bridgewater. He worked as a scallop fisherman.

Passed On: George Jollimore — Charleston, N.S., fisherman

Jollimore, 63, passed away on November 19 in Weymouth. He was born in Liverpool. He was employed in Ontario in his younger days doing construction before moving back home to go lobster fishing.

Passed On: Ernest DeViller — Yarmouth, N.S, fisherman

DeViller, 88, passed away in Yarmouth on November 6. He was born on March 27, 1934, in Pinkney’s Point. He fished all of his life, starting at the age of  seven with his father. He passed the life of a fisherman on to his four sons and one daughter.

Passed On: Bernard Townsend — Liverpool, N.S. fisherman

Townsend, 73, passed away in Liverpool on November 11. He was born on September 13, 1949, in West Head. He started fishing at a very young age. Throughout his life, whether in a Nor’easter off Bull Breaker on the first day of lobster season, a slicker on George’s Bank looking for swordfish, a foggy day on Roseway Bank while long-lining, or a snowstorm in February hauling empty lobster traps, to him it was always a good day to be on the water.

Passed On: John Townsend — Lockeport, N.S. fisherman and fish plant worker

Townsend, 79, passed away in Shelburne on November 15. He was born on February 15, 1943, in Lockeport. In his younger years, he fished on many boats, both offshore and inshore. He also worked at Stoddard’s Fishery in Pleasant Point, National Sea and Clearwater until his retirement.

Passed On: Charles Carter — Great Brehat, N.L. fisherman

Carter, 86, passed away on November 12. He was born on October 3, 1936, in Great Brehat. He was a fisherman for many years.

Passed On: John Bartlett — Shelburne, N.S. fisherman

Bartlett, 60, passed away in Shelburne on November 15. He spent most of his adult life on the water, fishing with his dad Mac Bartlett Sr. and later went fishing offshore on the Clearwater lobster boat to earn a living for his family.

Passed On: John Scoville — Yarmouth, N.S. harvester

Scoville, 69, passed away in Yarmouth on November 21. He was born in Yarmouth on September 5, 1953. He was a fisherman in his early years and then became a blood worm harvester for many years, until his retirement. He was interested in the worming industry and followed developments and attended as a representative of the industry.

Passed On: George Smith — St. Lunaire-Griquet, N.L. fisherman

Smith, 81, passed away on November 18 in St. Anthony. He was born in Gunners Cove on October 18, 1941. As a young man, he spent many hours in the fishing boat with his father Stephen and brother Hayward before heading to St. John’s to train as a barber. While he spent many years in St. John’s working, he returned home to St. Lunaire and worked with Fishery Products International until his retirement.

Passed On: Lloyd Pilgrim — Main Brook, N.L. fisherman and mariner

Pilgrim, 82, passed away on November 19. He was born in Main Brook on March 3, 1940. Throughout his life he fished in Cooks Harbour and worked as a crewman on a schooner that traveled the Labrador coast.

Passed On: Keith Roberts — St. Anthony, N.L. fish plant worker

Roberts, 60, passed away on November 21. He was born in St. Anthony on August 26, 1962. He worked with Fishery Products International until the cod moratorium.

Appointed: Susanne Rajamand — CEO, Royal Greenland A/S

Rajamand has been appointed the CEO of Royal Greenland A/S, a fishing company operated by the government of Greenland. She was previously the Managing Director of Fonterra’s Southeast Asia division.

Appointed: Grant Cumming — COO, Grieg Seafood North America

Grieg Seafood, a Norwegian aquaculture company, has appointed Cumming as its Chief Operating Officer for its North American farming operations. He had previously been Managing Director of the Grieg Shetland operation before the region was sold in 2021. Cumming has held positions in the salmon farming industry for nearly 30 years.