Twine Loft – April 2017

Passed On: James McGrath – St. John’s, N.L. Former Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

McGrath, 85, passed away in hospital on February 28, 2017. Born January 11, 1932, he was a former politician and the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland, Canada. As a young man, McGrath was a member of the Responsible Government League which opposed Newfoundland joining Canadian Confederation. Nevertheless, upon the province’s joining confederation in 1949, McGrath left to enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He returned to Newfoundland in 1953 and became sales manager with radio station CJON. In 1955, he became secretary of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party association. In 1956, he ran unsuccessfully for the party in the provincial election. He entered federal politics the next year, and won a seat in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1957 election as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for St. John’s East. In 1962, McGrath became parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys, and served in that position until he was defeated along with the Diefenbaker government in the 1963 election. McGrath regained his seat in the 1968 election and remained in parliament through five subsequent elections. When the Progressive Conservatives formed the government following the 1979 election, Prime Minister Joe Clark advised the Governor General to appoint McGrath Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. McGrath returned to the opposition bench when Clark’s minority government was defeated in the 1980 election. In August 1986, McGrath left politics to accept an appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. He retired from the position in 1991.

Passed On: Jerry Himmelman – Brooklyn, N.S. Fisherman

Himmelman, 65, passed away suddenly in Queens General Hospital, Liverpool on February 24, 2017. Born in Bridgewater, he was a son of the late Ivan and Elizabeth (Walfield) Himmelman. He was a fisherman all his life and captained many vessels during his fishing career.

Passed On: David Humphrey – Lower Clark’s Harbour, N.S. Fisherman

Humphrey, 52, passed away on January 27, 2017 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Born in Vermont, U.S.A., on February 29, 1964, he was a son of the late Paul and Joan (Smith) Humphrey. He was a fisherman and captain all of his life.

Passed On: Victor Maxwell – Clark’s Harbour, N.S. Fish Plant Production Manager

Maxwell, 93, passed away peacefully on February 3, 2017 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Born on July 26, 1923, he was the son of the late Robert and Louisa (Nickerson) Maxwell. He moved to The Hillyard on October 2, 1943 when he married the love of his life, Augusta (Nickerson) Maxwell. He worked over 25 years at Sable Fish Packers as manager of salt fish production.

Passed On: Raymond Doucette – Lower Eel Brook, N.S. Fish Plant Machine Mechanic

Doucette, 42, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2017 in Yarmouth Regional Hospital after a courageous battle with brain cancer. Born December 12, 1974 in Yarmouth, he was the only son of Raymond and Karen (LeBlanc) Doucette of Ste. Anne-du-Ruisseau. Raymond worked for Sealife Fisheries (Comeau Seafoods) in East Pubnico as a machine mechanic. He will be remembered as a very creative man with a sarcastic sense of humour who was self-taught in many areas including carpentry and technology.

Passed On: Milton Townsend – North East Point, N.S. Fisherman

Townsend, 75, passed away February 10, 2017 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Born at North East Point on March 28, 1941, he was a son of the late Leslie and Alice (Nickerson) Townsend.

Passed On: Emerson Smith – North East Point, N.S. Fisherman

Smith, 86, passed away peacefully at home on February 10, 2017. He was born in Centreville, N.S. on July 14, 1930, son of the late Claude and Maude (Nickerson). Having led a rich and varied life, he spent the first half of his life on the water as a fisherman and later, on land as a fox rancher. He is fondly remembered by many as the owner and operator of Oceanview Campgrounds in North East Point. He spent many years as a breeder of Nova Scotia Ducktollers and was proud to have many pups adopted all over the world. He also spent many years working as a fish monitor.

Passed On: Martin Cottreau – Wedgeport, N.S. Fisherman

Cottreau, 88, passed away on February 13 at Veteran’s Place in Yarmouth. Formerly of Wedgeport, he was born November 4, 1928 on Wilson Island. He was the son of the late Ambroise and Rose (Muise) Cottreau. He was a veteran of the Korean War, a fisherman and a jack-of-all-trades.

Passed On: Rupert Nickerson – Barrington Passage, N.S. Fisherman

Nickerson, 75, passed away on February 16, 2017. Born July 27, 1941, he was a son of the late Clifton and Esther Nickerson. He had a lot of enjoyments in his life, one of which was quilt making. He also spent time on the water, enjoying fishing and lobstering. He also liked to go clamming.

Passed On: Cecil Roy – Yarmouth, N.S. Mariner

Eugene Roy, 85, passed away on February 24, 2017 at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital surrounded by his loving family.  Born in Liverpool on April 18, 1931, he was the son of the late Cecil Aubrey and Violet Elizabeth (Hamm) Roy. At the early age of 15, Cecil left school and home to work and support his mother and siblings. He worked as a laborer on the boats with the Mersey Paper Mill. In 1953, he enlisted as a Private in the Black Watch Battalion. He served in the Korean War and remained a member of the Black Watch of Canada Association. He later became a 3rd Class Engineer at CSF Barrington and ended his career as Commissionaire in Yarmouth. He was a proud Canadian who was a member of Cornwallis Historical Association, Canadian Merchant Navy Association, Lester B. Pearson Canadian International Peace Keeping Training Centre and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 61.

Passed On: Fred Wheaton – Moncton, N.B. Fisheries Conservationist

Wheaton, 76, passed away on Oct. 2, 2016 at the Moncton Hospital. He was born in Upper Sackville, N.B. to Albert and Margaret Wheaton (Harris). Since 1975, he served as Chair of the New Brunswick Wildlife Federation’s fisheries committee and was frequently interviewed by media and engaged by government to consult on fisheries issues. He was an active man and maintained numerous leadership roles in conservation organizations, including: The Atlantic Salmon Federation, Moncton Fish and Game Association, NB Wildlife Council, NB Fish & Wildlife Advisory Board, NB Sportsfish Advisory Council, NB Wildlife Trust Fund, Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation and the Canadian Wildlife Federation Fisheries Committee. He was honoured with many awards for his work, including the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation, the New Brunswick Wildlife Federation’s Sportsman of the Year Award, and the Roderick Haig-Brown Award for having played a role in ending commercial fisheries for wild Atlantic salmon and promoting the conservation value of ending the harvest of large Atlantic salmon in 1984.

Appointed: Alastair O’Rielly – Chair CCFI Board of Directors

The Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI) recently announced the appointment of O’Rielly as Chair of its Board of Directors. O’Rielly has extensive experience in fisheries and aquaculture. He currently holds the position of executive director of the Northern Coalition Corporation, a consortium of shrimp licence holders in Nunavik, Nunavut and Labrador. Previously, he served in senior positions in government and industry, most recently as deputy minister in the Newfoundland and Labrador government. He has held senior positions in a number of fisheries companies, presided over the Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and served as a board member for many research and academic organizations. O’Rielly previously served as CCFI’s managing director and chair of the board.

Appointed: Robert Jenkins – President Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA)

Jenkins has served on the association’s board and executive for many years, most recently as vice president. He is a lobster and tuna fisherman based out of Annandale Harbour in Eastern P.E.I. He takes over from past president Craig Avery who served in the capacity for the past two and a half years. PEIFA represents 1,260 fishers on numerous species and fisheries-related issues.