Whaling
BACKGROUND: While there had been commercial whaling in Newfoundland as early as the 16th Century when the Basque operated shore stations along the Labrador side of the St of Belle Isle, local involvement in the global expansion of "Traditional" whaling thereafter was small-scale and sporadic. By the mid-1800s virtually all stocks of Right and Sperm whales ( species that could be harvested using open boat, hand-thrown techniques. and methods had been discovered-exploited-seriously depleted). The "Modern" era of commercial whaling dates from 1868, when a Norwegian, Svend Foyn, successfully used a harpoon-cannon mounted on the bow of a steam-powered catcher to kill whales in coastal waters off Norway. All of the stocks of great whales which had previously been immune to attack could now be harvested. With greater efficiency, the "depletion cycles" of the tradional fishery now began at an even faster pace. Thus, by 1898 the industry had spread outwards from Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands to Newfoundland.

Whaling station in Dildo

Whaling in Harbour Grace