Fish

Fishing in Tignish

During the early decades of the nineteenth century, the Acadians around Tignish were not very involved in fishing. It would not be until 1845, the year of the arrival of merchants like Frank Arsenault and Thomas J.Caie who traded farm and fish products, that the industry began expanding in the Tignish area. In 1850, W.B. Dean and Captain Hubbard founded an important fishing and commercial establishment near present-day Tignish- the first large-scale establishment of its kind in the colony. The impact of this industry was soon evident; in 1852, Tignish was exporting more fish products than any other port on the Island. The following are the statistics from that year: 244 barrels of gaspereaux, 2113 quintals of cod, 115 barrels of herring and 21 barrels of fish oil. The entire amount was shipped to the other British colonies in North America and to foreign countries.

One of the most important fisheries in the region was the Myrick establishment. Isaac C. Hall and James H. Myrick, two American investors, founded the fishery in Tignish Run. The Myrick family played a prominent role in the fishing industry, and in the economy as a whole, right into the mid-1900s.

The first Fisherman's Union in Canada was formed by a group of Tignish men in 1924, under the direction of Chester P. McCarthy. McCarthy, a lawyer, was admitted into the legal profession in 1919, and he set up a law practice in Tignish shortly thereafter. His interest in the lobster fishery business was what led him to form the Fishermen's Union. McCarthy also managed the Tignish Fisheries until his death in 1949.

In 1925, the first members of the Fisherman's Union bought a factory at Jude's Point, then owned by the late Dr. J. A. Johnson. Twenty-six members of the group bought shares and formed a company under the name of Tignish Fisheries Ltd. The present-day fisherman's co-operative owes its existence to McCarthy and the first members of the Fisherman's Union.

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Boats & Gear

The many advancements in sea-faring vessels have allowed fishers to travel farther from land and stay out for longer periods of time. Early on, fishers used dories which either had to be rowed, or they used sails to get around. Today, the most common boat used is the Cape Islander named after Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia, where the late H.A. Atkinson is generally believed to have built the first such craft. The name, Cape Islander, may not be well known because these boats usually have local names.

Early days of lobster fishing - dories launched from the beach

The Cape Islander is generally used because it is easy to maintain, relatively fast - powered by either marine diesel or gas engines, and has a cabin which shelters fishers from the elements.

Electronic equipment has allowed for safer and more efficient fishing. In addition to such conveniences as CB (Citizen's Band) radios, which enable fishers to communicate with each other and the shore, fishers now have electronic navigational aids, depth-sounders and "fish-finders".

Today, much of the manual labour has been eliminated by the use of winches that haul nets or traps the majority of the distance. The fishers then haul the nets or traps into the boat by hand.

Old wooden fishing needle (now made of plastic) - used to prepare and repair nets

Old wooden fishing needle (now made of plastic) - used to prepare and repair nets

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Fish

Though in the early days many fish were taken out of the waters of Tignish, including Nothern Cod, Herring and Mackerel, today there is very little fishing of Groundfish or Pelagic fish, except for the use of bait in lobster traps.

Currently, many types of fish, like Cod, Flounder, Hake, Shark, Dogfish, Herring and Mackerel, are caught by fishers, but since there is not always a consistent demand for these fish, fishers do not depend on them as a main source of their income.

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Irish Moss

Perhaps the best-known and most valuable of all the "seaweeds" is Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus). It contains a substance called carrageenan which is extracted by boiling the moss. The carrageenan resembles starch, but is colourless, odourless, tasteless and contains no calories. Carrageenan is useful to the Food and Pharmaceuticals Industry for its properties in emulsifying, gelling and stabilizing products without changing their colour, smell or taste.

Irish Moss harvesting

by horse

by boat

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Lobsters

Lobsters can easily be classified as the cornerstone of the Tignish fishing industry. While there has been a variety of fish taken from our waters, the most consistent section of the fishing industry has been lobsters, due to their abundance. While there have been many rules and restrictions added to regulate the fishing of lobsters, catches have remained healthy over the years.

Like the fishing industry itself, there has been no increase in the number of lobsters to be caught. The introduction of better boats, engines and new technology has allowed lobsters to be caught more "efficiently".

One notable aspect of the lobster industry is its improvment in the area of lobster processing. Lobsters can now be cooked, frozen, and packaged much more quickly than they were in earlier times. The canning process revolutionized lobster fishing because lobsters could not be dried, salted or pickled. Until that time, they had little economic value around the shores of Prince Edward Island.

Early Canning Equipment

Pressure Cooker

Canning Apparatus

Soldering Equipment

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