Turning to scallops, reluctantly, when the cod fishery fails: A Land & Sea archival special

After a dismal cod season for both inshore and offshore fishermen, there was a rush to catch scallops on the Labrador Straits.

From 1985: A rush to catch scallops on the Labrador Straits

CBC News Posted: Jan 05, 2019 12:54 PM EST | Last Updated: January 5, 2019

More and more fishermen were outfitting their boats for scallops on the Labrador Strait in 1985, but some worried too much was being caught, too quickly. (Land & Sea 1985)

The Labrador Straits were often considered one of the best places in the province to fish cod, but in 1985 the seasonal fishery had failed. Both inshore fishermen and those on trawlers had a dismal season, so an increasing number of them turned that summer to a totally different kind of seafood: scallops.

Fish plant workers in L'anse au Loupwere shucking scallops instead of filleting cod, and the meat inside the shells was selling for as much as $10 a pound in supermarkets, but it wasn't seen as a long-term solution at the time.

Plant manager Gilbert Linstad said the decision to process scallops was made largely to ensure their workers got some work in a poor cod season, and could qualify for unemployment. (Land & Sea 1985)

"The cod fishery here was a failure this year as far as we're concerned so we decided to turn to scallops so that our employees could get their UIC benefits this coming year," said Gilbert Linstad, who managed the plant in town for the Labrador Fishermen's Union Shrimp Company.

Between the two small plants in L'anseauLoup and Forteauthere were 150 full-time workers and 25 part-time workers, on two shifts, processing scallops, Linstad said.

Scallop processing is more labour intensive, but the meat was fetching good prices. (Land & Sea 1985)

It was going well so far and the more established scallop operation was expected to continue in Forteau, Linstad said, but the expectation was that the L'anse au Loupplant would go back to buying cod when the fish returned in part because the more labour-intensive work of processing scallops wasn't profitable.

'What we're doing with the scallops right now is breaking even."

'I couldn't see it lasting'

Some Labrador Straitsfishermen were outfitting their boats to catch scallops, or had already done so, even if they remained uncertain about the long-term potential of the fishery.

John Demaresquestarted fishing scallops the previous year, even though the cod fishery had been good as well. He said he could make a living doing it, but he didn't expect that things could stay at the current pace, with no real policies set to govern the takes or numberof licences.

Fisherman John Demaresque outfitted his boat for scallops the previous year, because they were getting a good price. His wife also worked at a plant processing scallops. (Land & Sea 1985)

"I don't think there's enough out there to stand what's being taken out right now," Dumaresque said.

"Icouldn't see it lasting another seven or eight years.Idon't see it."

Linstad at the plant was similarly skeptical of the nascent scallop fishery.

"Everybody is worried about it. We don't think it's out there.We don't think it's going to last," he said.

"But we'll just have to take our chances, Iguess, and see what happens."

For more archivalLand & Seaepisodes, visit theCBCNewfoundland and LabradorYouTubepage.

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