The East Coast Fishery Geo

Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island New Brunswick Quebec

Why the grand Banks? Continental shelf contains shallow fishing banks which have abundant supplies of food (plankton) for fish

Why the Grand Banks? Labrador Current & the Gulf Stream converge at this location.(they churn up nutrients for plankton growth)

Types of Fishing Two main types of fishery along Canada’s east coast 1. Inshore fishery 2. Offshore fishery

Inshore Fishery Within km of shore 85% of the fishing industry workforce 10% of the total catch

Inshore Fishery Boats under 20m with fixed gear (lobster traps, small nets)

Inshore Fishery Individuals and families own / operate the equipment and are self employed Between 1 – 6 people per vessel mainly working in the warmer months Each morning fishing boats travel to coastal fishing areas

Inshore Fishery Fish are processed onshore, usually in small to medium plants

Inshore Fishery People in this industry have very low / unstable incomes Often dependant on government support (Employment Insurance)

The Offshore Fishery Located to the edge of the continental shelf (370 km from shore) 15% of the labour force 90% of the catch

The Offshore Fishery Large trawlers (up to 50 m in length) crewmembers

The Offshore Fishery Larger companies operate in the offshore fishery Fishermen/women work in all types of weather

The Offshore Fishery Fish may be partially processed on board before being taken to large processing plants People live in larger coastal communities where incomes are larger & more stable

Commercial Cod Landings in Canada Year Live Weight (metric tonnes) Total Value ,885$266,298, ,233$224,249, ,499$246,294, ,941$233,078, ,929$158,738, ,767$70,917, ,276$31,864, ,610$20,251, ,241$22,061, ,435$36,857, ,095$57,435, ,314$82,217, ,888$69,683, ,913$59,129, ,441$50,477, ,564$34,641,000 Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada