1. People of the Land and Sea
NL Studies 2205 Topic 3.4
People of the Land and Sea

2. Economics of Saltfish
NL sold saltfish to Southern Europe, Brazil and the British Caribbean.
It was BIG business!
In 1814, the total amount of saltfish sold was 1 million quintals! (1 quintal = 100 KG)

4. To Consider
Our heavy dependence on international trade made our economy vulnerable to uncontrollable external factors.
This lead to diversification of the economy by 1870.

5. Fish for Sale
Key to success = production of a wide variety of grades of saltfish
Grade = quality
Inshore caught fish = highest grade (immediacy)
Once fish was caught, merchants sold it around the world.

6. What was it so Popularity?!
Saltfish was ideal
Inexpensive
Long shelf life if cured right
Easily transported
You could trade saltfish for money or goods (molasses & rum) not available here

7. Making the Grade Highest Grade = Merchantable (Europe)
Middle Grade = Madeira (Brazil)
Lowest Grade = West India (West Indies)

8. Alas, All Things Change
At the end of the 19th century, saltfish became less important in people’s diets.
Interested in knowing why?

9. WHY?
New technology allowed fresh meat to be frozen and shipped around the globe.
Between 1500 & 1900 the world’s population tripled to an estimated 1, 564,000,000 people.

10. And…the role of the merchants changed…

12. Question Period with Don Gibbons
Why didn’t you want to become a fisherman?
Fisherman were getting about 2 or 3 cents a pound for their fish. Today, fish is sold for 6-7$ a pound. People were poor years ago as a result.
I did work at the fishing station. The fish were brought in. I went down there to cut the fish so I could take the heads and tounges home to eat.
I did not get paid for this.