This picture (ca. 1900) shows part of the old fleet sailing north. The vessels varied from 30 to 70 tons and some of them were used only to carry large numbers of passengers (stationers) who fished from shore along the Labrador coast. Others were used in the fishery all along the coast and those (floaters) carried crews of eight to ten men in addition to any passengers. Stationers and floaters stayed at Labrador for varying lengths of time but for the most part they departed from the Island in June and returned in October. It has been estimated that as many as 2,000 vessels participated in the annual Labrador fishery. Many also participated in the coastal trade and were often referred to as "coasters". The small boats being towed are the trap boats, used for working the cod trap. The longliner, mentioned earlier, is in fact an intermediate-sized craft combining some of the advantages of the smaller trap boat and the larger schooner.
A Model of A Cod Trap. The part extending out on the right is the "leader" which is fastened to the shore or anchored near the shore. In certain areas fish are known to travel along the coast and traps are set in these areas. When the fish meet a leader, which varies in length according to the slope of the fishing ground, they follow it through the "doorways" and into the square pound or trap which is 50 to 70 fathoms on the round. It is emptied by first pulling up the doorways and then the bottom of the net forcing the fish to the surface at the back. A dip net is used to dip the fish into the boat. Note: corks and kegs keep the top of the trap on the surface while lead weights keep the bottom from floating to the top. Small anchors or "grapnels" are used to keep the whole apparatus in place.
Courtesy: Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador, and National Film Board of Canada
