Chapter VII. Steam Trawlers and the Great Modern Fishery 



It was in 1907 that the first French steam trawlers appeared on the 

 banks of Newfoundland, at the same time in Icelandic waters. But, if trawl- 

 ing for cod first started in the Iceland fisheries, many years of groping pre- 

 ceeded its definite adoption in Newfoundland, so that it was only after the 

 first World War when requisitions of all the steam trawlers in the battle a- 

 gainst the submarines was lifted, that the era of trawling truly opened on 

 the banks. 



The distance of Newfoundland justified these hesitations at first. The 

 first trawlers coming to fish on the banks were simple high sea vessels of 

 about 200 tons, with a modest range in which the cost of outfitting found it- 

 self burdened with much onerous coal-loading during the season, not to men- 

 tion the expense of going to and returning from the banks. 



After 1919, the steam trawlers, returned to their owners, went back to 

 the banks. This time they were in number, for the high price of cod out- 

 weighed all other considerations. 



From this period, trawling was practiced each year in Newfoundland by 

 a fleet of 30 to 40 steam trawlers, at first concurrently with the line trawl 

 fishery, then supplanting it more and more, the high seas steam vessel gave 

 way to the steam trawler especially designed for this fishery. 



In the first period, the steam trawlers, whose tonnage fluctuated be- 

 tween 400 and 800 tons, found it advantageous to make one crossing, going 

 and returning, per season. While, for many years, the metropolitan sailing 

 vessels abstained, in normal circumstances, from all calls at Saint-Pierre, 

 the steam trawlers came many times during the season to unload their cod 

 and to go, at the same time, into Nova Scotia ports to take on coal. 



Later the trawlers, as the sailing vessels had, freed themselves from 

 these intermittent stops. They achieved this by an increase in tonnage, re- 

 sulting, with the enlargement of their transport capacity, in a considerable 

 increase in their range of action. 



Then appeared, beside the steam trawlers burning coal or fuel oil, trawl- 

 ers propelled by diesel engines. 



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