Did you ever wonder what it was like to be a fisherman in 1970 compared to 2001? We have found out some interesting information from a local fisherman who was fishing then and is now still fishing. His name is Weston Coffin. He was born in Souris, P. E. I. In 1970, he began his fishing career after spending a short time fishing his brother's, fleet who had been sick and in the hospital. He already had 5 brothers in the business at that time. They were Stanley, Preston, Lee, Stewart, and Sheldon. They all helped encourage him to join the industry. He enjoyed fishing and purchased his own fleet in the year 1970. Weston's first boat was built in Nova Scotia. It was a wooden boat and he named it after his mother Louise C who had died. He felt proud and happy with his first boat. Later on he sold this boat to a fisherman in the Magdalene Islands and had a new one built.

In the earlier years of fishing, they would fish with 400 small traps and haul the traps into the boat by hand. Today there is a limit of 300 traps but the traps are also built bigger and the equipment of a mechanical hauler is now inserted in the boats making the job easier.

The lobster season runs for two months and fishermen put in long hours from early morning around 4:30 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. depending on the weather. Sometimes fishermen would have to wait until the wind went down and then go out for the day. Then when they came home they would have to think of where they were going to get the bait for the traps for the next day. Sometimes, they would go out to the brooks and catch their own gaspereau or set nets for their own bait.

The technology in the boats is much more advanced today than in the earlier years. Years ago fishermen went by land marks to set and find their gear. Today, fishermen have a GPS which is a piece of equipment uses satellites to help locate traps. They drop their traps into the water and enter the buoy number into the computer (GPS), then the next day, they enter the buoy number again, and it will show them where their traps are located. The boats are also equiped with depth sounders which show the fishermen the bottom of the ocean where the rocks are . Some of the sounders show fishermen a mark which represents tuna, mackeral or other bait in the water. These are all modern technologies which were not available to the fishermen in the 1970’s. Then, fishermen relied on their memory and land marks to find their gear.

The boats of today are better equipped with safety devices. Some examples are, that they have life rafts, fire extinguishers and radars as the fishermen of today go farther from their home ports to fish. The fishermen themselves must take safety courses and be certified in First Aid and CPR. The Department of Fisheries have strict guidelines now compared to years ago. The lobster traps are now equipped with an escape hatch which allows the undersize lobster's to escape safely back into the water to grow to a bigger size before they are able to be sold.

Weston tells us although there were good times in the fisheries, there were also some very bad times. Weather is one of the biggest factors. He remembers in the eighties when there were three bad storms which wiped out almost all of his fleet that he set. They spent many hours repairing what was left of the traps, only to again face another storm and before the season of two months was up, he would be facing damage from a third storm. Also not only the traps were damaged but the storms caused the run at the North Lake Harbour to fill with sand making the coming in and going out of fishing boats very dangerous. Because of this, two young fishermen lost their lives trying to reach port. Weston says that was the worst year of his fishing career.

The price of lobster back when Weston first started was 55 cents a pound and last year they averaged $5.00 per lb. Back in the seventies they could buy more supplies for a dollar than they can buy today. The price of fuel, insurance and equipment was much less as well.

When asked about tuna, Weston tells us, "There is much more advanced equipment. Men are traveling further to try to catch the great tuna and the price of them is certainly better now." The fishermen have learned better ways to catch and care for their species of fish, and by doing this, they received a better price for their products. When asked if he were to relive his life, would he still be a fisherman and why, his response was "Yes, you have to think of fishing as your business. You must work hard at it. Know what you are achieving, and where your money is being spent.

You must keep a good set of books for your fishing business as you have to be accountable to Revenue Canada when they audit you for income tax." Weston tells us the love of the water and the fishing has provided him and his family with a good home, and money to provide food and education for his children.

When asked if retirement was in the future he tells us," Yes at the age of 61 or 62, if my health permits me to work. Then I will gladly retire and hope to enjoy good health and happiness."

By Marla Coffin and Meaghan Flynn