the gloucester fishing industry photos

GLOUCESTER PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF THE NEW ENGLAND FISHING INDUSTRY. DURING THE LATE 1800'S, PIECES OF THAT HISTORY BEGAN TO BE CAPTURED IN PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES. MANY OF THOSE IMAGES DEPICT MANY OF OF THE EARLY PRACTICES FOR PREPARING THE CATCH FROM THE TIME IT ARRIVE ON THE FISHING VESSELS AND WAS UNLOADED ONTO THE WHARF TO PILES OF FISH DRYING IN THE FLAKE YARDS TO WHEN IT WAS PACKED INTO BOXES FOR SALE TO CONSUMERS. SOME OF THESE PROCESSES WERE USED LONG BEFORE THE DAYS OF MODERN REFRIGERATION.

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photo above courtesy of John Morris

SOME TASKS TOOK PLACE BEFORE HEADING OUT TO SEA, WHILE UNLOADING AND WEIGHING THE CATCH TOOK PLACE AS SOON AS THE BOATS RETURNED.

AFTER THE FISH (COD, HALIBUT, MACKEREL) WAS WEIGHED AND SORTED, IT WAS CURED AND STORED FOR FUTURE USE. PART OF THE CURING PROCESS INVOLVED PLACING THE FISH ON FLAKES TO DRY.

MANY OTHER JOBS STILL HAD TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE FISH WAS READY TO BE SOLD. IN ADDITION TO GETTING THE FISH READY FOR MARKET MANY JOBS HAD TO BE COMPLETED SO THE SHIPS WOULD BE READY FOR THE NEXT TRIP TO THE BANKS.

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from 1902 article

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AT THE START AND END OF EVERY FISHING VOYAGE, THE SCHOONERS WOULD BE FOUND ALONGSIDE A WHARF. ALL FISHING VESSELS NEEDED TO BE FITTED-OUT WITH SUPPLIES PRIOR TO A LONG TRIP TO THE GRAND BANKS AND THEN UNLOADED ONCE IT RETURNED WITH HOLDS FULL OF FISH.

photo above in collection of Erik A.R. Ronnberg, Jr.

to read "Harvester's of the Deep" -- click above

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