Vessels and Boats: The Development of the Inshore Mackerel Trade on Prince Edward Island, 1830-1880

Using direct testimony from those engaged in the 19th-century Gulf of St. Lawrence mackerel fishery, this article suggests that closer examination of the industry’s history challenges both traditional and recent scholarly writing on the fishery. It argues that social and geographical influences led to the development of a shore-based fishery on Prince Edward Island. This fishery was primarily controlled locally and demonstrated an adaptability on the part of Islanders. Their adaptability, however, could ultimately not overcome competition and other external market factors controlling the mackerel trade.