The collapse of the East Coast fishery in Canada.

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The Collapse of the East Coast fishery in Canada.

By: Seth Giddens

In 1992, the devastating collapse of the fishing industry on the East Coast of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia forced the Canadian government to take drastic measures and close the fishery. But what could've caused such a horrible downfall of one of Canada's biggest national resources?

The East Coast Fishery is made up of offshore fisheries and inshore fisheries. An Offshore fishery is a type of fishery that is over 25 metres of the coast. This type of fishery requires large boats. An Inshore fishery is a type of fishery that is between the 25 metres of the coast. This type of fishery requires small boats. Nets and traps were extremely common to use to catch fish.

The East Coast of Canada was a great place to catch fish because it made up most of Canada's fishing industry. The natural conditions of Canada's east coast favoured fish resources.

The fish were located mainly in the Grand Banks, there was a continental shelf, which benefited the fishing because it was deep, meaning you could do offshore fishing. The water varied in all depths. There is enough sunlight coming down on the coast, which penetrates to the bottom, which stimulates plankton growth, also fish like warmer water. With the cold Labrador current and the warm gulf stream coming in, it could churn the nutrients for the plankton to grow, and attracts fish. It had many types of fish, but some of the main ones were Halibut, Cod and Sole. There are three main categories which fish fall into, Groundfish, Pelagic fish, and Shellfish. A Groundfish is a fish that swims close to the ocean floor, Pelagic fish are fish that swims near the top of the water and Shellfish are crustaceans.