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Survival of A People: Using our Natural Resources 1875-1975
Islands Museum
Long and Brier Islands , Nova Scotia

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arrived at local stores by
way of freight boat. Digby,
the county "seat," or
capital, was not a common
destination because of poor
roads.
   This way of life
continued with very little
change until after World War
II. Then came the age of

bigger fishing boats. Seiners
and draggers began to scoop
up as much sea life as could
many individual fishermen.
Coal began to be replaced by
oil and propane which,
because of improved roads,
arrived by truck. The
government’s Department of
Fisheries set up systems of

licenses, permits, and
quotas, making large boats
available to many through
government loans. This
signalled the beginning of
the end of the inexhaustible
harvest for the inshore
fishermen.
   Trucks replaced the
freight boats as the roads

were improved and paved, and
the trading across the Bay
also largely disappeared. By
1975, the fish were becoming
scarce, though shellfish
remained a fairly solid
staple, and seiners and
whales competed for the
remaining herring. Trips to
Digby for various needs

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