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Cobequid Bay Shad Fishery
Colchester Historical Museum and Archives
Truro , Nova Scotia

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   Prior to European
settlement of the Cobequid
Bay area, and for a period of
one hundred and fifty years
following, the Upper Bay of
Fundy teemed with shad during
the summer months. When this
resource was discovered and
utilized, the shad drift-net
fishery flourished, bringing

a modest prosperity to the
farmer-fisherman who engaged
in fishing. As with all
natural resource-based
industries, the fishery was
dependant on the abundance of
shad. During the last half of
the nineteenth century, when
shad were plentiful, many
farmers took advantage of the

opportunity to supplement
their incomes by fishing.
When shad numbers dropped due
to pollution and the damming
of spawning rivers, the
fishery slowly declined until
1994 when the last license
was issued.
   Our Community Memories
exhibit explains the general

setting of the area and the
industrial activity of the
time. From there, a visual
record tells the story of the
boats, the builders, and the
men who fished. Local people
were interviewed to glean and
share their knowledge,
memories and pictures. To
experience first hand the

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