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itants. They fished from small boats known as shallops. As we have seen, these fisherman hired people to work with them. They probably dried their fish (which was primarily cod). During the summer ships from France probably brought fishermen to the area. Ships from Portugal also fished off the Island. When the Scottish first came they were interested in farming not fishing. They only caught enough for their own use. In the late 1870's fishing became more important. But despite the brisk sea trade there were very few people engaged in fish- ing off Eastern Prince Edward Island. There were more sea Cap— tains from East Point than fishermen!106 In 1881, all that began to change. A lobster factory was established by Cairns and MacInnis between East Point and Betsey's Point.107 The method of fishing for lobster in those early days was much different than today. Tmtwo man dory was used or maybe even a boat known as a "pinkie". It was just a process of gaff- ing lobsters on the racks. A net with a long handle was lowered in the water. Bait was thrown on top ofi it. 'In a few minutes it was hauled with a yield of about half a dozen large lobsters and many more small ones. As lobsters grew scarcer this method was

rejected in favor of using traps.108

Other types of fish could also be caught from these small boats. Cod jigging was also en— gaged in.

The second type of fishing was carried out by large

vessels or fleets fishing in our waters. Each year in the mid

to late 1800‘s, the American Mackeral Fleet used to fish off