53 Sm‘cesx (m [/16 Edge 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Members drew up and sent out bulk orders for a wide 
     
     variety of fishermen/s supplies, thereby getting them at 
     
     a discount. This in itself would bring down the members’ 
     
     expenses, and thus make them more independent of the 
     
     company store. Furthermore, only those who owned their 
     
     own boats could apply for membership. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Two or three years passed. Then the local doctog’g 
     
     who owned a small lobster factory, went bankrupt. After 
     
     considerable discussion, the members of TFU decided to 
     
     buy the factory, fix it up themselves, and start packing 
     
     and shipping lobsters. Thus was born Tignish Fisheries 
     
     (TF). Again Chester McCarthy helped to organize it and 
     
     agreed to be its manager. It was far too small and new to 
     
     appear even as a potential rival to Myrick’s - or any other 
     
     lobster packing company for that matter. In fact, Myrick's 
     
     felt so secure that it had no difficulty helping TF by, for 
     
     example, renting it a wagon. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The first inkling of Tignish Fisheries’ impact was 
     
     that it paid higher and fairer prices for lobster than any 
     
     other local processor, including Myrick’s. This had the 
     
     effect of raising all prices for lobster in the area. It also 
     
     paid a dividend to members at the end of the fishing 
     
     season. Though not formally a co-operative (there was 
     
     no legislation in place on the lsland to make that possible) 
     
     TFU members co—operated in practise. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     This chapter stresses the economic side of life more 
     
     than the previous ones, because that was where the most 
     
     significant changes in the direction of survival, co- 
     
     operation, and independence were taking place. A few 
     
     other changes, both economic and otherwise, are worth