Page 79 - George Leonard & the Fish Business

ISSUE : Issue 69

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1995/8/1

And they were great big ones. They used to catch great big pol? lock, about two and three feet long. And they're not there an3nnore; that's all gone. They used to catch shad in those traps, up 5- and 6- pound shad. And talk about disgraceful. We used to take them in the fish business. Fresh, of course-- they would come up every morning by boat. We used to have a boat on, bringing these things up in bulk--that's how much fish they'd catch in the trap. And we'd take the shad, and they'd squeeze them to find out which shad were roe shad, were females, and which were males. And the males they threw overboard. And the roe shad--instead of taking the roe out, which was marketa? ble- -and the meat was fine in a shad, but it was full of bones, but it still could be used--they'd throw them away. So all they (kept) was the eggs.... And the only rea? son they were taken out like that was--no, I'm wrong--I'm ahead of my story. We didn't take the eggs out of the thing at all, out of the fish. We found out it was a female by squeezing it. Then we froze that particular female fish. They were packaged just as they are, frozen whole. They were shipped to the States, because you weren't allowed to ship the roe alone; had to have the whole fish. So we had to ship the whole fish to the States, so they could get at the roe in Philadelphia. And -they'd take the roe out and--they'd throw the fish away up there, I prestime. But this sort of stuff, it was so common. Nobody gave it any (thought)--everybody catch as much as you can, as cheap as you can, and as fast as you can. And the price--a codfish was 3C a pound, or 3 l/'2. And the big ones were 5<:, for years. And the little ones were a cent and a half. That was at our wharf, landed. Before my time, haddock were a cent each in Ingon? ish, out of the traps. That's how many "Leonard Fisheries Ltd. Plant at Port Hawkesbury, N. S., purchased by W. F. Leonard, Saint John, N. B., 1916. Charles and George F. Leonard worked here. Leonards sold their interest, 1922. Around 1928, the new company failed, and the plant was torn down. Site of Imperial Oil Co. Ltd. since December 1972." they were catching. They were bringing them by the boatloads. And it was just--Department of Fisheries, we never heard of them. Department of Fisheries, after the war, did nothing--as I well remember--but take statistics. They would come into the office and they would (ask), "How much fish did you catch?" And they'd check it all out. That was about all they did. Once in awhile they'd come (Happ Irrtnn M You're always welcome to come and enjoy the wami hospitality of Cape Breton Bed and Breakfasts - an island experience that goes hand in hand with our unique and splendid scenery. If you appreciate the personal touch and all the comforts of a home, then check into a Cape Breron B&B; on your island vacation. Cape Breton ' ISLAND 1-800-565-9464 forinftirination Need a Radiator? Muffler? Shocks? Brakes? RAD-PRO Specializing in Radiator Repair & Recores Heaters Water Pumps, Etc. FIVE LOCATIONS: Sydney Downtown 562-2300 and Grand Lake Road 564-5547 tniDAS jSpecializing in l/lufflers Brakes Shocks Springs Antigonish: 863-6090 • Port Hawkesbury: 625-3781 New Glasgow: 752-8777

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