The Fishing Section

Fishing was one of the main occupations of the first settlers of Torbay. This trade has continued on through the years until 1990, when a North Atlantic Cod Moratorium was put in place.

The Torbay Museum offers a detailed look at the fishery in the lives of Torbay citizens. It has one entire corner dedicated to the fishery which is filled with various artifacts.

The items are placed in a setting that resembles a fishing wharf - it has a wooden cookhouse, a storage room, a splitting table and a carrying bucket which all lie on a wooden wharf. Hauling nets hang in the background with floaters dangling off them. On the far left, there lies a kerosene motor engine, once used by Mr. James Eustace (Sr.) on his fishing expeditions. Below the engine there is a killick resting against the post. The killick is the official symbol of the Torbay Museum and was once used to anchor boats to the seabed.

An old bollard stands in the corner with wear and tear marks around the top. It was used to tie boats up along the wharf. Resting on the splitting table are numerous artifacts as well. There are small jiggers, which are small hooks used for catching "tom cods" (baby cod fish). There are also hook and line reels - hand held fishing lines that had to be spun through ones' hands quickly in order to catch fish. On the opposite side of the table there is even a portable fog horn that stands in excellent condition.

This picture shows Tapper's Cove on the left side of Tor Bay. This wharf was used for hauling fish in Torbay. Today, there isn't much activity at this site - Torbay isn't a huge fishing community like it once was years ago.

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