Fishing

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Fishing is Canada's oldest industry. The Grand Banks, off the coast of Newfoundland, once literally teemed with fish. This has long been one of the world's richest fishing areas.

The French arrived in the seventeenth century, attracted by the fishing grounds that, until then, had been the exclusive hunting grounds of the Mi'kmaq people. Fishing is still a major industry today and Nova Scotia is the leading fishing province of Canada.

Fishing quotas

In the past, cod was the major catch. However, due to overfishing, the catch of cod has dropped significantly. Other fish populations have also declined. The government has placed restrictions on fishing to try to protect and rebuild fish stocks. Quotas have been set and some traditional fishing areas have been closed.

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