Centre Acadien, Université Sainte-Anne

Free Seafood- The early twentieth century can evoke visions of an idyllic lifestyle. It was the age of sail, before the arrival of mass media and commercial fishing regulations. The sea freely offered us its bounty, according to the moon, tides and seasons. In days gone by, access points to beaches and docks were natural and numerous.

In the 1950s, many young people in Clare earned their pocket money by harvesting Irish moss, which they dried before selling it in jute bags to local buyers. Young people would adjust their swimming times according to the tides and would not fail to fill shoulder bags with dulse they either ate on the spot or back at home with a little vinegar.

Every coastal village had mussel-rich intertidal zones that revealed themselves during spring tides, and called forth men, women and children to quickly fill buckets to share this bounty with family and friends. Steamer clams were interspersed here and there, in both rocky and sandy places. Occasionally, periwinkles were also harvested. Mollusk fishing was sometimes suspended during major heat waves.

In Clare, quahog diggers make their way to the large mud flats in Grosses Coques and Belliveau's Cove. Although subject to strict regulations in terms of size and number, the quahog fishery remains a popular activity, one that some even do as a physical activity. Successful catches depend on having an intuitive grasp of the wind direction and how to handle the clamming fork in the sand. If this type of fishing is not for you, you can always try your luck at catching mackerel or plaice on one of our docks.

Topic: Community Life

Date: [ca. 1950]

Reference: John Collier Collection Centre Acadien Photo 40

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