What was the involvement of Jersey mariners in the Canadian cod-fisheries and the Transatlantic carrying trade?
A few hundred years ago, the first islanders went to plunder the cod-rich seas of the American and Canadian coast. Fisherman travelled to these parts and, by 1580, around 10,000 European fishermen were making the transatlantic voyage to the area each year to fish for cod. between 60 and 70 Jersey vessels, manned by up to 2,000 Jersey men and boys (10% of the entire population), were involved in the trade. By 1763, Jersey was shipping more Newfoundland cod than any other British port.
Fishing out in sea was usually pretty easy to catch the Cod however, getting closer to shore was far more difficult. Though it was a challenge, this was commonly where they would be fishing since here was where the Channel Island fishermen got their biggest catches. Some men were employed to catch the cod, others carried fish to the processing site, where others cut off the heads.
The cod trade significantly impacted the economy of Jersey, opening up jobs and providing income for many islanders. The trade routes established during this period laid the groundwork for future maritime commerce.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the cod trade began to decline due to overfishing,
Jersey went through a financial crisis and the Jersey Banking Company collapsed as a result of fraud and embezzlement. head offices relocated to Canada where assets were beyond the reach of Jersey creditors, and as the cod industry went into decline.
Which ports did Jersey ships sail to and trade with?
Fisherman originally belonging to the channel islands were amongst these people and by the 1750s Jersey fishermen participated in this lucrative trade, catching cod and exporting it to Europe, particularly to countries like Portugal and Spain. they had set up trade routes between Canada, Europe and America. Cod was traded in Europe, South America, North America, in the Mediterranean, and Africa.
What type of goods did Jersey merchants exchange for cod-fish?
Jersey traded the cod for things such as rum, molasses, coffee, brazil and mahogany. Fortunes made through the North Atlantic cod trade were most probably the wealth for the construction of some 18th and 19th century houses in Jersey’s town and countryside.
Jersey cod-merchants also exported cod-fish to British colonies in the West Indies and later Brazil too in exchange for plantation goods, such as sugar, molasses, rum, cotton, coffee and tobacco which it brought to markets in America, Europe and the UK (inc. Jersey).
