Jersey mariners and Canadian cod fishers made a fortune by trading their goods and employing people in their country. By 1763, Jersey was trading more Newfoundland cod than any other British port. Another reason why the Jersey Merchants were so successful was because they were able to speak French and English. They conducted a language called Jerriais, Jersey French this enabled them to communicate in a sense of code.

Jersey Merchants exchanged various goods for codfish. During the 17th and 18th centuries Jersey traded items such as salt because they needed it for the fish. They also traded textiles, alcohol and other local goods.

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. Within that context Jersey benefitted from the profits made in the British Empire build on a capitalist model of a slave-based economy. Jersey ships frequently sailed to ports in France particularly Normandy. they also traded with parts of the British Isles, such as England and Ireland.

Jerseys ship building businesses became serious in the 18th century with the aim to build larger ships than the fishing boats. this enabled Jersey merchants to trade to different countries. Between 1760 and 1815 Britain was at war which affected the trading between Jersey and other countries. During World War 1 and World War 2, iron ships, steam ships and oil powered ships were built. Wooden ships which were built on island were becoming more popular and opening ports in places such as South America, Hong Kong and Australia.