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History of the Labrador fishc'1,IO
Europeans began to establish seasonal fishing stations on the Labrador in the early
sixteenth century. Figure 4 provides a graphic description ofmany asJXCIS ofthe
eightccnth century fishery. Records from this period up until 1760 are full ofSlories of
"'guerrilla" raids from the Eskimos (lnuit) in search of iron anifaclS, and facilities "ere
often found wrecked when \"essels arri\"ed from Europe to begin a new season fishing or
\\haling. This began to change when Labrador came under Britain's rule in 1763. While
the French still had a series ofmonopoly grants of fishing stations. the English, under
Governor Hugh Palliser's rule in the late 17005, pushed the frontier ofexploration north
to River Charles. Here George Cart\.\Tight established a cod. scal, and salmon fishcr)'. a
fur trading business, as well as friendly and commercial relationships with the Inuit and
Indians (Innu).
Palliser recognized that the Europeans wcre responsible for much oftheir COnniCl
with the Inuit, and onc of his first acts was to issue strict guidelines for the conduct of
British subjects toward native residents. Palliser wrote nn ungry letter to the Governor of
Boston ubout the atrocities committed by New England whalers in Labrador. and he
encouraged Moravian evangelists to set up missions