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The Captain and the Pilot
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The Captain
The captain was the commanding officer of the
vessel and the representative of the shipowner.
 he captain hired the
crew, ensured that the ship had sufficient provisions, and
purchased rigging, salt and fishing equipment.
Sometimes the captain was the owner of the ship, in which case he
rented his vessel to someone who outfitted it for the fishing
expedition in exchange for a large share of the profits. He was a
former pilot experienced in navigation, as well as a seasoned
fisherman who was well acquainted with the sea routes and the
customs of the fishery. He tried to be the first to get to
Newfoundland in order to become the fishing admiral, the one who
oversaw the distribution of the beaches and dealt with disputes
between captains who arrived later.
Some captains were merchants who specialized in the fish trade and
the management of the fishery. They counted on the pilot to navigate
and manage the crew.
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A captain speaking to a pilot (detail), 18th century
From Traité général des pesches,
by Duhamel du Monceau, 1772
(National Library of Canada)
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Unloading fish (detail), 18th century
Based on Traité général des pesches,
by Duhamel du Monceau, in Encyclopédie, fisheries plates
(Paris: Éditions Panckoucke, 1793)
(Collection of Nelson Cazeils,
Biarritz, France)
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The Pilot
If the captain was not trained in navigation
or wanted to devote all his time to the fishery, he hired a
pilot, who was second in command.
he pilot steered the
vessel and got it to its destination. Once the ship arrived at
the Grand Bank or other fishing grounds, he stepped aside and
gave the captain full authority.
The pilot also took an active part in the fishing operations on
the bank, usually helping to prepare the cod. In the dry fishery,
he often managed the work on shore.
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Pilot calculating the height of the sun above
the horizon using a Jacob's staff (cross-staff), 16th century
From Canada Rediscovered, by Robert McGhee (Libre Expression
and Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1991)
See " "
and " "
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