Fish harvesters speak about life on and off the water

As Chamber of Commerce members finished their desserts and listened to what Mr. Spingle had to say, two relatively unfamiliar faces could be seen at the back of the room.

Peter and Eleanor Marche of Felix Cove sat quietly on a pair of chairs pressed against the b ack wall, knowing first-hand of the hardships Mr. Spingle spoke about in his speech.

The Marches own two fishing enterprises, meaning they are both licence holders and each own a vessel. Along the waters off Newfoundland's west coast, they fish for such species as lobster, crab, cod and halibut.

Speaking after the luncheon, Mr. Marche echoed Mr. Spingle's comments regarding the misconceptions about how much a fish harvester works.

"If you went down and saw me come in on my boat, you might say, 'Look at all the money he made today.' But how many days did I work on the land in order to get out on the water and earn that money?" querried Mr. Marche.

"One day's fishing is an extra two land day's work for me, because you have to get all your gear ready, plus then you have the losses."

Ms. Marche added there's a lot of time spent on the water.

"You work early in the morning, from 5 a.m. until you get home, sometimes nine or ten [o'clock] at night," she said.

Dedication

This year marks Mr. Marche's 46th season on the water, and Ms. Marche's 29th.

"I said I'm going to do 50 [seasons], but the way it's going, after this year, if I break even, that's it," said Mr. Marche, noting last year the couple barely made enough money to cover their expenses.

During last year's season, Mr. Marche earned $3.25 a pound for lobster. From that income, he had to pay for such things as gas, bait and a helper.

"My profit was $60 from 100 pounds of lobsters," said Mr. Marche, "and there were many days I didn't make $60."

And once the season was over, there wasn't much time to relax.

"I started repairing my lobster gear in July and I never finished until the last of September, so that's work I don't get paid for."

But the couple carries on.

"Scrape and scratch, plant a few vegetables, pick a few berries, get a moose, catch rabbits - that's the only way to survive, other than that, you can't do it," said Mr. Marche.

He noted the only other option to supplement his income would be to head to the mainland for work.

"But if you go away while the fishing season's on, you lose your licence," noted Ms. Marche.

The Marches said they aren't able to expand their fishing operation, citing restrictive federal government policies, and the high cost of licences and other associated fees.

Mr. Marche noted he's also discouraged his son from becoming a fish harvester.

"If he wanted to take over my enterprise, he'd have to take training for seven years," said Mr. Marche. "I said to my son, 'You could be a doctor in that length of time.'"

Even after speaking about all the hardships, the Marches were quick to respond when asked why they continue to work as fish harvesters.

"I've got 28 years in - I still love doing it," said Ms. Marche.

"And I love to fish," added Mr. Marche. "I really wanted to do 50 [seasons]. That was my goal."

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