L.A. Dunton

L.A. Dunton. A Fishing Schooner. , Feeding a Growing Nation , Between 1865 and 1930, New England fishing schooners sailed to the North Atlantic's rich fishing banks, where phytoplankton flourish in shallow waters and attract cold-water fish. The L.A. Dunton fished there for cod, haddock, hake, cusk, pollock, and halibut. Once on the fishing grounds, the Dunton served as mother ship for teams of fishermen who rowed out in dories. The two men in each dory would set out long lines strung with hundreds of baited hooks., Navigating a Changing Fishing Industry , The L.A. Dunton was launched in 1921, late in schooner history, and it represents the final form of these ships. It had to be fast, to beat the competition in getting its fresh catch to market to get the best price. It had to be maneuverable, so that a small crew could sail it while the rest of the crew were in their dories. The Dunton sailed for a decade from Boston and Gloucester, the principal Massachusetts fishing ports. In 1934, new owners fitted it with an engine and used it to fish out of Newfoundland, Canada, for another 20 years. It was then purchased by Mystic Seaport Museum in 1963 and has been used as a platform for demonstrations and conversations about fishing and history ever since., Emptying the Banks , When New England fishermen began to work Georges Bank in the 1830s, it was the most productive North American fishing ground. By the end of the Dunston's American career in 1932, the bank was noticeably overfished, but fishing continued and even increased. In the mid-1990s, most of Georges Bank was closed to fishermen to help fish populations recover. While some recovery has been seen since then, due to more sustainable fishing practices, it has been slow, and climate change is causing some species to move north, even further from New England ports.