Uploaded August 2014 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Produced by the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau under the personal supervision of Raymond S. Peck
In the early 20s the BC halibut fishery brought in 30,000,000 pounds of fish for a value of $4,000,000
Exhibits and Publicity Bureau, Department of Trade and Commerce Fisheries...
"Seeing Canada" series
This film shows the fishing and packing of halibut in British Columbia. An animated map shows the fishing grounds along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska. In southern waters, halibut fishing is done by small vessels that cast lines about four miles long. Fishermen are shown preparing and casting these lines and then hauling in the catch. Once caught, the fish are cleaned and packed in ice in the ship's hold. In northern waters, the fishing is done by small, independently operated boats. The fishermen on these boats haul in their catch by hand and are then picked up by a "mother ship". The large plants at Prince Rupert process and pack the halibut, for distribution to the rest of the continent. Workers are shown lifting the halibut out of a ship's hold, packing the fish into crates with ice and then loading it into a railroad refrigerator car. The "Fish Express" carries the daily supply of halibut to consumers in Eastern Canada and the United States.
This film is from the "Seeing Canada" series, which was produced by Bernard E. Norrish beginning in February 1919. The "Seeing Canada" series was the first major series of films about Canada. The films were successful in showcasing Canada to an international audience and were critically acclaimed for their technical quality.
Reference
Morris, Peter. Embattled Shadows: A History of Canadian Cinema, 1895-1939. Montréal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1978, p. 134.
Original from Library and Archives Canada
youtu.be/RqSwfVyuHfw
Produced by the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau under the personal supervision of Raymond S. Peck
In the early 20s the BC halibut fishery brought in 30,000,000 pounds of fish for a value of $4,000,000
Exhibits and Publicity Bureau, Department of Trade and Commerce Fisheries...
"Seeing Canada" series
This film shows the fishing and packing of halibut in British Columbia. An animated map shows the fishing grounds along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska. In southern waters, halibut fishing is done by small vessels that cast lines about four miles long. Fishermen are shown preparing and casting these lines and then hauling in the catch. Once caught, the fish are cleaned and packed in ice in the ship's hold. In northern waters, the fishing is done by small, independently operated boats. The fishermen on these boats haul in their catch by hand and are then picked up by a "mother ship". The large plants at Prince Rupert process and pack the halibut, for distribution to the rest of the continent. Workers are shown lifting the halibut out of a ship's hold, packing the fish into crates with ice and then loading it into a railroad refrigerator car. The "Fish Express" carries the daily supply of halibut to consumers in Eastern Canada and the United States.
This film is from the "Seeing Canada" series, which was produced by Bernard E. Norrish beginning in February 1919. The "Seeing Canada" series was the first major series of films about Canada. The films were successful in showcasing Canada to an international audience and were critically acclaimed for their technical quality.
Reference
Morris, Peter. Embattled Shadows: A History of Canadian Cinema, 1895-1939. Montréal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1978, p. 134.
Original from Library and Archives Canada
youtu.be/RqSwfVyuHfw
