Reflecting back on the trip to Labrador, It was quite an experience. I did not know what to expect, and whenever I do travel to new places, it is always best to go with an open mind and with a flexible plan. This way your plans, and the plans of the new place can work well rather than rushing through and not actually seeing anything. For my masters thesis, I spent a month in Egypt surveying the coral reefs which of course was fantastic. While here, I took the time to visit and see as much of the country as time would allow and this helps to put research into context.
I thought that 8 days here would be too short to see so much, yet a combination of all the people being so friendly and the nature of my research meant that Kiley and I were treated just like family. Being welcomed into everyone's home, given cups of tea, sharing a meal and being shown around in various modes of transport was so amazing. It is perhaps one of the friendliest and most welcoming places I have been to! And for this, I thank all of the people we met and spoke to, I was so pleased to be able to see and experience this.
I should also thank Kiley who did all of the driving, and for all the endless phone calls to set up interviews, and more. This allowed me to collect more information and do more interviews than if I had gone alone. We had a lot of fun trying to find houses in communities without street names and Kiley became very good at getting descriptions such as the color of the house, truck, etc. so we could find it! I also realised that my sense of direction, usually pretty rubbish, was even worse when everywhere is white!
I have so much information on the closed area now from the skippers themselves who go out there and see these things first hand. Including information about how the Hawke channel closed area came about in the first place, what has happened there before and after the closure, and the changes in species, size, attitudes to marine conservation etc. This information will come together to create a nice story from the fishermen's perspective. Now I just have to sit down and put it all together! That is my job this summer, write, write write!
The biggest thank you of all goes out to all of the fish harvesters (fishermen for my UK readers, or fishers for the internationally politically correct term!) of the 2J area that we talked to, and also to the many other people who helped us along our way including providing us with office space. Also, the wonderful staff at the Alexis Hotel, Port Hope Simpson. This is a place that makes you feel at home!
My industry partner who is part of my PhD network, the Canadian Fisheries Research Network, is Aubrey Russell and he was there at the beginning, pushing for the area to be closed. He is helping me so much, and while in Labrador, he made calls, and gave the heads up to many of the people we wanted to speak to, and this helped a lot. I love how my research has industry partners like Aubrey involved, alongside academics and government.
And now, after a few days turn around time organizing paperwork, finishing up some things at the university until I get back, and repacking my bag (taking out the cold clothes and putting in the warm ones!) I am ready to go on to the next part in this research season.
I will be spending a month in Tanzania where I will be talking with fishers in a marine park that has fishing areas and no fishing areas to see how these areas are perceived, also I will be doing some diving to see how the reefs look in these areas. Sadly, Kiley is not coming on this one, that would have been fun!
Before this, on my way I am having a brief stopover in the UK to see the family. I am excited about this! Thanks for following the Labrador trip, and I will be posting about Tanzania also, and perhaps on some tea drinking times in England first!
Kate
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