Located near the Northern tip of Prince Edward Island, Tignish was initially settled by Acadians in 1799; they were later joined by a handful of Irish families. Fishing has been part of life in Tignish ever since and the formation of a fishing cooperative in the 1920s has had a major influence on the trade.

Early days

The early 1900s was a hard time for fishers. Very few had their own supplies, so they were forced to rely on private companies for boats and other equipment in exchange for half of their daily catch. Exploitation was prevalent, debt was rising and fishers rarely had enough money to last through the winter.

Wanting to revitalize the industry, a small group in Tignish set out to establish a processing facility owned and operated by local fishers. Understandably, funding was an obstacle. Given their financial standing, banks refused to issue credit. So, they enlisted the help of Chester McCarthy, a local lawyer to help form the organization.

McCarthy later agreed to fund the group’s purchase of a small lobster processing facility and a few boats in exchange for a percentage of revenues. The group officially incorporated as Station No.1 Fishermen’s Union of Prince Edward Island on September 25, 1925, and became Canada’s first fishers’ union.

 

Exporting worldwide

The Union began processing lobster and other fish. A progressive organization, in 1948 it became the first Canadian fish processing plant to have a female manager. In 1959 the union was renamed Tignish Fisheries Cooperative Association Limited.

Francis Morrisey, current manager of the organization, explains fishers benefit from the Co-op by getting a fair price for their fish, as well as sharing equipment, profits and other resources. In addition to processing, the Co-op also sells live lobster and other fish products from Tignish fishers across the globe.

Over time, Tignish Fisheries expanded its processing facilities, added cold storage facilities and initiated strict quality control measures into its processes.

 

Royal introduction

In 1995, the Co-op was in need of new facilities and secured government funding to build the third processing plant in its history. This led to the creation of Royal Star Foods, a subsidiary of the Tignish Fisheries Cooperative Association responsible for marketing its products. One of the largest plants in the country, the Co-op’s current facility can scan, freeze, properly store and process products before sale. Always evolving, in 2023 the organization launched a new lobster dip. The product makes use of leftover lobster and crab meat and allows the plant to remain open further into its off-season.

 

Centennial celebrations

Today, the Tignish Fisheries Cooperative Association continues to serve its now 249 members. Soon to celebrate 100 years in operation, the organization has 385 employees. Speaking about the Co-op’s staff, Morrisey commented: “We’re very fortunate to have a stable workforce. It’s not all local, but attracting and retaining workers from other countries has helped build and strengthen our community.”

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