Expansion of the Newfoundland Fishery

Timeline

1. 1591–1595Bay of Biscay ports · Bay of BiscayReligious fasting days and population growth expanded Europe's salt cod market; Basque, Breton, and English western ports organized more fishing vessels each spring to cross the Atlantic to the Newfoundland fishery, forming large-scale seasonal expeditions.
2. 1593–1600South coast of Newfoundland · Newfoundland and LabradorFishermen established temporary shore stations on Newfoundland's south coast and the Avalon Peninsula, salting and drying cod on land before shipping it back to Europe; operating points extended from traditional fishing grounds to coastal bays, with seasonal population and material turnover increasing markedly.
3. 1595–1600Newfoundland · Newfoundland and LabradorEnglish, French, Spanish, and Portuguese fishermen competed for prime fishing grounds and landing points in Newfoundland waters, with occasional conflicts and increasing royal diplomatic negotiations; the fishery's expansion became a key argument for each nation's sovereignty and commercial claims in North America, foreshadowing 17th-century colonial competition.