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floater n DC ~ 2 a, b Nfld (1909-; 1930) for senses 1 and 3.
1 A migratory fisherman prosecuting the cod-fishery in a schooner
along the north-east coast and esp on the Labrador Coast; GREEN FISHERMAN.
1895 Outing xxvii, p. 20 The remaining fishermen who visit
Labrador are designated 'green-fishers' or 'floaters.' 1908 HUBBARD 11 [The fishermen]
sooner or later either scatter for the short season among the shore stations of the
southerly coast, or, fishing as 'floaters,' enliven the littoral to the latitudes of the
walrus and white bear at Nachvack and Chidley. 1924 ENGLAND 261 Thousands of outport men
migrate almost as regularly as the seals themselves. With small, home-built
schooners—these ingenious people can turn their hands to making almost everything
they need—they take up the sea trek every summer and go down the Labrador. If they
pick some berth and settle down, they're called 'stationers,' 'squatters,' or 'roomers.'
If they keep on the move, they're 'floaters.' 1947 TANNER 753 The schooner fishers are
termed floaters, meaning they are not generally attached to fishing establishments on the
Labrador, but catch their fish wherever they can get it, and take it direct to
Newfoundland ports, where it is cured. T 75/7-64 Sometimes the floaters'd come here [to
Tilting] an' they'd have nowhere to split their fish. T 141/63-651 [Change
Islands] is a rough place, but it used to be used a good bit by our floaters. 1970
PARSONS 71 We came to the small harbour of Fish Cove where we met some fishing boats.
These were some floaters (large fishing vessel whose crew stays on board all during the
summer and stores their fish on their vessel as they catch and clean it) from
Newfoundland.
2 A fishing schooner working northern coastal waters
for cod.
1902 Christmas Bells 1 This shows one of the many
'floaters' working their way north in pursuit of fish, from Southern to Northern
Labrador. 1925 Dial Notes v, 331 ~ A schooner that goes north every summer to
fish. 1937 Seafisheries of Nfld 35 The units of production in the Shore Fishery
range from the man who fishes by himself, to the crew of the largest Labrador Floater,
which usually numbers fifteen men. 1970 PARSONS 55 There were two 'floaters' at Batteau
when we arrived. Both had secured a load of fish, and were working their way down the
coast towards Newfoundland.
3 On Bell Island, a man who travelled
by boat from his home in Conception Bay to work during the week in the mines.
1931 SMALLWOOD 148 Hundreds of [the men) live in the various towns
around Conception Bay. These, coming from their homes to work in and about the mines, and
returning each week-end, are called 'floaters.'
4 A buoy or float.
1971 NOSEWORTHY 201 ~ Floating objects used to hold up cod-traps.
P 190-77 Floaters [are] glass buoys used on a fish trap.
5 Attrib,
comb floater-crew: crew of up to fifteen who man a migratory fishing schooner.
1953 Nfld Fish Develop Report 20 While almost 90 per cent of
the floater crews and about 70 per cent of the stationer crews fish for cod only 60 per
cent of the livyer crews fish for both salmon and cod.
floater(s) fish: cod taken in Labrador waters and shipped in
'salt-bulk' to be dried in Newfoundland.
[1912] 1930 COAKER 47 The
great bulk of floaters fish was made dry in compliance with our instructions.
floater fishery: cod-fishery in Labrador waters prosecuted
by migratory fishing schooners from Newfoundland.
1968 Avalon
Penin of Nfld 30 The Newfoundland Labrador fishery was of two kinds... The second
[the floater fishery] was prosecuted by the crews of the Labrador schooners, not always
attached to particular shore establishments, catching their fish wherever they could get
it and often taking it direct to Newfoundland ports to be cured. 1970 PARSONS 295 The
floater fishery became popular because it had the advantage of being able to search for
the schools of fish. If a floater (skipper) anchored in a certain harbour and found that
cod was scarce he could always move to another location and, if necessary, keep moving
until he found enough fish to launch his fishing operation.
floater trader: itinerant buyer of cod who deals with the
migratory schooner-fishermen.
1953 Nfld Fish Develop Report
79 Much of it [price competition] is provided by itinerant buyers of fish, i.e.
'floater' traders.
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