Newfoundland Heritage Web Site

The French Settlement of Placentia

During the 1650s, French Basque fishermen began to overwinter in Placentia Bay, a practice that was encouraged when the French crown decided to sponsor a colony.
Sponsored Settlement: The Colonization of Newfoundland.

In late 16th century England, there was a growing interest in planting colonies in North America, including Newfoundland.
Irish Settlement Patterns

The cod fishery and its mercantile activities greatly influenced Irish settlement patterns in Newfoundland and Labrador.