Fish Boats by Mark Perry

“Fish Boats” is an up-tempo number about the disappearance of an industry that once dominated the northwest coast.

After WWII until the early 1980’s, Prince Rupert was considered the Halibut Capitol of the world. In 1910 there were 14 canneries operating there on the Skeena River. In the 1970’s and 80’s the fishing industry boomed. Young people came from many places in North America to the NorthWest coast to work, made big money and lived hard. Large social gatherings were common. Money and energy flowed.

The sustainability of the fishing industry on the west coast is a constant concern. Fish farms, waste effluent, natural predators along with overfishing, have lowered stocks and are a constant threat.

interesting side note…
Aug 1997 – 200 Canadian fishboats surrounded and blocked the Alaskan ferry ”Malaspina”, protesting Americans overfishing in “Canadian waters”. It was tense. There was a lot of energy. Passionate times in the fishing industry = understatement.

Tracklist

1.	Fish Boats	3:31

Lyrics

FISH BOATS

Whatever happened to the fish boats
Lined up at the docks
These canneries were humming
This whole place rocked.
Then nets started coming up empty
and the fish boats went away

Treat it right or it won’t last
This could be your final cast
In Cow bay - they say
It’s all in the past
when Boats lined up
And things were built to last

When the fish boats docked
And the money came in
Spread it around
(And) everybody wins
And the girls came in from across the bay
This place is coming alive today
Will we ever see that again
We may never see that again

Here the fishermen and the hippies
Learned to work together
grab another beer
and bitch about the weather
Your hair’s too long to be my friend
Hey will this ever end ?

Now the fishermen in the Belmont
They’ll argue day and night.
Til’ they’re blue in the face.
So who the hell is right
Why It is the way it is
You know
The big boats came
The big nets dropped
The sea lions ate
The seals ate
The whales ate
The waste got dumped.
the temperature rose
And a life you loved
Went away

© Mark Perry, 2021 | markperry.ca

Credits

released June 25, 2021
Release Date: June 25, 2021

Mark Perry - lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitar
Jordy Walker - lead acoustic guitar, percussion
Tobin Frank - bass
Andrea McColeman - accordion
Mip - harmony vocals

Produced and mixed by Jordy Walker at Stackwall Sound, Whitehorse, Yukon

Lead vocals and acoustic guitar recorded by Mark Perry at Northern Sky Records, Smithers, BC

Lead acoustic guitar, electric guitar and percussion recorded by Jordy Walker at Stackwall Sound, Whitehorse, Yukon

All other tracks recorded by the players at their home studios.

Mastered by Philip Shaw Bova at Bova Lab Studio, Ottawa, ON

Songwriter, copyright Mark Perry 2021 SOCAN

Contact and more info at www.markperry.ca

Supported by Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia

License