A rough shanty, a lobster dory (worth about $8) for every 100 or 150 traps, some laths to make traps and a few logs for firewood are all the implements required for a start.

n the beginning, the lobster fishery followed the same model as older fisheries like cod and mackerel. The industry was run by large investors. The processor owned all of the boats, gear, docking and processing facilities. Fishers worked for a share of the catch or simple wages.

By the 1890s many realized they didn't need a huge investment to "get into" lobster. Lobsters lived close to shore, so lobster fishers didn't need large, ocean-worthy schooners. A small shore boat, worth $10 or $15 at the most, would do nicely. Better still, these boats didn't need wharves to tie up to - they could be hauled up on the beach at the end of the work day. Lobster traps were simple to build and most of the material that went into them could be gathered or made close to home. As demand continued to grow, cannery owners were happy to buy lobster from independent fishermen.

A fortunate few were able to make a good living from the fishery, though most supplemented their income with what they could make off of a small farm. Since most of its farmland runs right down to the water's edge, Prince Edward Island was well suited to this combination.