From the boardroom the once mighty Fishery Products International, Gus Etchegary witnessed the historic decimation of cod stocks in the northeast Atlantic. During a 40-year career in the industry, Etchegary battled to save his business, ultimately brought to its knees by overfishing, government mismanagement, and political interference.
In this memoir, Etchegary recounts his youth in a pre-World War Two Newfoundland outport, and his role in in transforming a traditional family-based saltfish firm into an international frozen-fish powerhouse.
Although he retired in 1988, Etchegary is still fighting, as fiery, outspoken, and impassioned as ever. This is his story, told frankly and without pulling any punches. He levels blame for the destruction of the fishery at governments for decades of neglecting the fishery, at Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for extreme apathy, and even at himself, for not yelling louder, sooner.