APART from the Worimi, the early fishing effort in Nelson Bay was dominated by the Chinese, as revealed by a Royal Commission into the Fisheries of the Colony of New South Wales appointed in January 1880 and presented to His Excellency The Right Honourable Lord Augustus William Frederick Spencer Loftus, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of New South Wales and its Dependencies.

“Port Stephens, about 24 miles to the northward of Newcastle, with its innumerable out grounds, including the Broughton Island and extending as far as the Seal Rocks, is probably the grandest fishing station on the entire seaboard of the Colony.

“Connected with a vast series of lakes (the Myall Lakes) on the north and with the Karuah River, Telligherry Creek, and half a score of important affluents inland, with miles upon miles of beaches fit for seine fishing, with an apparently unlimited endowment of the best fish, and with a telegraph-station within very easy distance, this noble harbor is unquestionable destined to become one of the largest factors in the metropolitan fish supply of the future.

“A considerable gang of Chinamen is always located at Nelson Bay, and as soon as one lot returns to its native country another takes its place.

“They catch their own fish here and preserve it after their own detestable fashion.

“At times these Chinese fishermen go out seaward as far as Long Island (Broughton Island), where they camp for several weeks at a time and catch vast quantities of fish, and might, if they choose, catch any quantity of crayfish (the ‘lobsters’ of our fishermen).”

The influx of Chinese into Australia came about as a direct result of the cessation of the transportation of convicts to NSW in 1840.

As the supply of cheap labour began to dry up, anxious employers brought in labourers from China, a practice that was continued until the discovery of gold in 1851.

When gold was discovered the Chinese bolted to the gold fields almost as soon as they were landed.

On realising that the gold fields did not guarantee immediate wealth and were more about hard work with little to no reward, the dispirited Chinese began to filter back into established communities in the hope of finding or creating suitable work.

Certain documents suggest that the Chinese arrived in Nelson Bay in the early 1800s, however it is generally accepted that they arrived in greater numbers during the 1860s.

The Chinese line fished for snapper, netted garfish and salmon and trapped lobsters. Little interest was shown in the passing schools of mullet.

The reference to the Chinese curing of fish at Nelson Bay is of interest.

The evidence of Chinese fish merchant Mr Chin Ateak to the 1880 Commission made detailed reference to this trade.

It appears to have been a very active, substantial industry which employed local fishermen to supply suitable local fish for curing and subsequent export.

When interviewed at the Commission, fisherman George Newton was asked: “Can you give us any idea of their mode of curing – what they did with the fish?”

“They split them and salt them and shove them into a cask – that was all,” Mr Newton said.

“At other times they would cut a little of the belly, take the insides out, just what they could reach, put a lot of salt in, and stuff the fish into a cask.

“Anyone who saw the Chinamen cure fish would not, I am sure, eat them.

“The Chinamen gave us between 4 and 11 shillings a dozen for snapper each weighing over 7 pounds.

“Some fish were salted and sun dried.”

It seems that all wasn’t smooth sailing for the Chinese in Nelson Bay, with a report written in the Newcastle Herald in 1865.

“On Monday night last a quarrel arose between seven or eight Chinese fishermen who lived together at Nelson’s Bay, near Port Stephens Heads, during which one of them seized a knife and attacked another against whom his wrath was specifically directed.” The Raymond Terrace correspondent on the The Maitland Mercury expanded on the incident at the time.

“Information was brought to town on Tuesday morning last, that two Chinese had been stabbed at a Chinese fishing establishment at Nelson’s Bay.

“Sergeant Healy and Dr. Wells immediately started and on their arrival at the scene of the outrage found one of the men dead and the other lying in a precarious state, and unable, from the nature of his wounds, to be removed.

“The Chinaman that committed the deed was taken into custody and brought into town, as also the body of his victim.

“An inquest was initiated before Mr Shaw, coroner, but stands adjourned until Friday next, to allow of an interpreter being procured, as most, if not all, the witnesses are Celestials.”

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE