Two well-known leaders in the fishing industry from Conception Bay North received special recognition late last month during the North Atlantic Fish & Workboat Show at Mile One Centre in St. John's.
Ross Petten of Port de Grave and Alec D. Moores of Harbour Grace were both inducted into the Atlantic Canada Marine Industries Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Nov. 30.
Petten was inducted in the mariner category, while Moores received the nod in the processor category.
A third person, master boat-builder Henry Vokey of Trinity, was inducted as a builder.
The Atlantic Canada Marine Industries Hall of Fame was developed by The Navigator Magazine, in partnership with Master Promotions Ltd.
The Hall of Fame replaces the Industry Achievement Awards that had traditionally been handed out as part of the marine show since 2008. All past industry achievement award recipients have been automatically inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Active volunteer
Petten has been involved with the fishery since 1972, and took on his own fishing enterprise in the early 1980s. The enterprise is now operated by his two sons, Jason and Ian.
Petten has also been very active with the fisheries union, is a longtime member of the Canadian Coast Guard Association, and has played leading roles on harbour authorities in Bay Roberts and Port de Grave. He is also with Branch No. 32 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Bay Roberts, and currently serves as first vice-president of the legion's provincial command.
He has been acknowledged at the highest levels on several occasions for his volunteer pursuits.
70-year career
Meanwhile, Alec Moores, who turns 93 on Dec. 30, has been involved in the fishing industry for 70 years.
He started working with the North Eastern Fish Industries in Harbour Grace in 1947 after several years working with the Bank of Nova Scotia on Fogo Island.
He continued working in the processing industry, operating four plants at Harbour Grace, Port de Grave, Old Perlican and Fermeuse, during the peak of his career. Those facilities employed over 1,000 people and Moores was involved in purchasing product from some 2,500 fisherman at the time.
He has often been described as a pioneer, an innovator and an entrepreneur, and was known for his foresight and positive outlook on the industry, even in tough times.
Politically, he served as the mayor for Harbour Grace and also as the MHA for the district of Harbour Grace.
