Until the 1890s, when Port aux Basques became a railway centre,
the settlements were mainly fishing communities settled by the
French and later by Channel Islanders and the English. The
community expanded as a trade centre, especially later when Port
aux Basques was chosen as the terminus of the transinsular
Newfoundland Railway in 1892. In 1898 the railway was completed
and linked by the gulf steamer service to the Canadian railways.
A number of fish processing plants were built by the 1950s but
the industry was hit hard with the collapse of the COD fishery
in the early 1990s and without the fishery's recovery the last
large operation closed in 2007. Since incorporation, Channel-
Port aux Basques has been the administrative centre for the
Burgeo-La Poile region. Author JANET E.M. PITT Links to Other
Sites Channel - Port aux Basque The website for the Town of
Channel - Port aux Basque, named by Basque fishermen who visited
this region in the 1500's. Atlantic Provinces Chambers of
Commerce The website for the A