8. North Atlantic Fishing Fights: Decades of Maritime Hostility
The richest fishing grounds in the world led to bitter confrontations from the 1780s through the early 1900s. American vessels entered Canadian waters, enraging local fishermen. Canadian authorities seized American ships, while American fishermen sometimes violently resisted. Multiple treaties attempted to resolve these increasingly hostile standoffs. The disputes involved every valuable swimming creature. Cod, mackerel, halibut, and lobster all became conflict sources.
