NAVY HISTORY - Ships - Fisherman's Reserve
The Fisherman’s Reserve was organized by the RCN between 1939 and 1942 which operated along the Canadian Pacific Coast until 1945. It was made up of private and company fishing boats which were recruited and trained at the Esquimalt Naval Base and was purposed to patrolling and protecting the British Columbia Coast against potential and after December 7th, 1941 real Japanese aggression. The unique knowledge of the coastline which the reservists could offer was an efficient, effective and politically positive way to expand Naval support in BC and address the issue of a general lack of resources to blanket the entire coastline with a Naval presence. Additional information regarding individual vessels will be added to this page and related links below offer current crew, vessel, and activity histories. For additional information regarding the formation, training, and operation of the Fishermen’s reserve, please see the Fisherman’s reserve page in the RCN Section.
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Ship Information 
HMCS WEST COAST
BUILDER: Harbour Boat Builders Ltd.
YEAR: 1929
PLACE: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
RCN COMMISSIONED: 1940
RCN DECOMMISSIONED: 1944
GROSS TONNAGE: 75.85
MEASUREMENTS: 90.3' x 14.4' x 8.2'
VESSEL TYPE: Fishpacker
RCN RATE: Patrol vessel
ENGINE: 2 - 180bhp 6-cylinder diesel engines (1929) 1 – 100bhp gasoline engine (1929)
PENDANT: FY.04
Other Ships- CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum Joseph M. Lenarcik, Assistant Curator. Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada
- Government of Canada - Navy. https://www.canada.ca/en/navy/services/history/ships-histories.html
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PHOTO CREDIT - UBC Cdn Fisherman Archive 1-0012380
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Douglas, W.A.B.; Sarty, Roger; Whitby, Michael (2002). No Higher Purpose: The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1939–1943 Volume II, Part I. St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-061-6.
- Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.
- Macpherson, Ken (1997). Minesweepers of the Royal Canadian Navy 1938–1945. St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 0-920277-55-1.
Cite Article : Reference: www.navyhistory/sections/Ships/Minesweepers/HMCS_Courtenay.html
Source: NA
