I suppose it couldn't be "starving saithes" (young pollock, coley, coalfish)? Taking the eels that they feed on and thus causing a shortage of fish?

"The saithe spawns offshore in 100-200 m of water to the north-west of Britain, in the northern North Sea, off Norway, Faroes and south Iceland. It spawns from January to April, and the eggs, which are about 1 mm in diameter, float in the upper 30 m of the open sea for 6-9 days before hatching. The young fish moves close inshore by midsummer, and may spend from 1-2 years in shallow water there, feeding on animal plankton and the eggs and fry of other fish species. The immature fish then moves offshore, but continues to live near the surface for a further 1-2 years, feeding on small crustaceans, sand eels, herring and other small fish."

http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/tan/x5924e/x5924e01.htm

Any evidence of saithe(s) in Cape Breton?

Frances.