Although many of the early settlers moved to St.Alban's because of the forests, many of them maintained their former way of living - the fishery, in addition to the forestry. The first Collier's who came to St.Alban's moved out each summer to work in the fishery. In the fall they would return to St.Alban's.

Later they would sell bait to the French fishing vessels of St.Pierre each spring and summer. When they were prohibited to sell bait ( because of the Bait Act ), these early pioneers changed over to coasting and in the summer they would fish of Lawn and Lamaline.

In 1891, Matthew Collier and his sons took their schooner the "Frances" to Labrador to fish there. This fishery was successfully prosecuted for the next 65 years with Matthew's sons carrying on the work after Matthew's death.

One of the original settlers of St.Alban's, Samual Organ built four schooners before his death. For a living, he sold birch firewood to St.Pierre for four dollars a cord and smuggled herring to the same place for four dollars a barrel.

In the early 2900's, people would grind and dry rinds on t the "Beach". The rinds would be rolled up and sold for $ 2.00 per hundred. Hoops were also made and they would be sold to Grand Bank for the construction of fish barrels.

Sawmills and logging was also a major way or earning a living in St.Alban's. Logs were cut in "North west" (Nar West locally) and sold to the Co-op in St.Alban's. There was a sawmill started by the Co-op in Swanger's Cove in 1929. It was the first sawmill in Swanger's Cove. When the sawmill first started, it was run by water power. There was rotary saw, cut-off saw, rip-saw and donkey for pulling up logs.

Father Stanislaus St. Croix started the Co-op movement in St.Alban's. Men would cut logs and sell them to the Co-op for 20 cent coupons. The coupon would then be used to buy goods at the Co-op Store. No money changed hands at the Co-op.