Grand Manan Island

Grand Manan Island, island in the Bay of Fundy, southwestern New Brunswick, Canada. The island lies near the entrance to Passamaquoddy Bay, 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Saint Andrews and 9 miles (14.5 km) off the Maine coast. It is about 15 miles (24 km) long, is 6 miles (10 km) across at its widest point, and occupies about 55 square miles (142 square km). The island was visited in 1604 by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain, who mapped it as Menane (probably corrupted from the Malecite-Penobscot Indian munan-an-nook [“island place”]). As part of New France, it was granted to the sieur de Perigny in 1693 but became British under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. After the American Revolution the first permanent settlement was made by loyalists. Claimed by the United States, the island was “exchanged” in 1817 for then-British Moose Island in Maine. Along with Campobello and Deer islands to the north, it is now part of Charlotte county, New Brunswick.

Its rugged coastal scenery (including cliffs rising to 410 feet [125 metres]) and its birds (including a rare puffin) were publicized in 1833 by John James Audubon, the naturalist. The island is now a summer retreat for artists and writers. There is some tourism (whale watching is popular), but fishing (lobster, herring, cod, haddock, pollock) is the main source of income. Villages, including Grand Harbour (site of the fine bird museum of Allen Moses [1881–1953], the “Island Bird Man”), are on the east coast, which offers safer anchorage. The unique dulse (edible seaweed) industry is concentrated at Dark Harbour. Grand Manan has ferry connections with Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick. Pop. (2006) 2,460; (2011) 2,377.