Din Pat Walsh was the local skipper on the Department of Fisheries experimental long liner called the M.V. Hubert G. Smith out of Merasheen in the winter of 1951.  M.V. Hubert G. Smith was owned and operated by Dept. of Fisheries. It involved a governmental experimental team of researchers who returned to Merasheen in the winter of 1951 as well with the first and latest gurdey long liner type fishing equipment to test on an experimental basis. Din Pat Walsh was hired on as skipper during a few winter months of fishing around Merasheen as well as other testing areas. Din Pat was valuable to the experiment being very familiar with the fishing grounds and passage ways in and out of the harbours. According to his son Ernie, while fishing they also trawled for halibut in the deep water channels off Little Merasheen. These were the days when Placentia Bay was hailed in promise of a rich valuable fishing resource and now had to be efficiently managed with the implementation of new ways and means of fishing.