In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier arrived in Gaspé, Québec and claimed Canada for France. Gaspé, located in Eastern Québec on the North Atlantic, has been a hub of maritime culture in North America for centuries, and continues to be an important fishing and commerce port today. At different points in history, Gaspé has been home to indigenous fishermen, Basque whalers, and robust French and British cod fishing communities, each with their own unique shipbuilding heritage. In the summer of 2019, Institute of Nautical Archaeology researchers from Texas A&M University initiated a long-term study of shipbuilding in the area, starting with a survey of the Gaspé Bay for shipwrecks and other submerged cultural heritage. This paper discusses the results of that survey, and the long-term goal of the study, including the public outreach efforts taken by the principal investigators and the resulting success in locating cultural heritage materials based on local knowledge.