Its official headquarters varied between Portsmouth or Plymouth[2] in England where a squadron of ships would set sail annually each year to protect convoys and the British fishing fleet operating in waters off the Newfoundland coast and would remain for period of approximately six months based at St. John's Harbour.

They were also responsible for administrative and judicial functions, including assisting the fishing admirals in Britain in maintaining admiralty law and order and compiling the annual report on the fish stocks for the British government.

The fleet usually arrived off Newfoundland in July and August, generally returning to England, via the Lisbon Station, towards the end of October.

Bypassing the horrendous weather conditions prevalent in the Atlantic at that time of year and escorting the British fishing vessels were important considerations in when the squadron returned.

By 1818, the Newfoundland Colony had a sufficiently large permanent population to warrant having a full-time resident governor.