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diff --git a/15035.txt b/15035.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..77af677 --- /dev/null +++ b/15035.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5068 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine, by +Walter H. Rich + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine + +Author: Walter H. Rich + +Release Date: February 13, 2005 [eBook #15035] +Most recently updated: July 21, 2005 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FISHING GROUNDS OF THE GULF OF +MAINE*** + + +E-text prepared by Ronald Calvin Huber while serving as Penobscot Bay +Watch, Rockland, Maine + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file + which includes the original tables and maps. + See 15035-h.htm or 15035-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/0/3/15035/15035-h/15035-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/0/3/15035/15035-h.zip) + + + + + +FISHING GROUNDS OF THE GULF OF MAINE [1] + +by + +WALTER H. RICH +Agent, United States Bureau of Fisheries + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + +Introduction +Acknowledgements +Gulf of Maine + Geographical and Historical Name + Description +Bay of Fundy +Inner Grounds +Outer Grounds +Georges Area +Offshore Banks +Tables of Catch, 1927 +Maps +Index to grounds + + + + +PREFACE TO THE 1994 EDITION + +Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine by Walter H. Rich first appeared in +the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Fisheries, Report of the +United States Commissioner of Fisheries, for the fiscal year 1929. + +When Captain Robert McLellan of Boothbay Harbor died in 1981, the +employees of the Maine Department of Marine Resources contributed money +to be used to purchase books in his memory, for the Department's +Fishermen's Library. Captain McLellan's family was asked what purchases +they would recommend, and a top priority was to somehow reprint this +work on the fishing grounds. This was a book that had been helpful to +Captain McLellan in his career, and one which his son, Captain Richard +McLellan, found still valid and useful. + +Contributions from the employees of the Department of Marine Resources +paid to get this project started; film to reproduce the pages of the +original text was donated by the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences; +printing costs were paid by the Department. + +It is the hope of the Department and its employees that the fishermen of +today will benefit from the detailed information in this publication, +and that they will remember Captain Robert McLellan, a man who knew how +to use books to enhance his career as a fisherman, who knew how to share +his knowledge with the scientific community, and who was widely +respected by fishermen and scientists alike. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +Paralleling the northeastern coast line of North America lies a long +chain of fishing banks--a series of plateaus and ridges rising from the +ocean bed to make comparatively shallow soundings. From very early times +these grounds have been known to and visited by the adventurers of the +nations of western Europe--Northman, Breton, Basque, Portuguese, +Spaniard, Frenchman, and Englishman. For centuries these fishing areas +have played a large part in feeding the nations bordering upon the +Western Ocean, and the development of their resources has been a great +factor in the exploration of the New World. + +According to statistics collected by the Bureau of Fisheries.[2] these +banks annually produce over 400,000,000 pounds of fishery products, +which are landed in the United States; and, according to O. E. Sette,[3] +annually about 1,000,000,000 pounds of cod are taken on these banks and +landed in the United States, Canada, Newfoundland, France, and Portugal. + +Apparently the earliest known and certainly the most extensive of these +is the Great Bank of Newfoundland, so named from time immemorial. From +the Flemish Cap, in 44 deg. 06' west longitude and 47 deg. north latitude, +marking the easternmost point of this great area, extends the Grand Bank +westward and southwestward over about 600 miles of length. Thence, other +grounds continue the chain, passing along through the Green Bank, St. +Peters Bank, Western Bank (made up of several more or less connected +grounds, such as Misaine Bank, Banquereau, The Gully, and Sable Island +Bank); thence southwest through Emerald Bank, Sambro, Roseway, La Have, +Seal Island Ground, Browns Bank, and Georges Bank with its southwestern +extension of Nantucket Shoals. + +To all these is added the long shelving area extending from the coast +out to the edge of the continental plateau and stretching from the South +Shoal off Nantucket to New York, making in all, from the eastern part of +the Grand Bank to New York Bay, a distance of about 2,000 miles, an +almost continuous extent of most productive fishing ground. + +Within the bowl that is the Gulf of Maine, the outer margin of which is +made by the shoaling of the water over the Seal Island Grounds, Browns +Bank, and Georges Bank, this chain is further extended by another series +of smaller grounds, as Grand Manan Bank, the German Bank, Jeffreys Bank, +Cashes Bank, Platts Bank, Jeffreys Ledge, Fippenies Bank, Stellwagen or +Middle Bank; and again, lying inside these, this fishing area is +increased by a very large number of smaller grounds and fishing spots +located within a very short distance of the mainland. + +All these banks are breeding places of the most valued of our food +fishes--the cod, haddock, cusk, hake, pollock, and halibut--and each +in its proper season furnishes fishing ground where are taken many other +important species of migratory and pelagic food fishes as well as those +named here. It is probable that no other fishing area equaling this in +size or in productivity exists anywhere else in the world, and the +figures of the total catch taken from it must show an enormous poundage +and a most imposing sum representing the value of its fishery. + +With the most distant of these grounds we shall not deal here, leaving +them for later consideration when noting certain of the fishery +operations most characteristic of them. Thus, we may treat of those +well-defined areas that lie within or are adjacent to the Gulf of Maine, +such as the Bay of Fundy, the Inner Grounds (those close to the +mainland), the Outer Grounds (those within the gulf), the Georges area, +Seal Island Grounds, and Browns Bank, these forming the outer margin of +the gulf; and also make mention of certain others of those nearer +offshore banks that are most closely connected with the market fishery +of the three principal fishing ports within the Gulf of Maine. + + +[Footnote 1: First published as Appendix III to the Report of the US +Commissioner of Fisheries for 1929. Bureau of Fisheries Doc# 1059. +Submitted for publication Jan 18,1929.] + +[Footnote 2: U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Statistical Bulletin No. 703] + +[Footnote 3: U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 1034] + + + + +ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + +As to the charts, it has been the writer's endeavor, by consulting a +large number of fishing captains of long experience upon these grounds, +to reduce the margin of inaccuracy as much as possible. In case of +conflict of their opinion, the greatest agreement as to the facts has +been accepted. + +The grounds as drawn are not meant to include any definite depth curve +but are meant to show certain fishing areas. It is known of course, that +most species frequent the shallows and the deep water at the various +seasons: also, that certain other species are found on the deeper +soundings during virtually all the year. Thus, if a given area appears +as a larger ground than is shown upon other charts made for navigating +purposes, often this is because we have included in it a cusk ground or +a hake bottom lying adjacent to the shoal as charted. + +A large number of these grounds have been described before by G. Browne +Goode and others, and where possible their work has been used as a basis +for the present paper, with any further information or the noting of any +changed condition of the grounds or difference in fishing methods +employed upon them that was obtainable. + +Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made to the many captains who +furnished information that, made the drawing of the charts possible and +for the facts used in the descriptions of the fishing grounds. + +With the offshore banks, particularly with the Georges area and Browns +Bank and to a certain extent, also, the western portion of the Inner +Grounds, the writer has had a considerable personal acquaintance from +which to draw. + +For the geographical and historical data the writer has quoted freely +from various modern authors, who, in their turn, have drawn their facts +from older records. Among those quoted are Holmes's American Annals; +Parkman's Pioneers of France in the New World; Southgates History of +Scarburo; Abbott and Elwell's History of Maine; Willis's History of +Maine; Sabine's Report on the Principal Fisheries of the American Seas; +A History of the Discovery of the East Coast of North America, by Dr. +John G. Kohl, of Bremen, Germany; various chapters of Hakluyt's Voyages; +the Journal of John Jocelyn, Gent.; and New England Trials of the famous +Captain John Smith. + + + + +GULF OF MAINE--GEOGRAPHICAL & HISTORICAL NAME + +What is apparently the earliest mention of this body of water appears +on some old Icelandic charts that show, roughly, Cape Cod Bay in +their southern areas and the Bay of Fundy in the northern. On these maps +the cape itself was shown on the "Promontory of Vinland" and was given +the name Kialarnes, or the Ship's Nose, from its resemblance in form to +the high upturned prow of the old Norse ships. To the entire area of the +gulf was given the title Vinland's Haf. + +Oviedo (Historia General de las Indias) sometimes names this gulf the +Arcipelago de La Tramontana, or the Arcipelago Septentrional--the +northern archipelago. He gives us to understand that he, himself, or +Chaves, had this information from the Report and Survey of Gomez, who, +in his search for a northwest passage to Asia in 1525, "discovered all +these coasts lying between 41 deg. and 41 deg. 30' north". As a matter +of fact, his careful explorations certainly covered all the territory +between 40 and 45 degrees. + +The Spanish navigators who followed Gomez, in describing these coasts, +when indicating this gulf, usually named it in honor of Gomez, the first +of their nation to make a careful survey of its shores. Thus it became +known as the Arcipelago de Estevan Gomez, and the mainland behind it as +La Tierra de Gomez. It was so named on the map of Ribero in 1529 who +thus acknowledged the source of his information. + +The Biscayans followed Gomez but later gave way to the French fishermen, +who followed down the chain of banks extending southward from the Grand +Bank and entered these waters by way of Cape Sable. These gave to it the +name Gulf of Norumbega or Sea of Norumbega. The name Norumbega was for a +time applied to the coast lands and to the inland country stretching +away indefinitely westward and northwestward from the waters of the +gulf. + +Later, with the coming of the English and the establishment of their +colony in Massachusetts, the title Massachusetts Bay came into general +use, although this name was afterwards restricted to the smaller section +of the gulf at present so termed. + +The charter of Gorges (in April, 1639) designated the territory deeded +to him as the Province or County of Maine,[4] whence, perhaps, the +modern custom of referring to these waters as the Gulf of Maine may have +arisen. This latest name seems especially appropriate, in view of the +fact that the present State of Maine lying directly opposite its +entrance capes, stretches along the inner borders of the gulf and with +its deeply indented shore line occupies by far the greatest section of +its coasts. Thus the title has finally come into general use and +acceptance in modern times. Apparently it was first officially proposed +and used by the Edinburgh Encyclopedia in 1832 [5] and later was adopted by +the United States Coast Survey. + + +[Footnote 4: "All that parte, purport and porcion of the Mayne Land of New +England, we doe name, ordeyne and appoynt shall forever hereafter bee +called and named The Province and Countie of Mayne."] + +[Footnote 5: Edinburgh Encyclopedia, Philadelphia edition, by Thomas +Parker, Vol. XVIII, p. 263.] + + + + +DESCRIPTION + +A very striking and peculiar body of water is this Gulf of Maine, +markedly different in character from any other of the bays on the coast +line of the eastern United States. Especially does it differ in the +depth of its coastal waters, where in all the others, except the much +smaller New York Bay, the shoal water is found extending far out from +the land. + +In the Gulf of Maine, however, with the single exception of the vicinity +of Ammens Rock on the eastern part of Cashes Bank, the entire central +area presents navigable deep water having a mean depth of 100 fathoms, +out of which rise the various underwater plateaus, whose depths average +about 50 fathoms and which constitute the larger of the fishing grounds. +In addition to these, many smaller banks and "fishing spots" are found +nearer the land where they lie a along the 50-fathom curve. + +In general this curve lies at a distance of about 16 miles from the +coast line, but in many instances it approaches much neared to the +mainland. From this 50-fathom depth the soundings decrease very +gradually to the 20 and 10 fathom marks. + +These latter soundings are often held far in toward the coast line, even +carrying the deep water well into the river mouths, so that in deeply +indented hays, in long inlets running far into land, in the river +mouths, the deep water behind the rocky headlands, or in the lee of the +thousands of surf-washed islands that line the coast, are found +innumerable safe anchorages within easy run of the fishing grounds, +where the fleets may take shelter from a sudden blow or await the +arrival of a "fish day," when conditions may permit "making a set" under +the hardships of winter fishing. + +If the marine features of this region are radically different from those +of other coastal bodies of the eastern United States, so, too, the shore +land, battered as it has been by sea and storm or worn by glacial action +or Arctic currents, is no less remarkable. + +No other section of the eastern United States has a similar coast, so +serrated, indented, and rugged, as has this shore line of the Gulf of +Maine. Here the battering by the forces of nature has resulted in making +thousands of safe harbors and havens for the navigator. All along shore +are strewn hundreds of islands, a characteristic feature of the region +and one noted with wonder by every early explorer. [6] These islands, if +near the land, are beautiful and smiling; if in the open sea, of rugged +grandeur; and mainland and island alike are inhabited by a numerous and +hardy race of fisher folk. + +The tides within the Gulf of Maine have a very great rise and fall as +compared with other waters in this region. At the south of Cape Cod +tides are seldom over 4 feet in their range, but beginning at once at +the north of Cape Cod with a rise of from 7 to 10 feet these increase +quite constantly as they go eastward reaching about 28 feet in the +neighborhood of Passamaquoddy Bay, to touch their highest point in the +Bay of Fundy, where in many places is a rise and fall of 50 feet, and in +some few places tides of 70 feet are reported. These Fundy tides +probably are the greatest in the world. + +This great ebb and flow of water serves to aid shipbuilding and the +launching of vessels as well as to carry the deep water far up into the +inlets of the coast and into the mouths of the rivers, making these +navigable for crafts of considerable size well into the land or up to +the lowest falls of the streams. + +The climate here is one of extremes, and, lying as it does between 42 deg. +and 45 deg. north latitude, the region may be said to be cold. Apparently +the waters of the Gulf of Maine are not affected by any stray current +from the Gulf Stream, which passes at a considerable distance from its +mouth, thus doing little to temper the cold of this area either on land +or at sea. Whether these waters are cooled further by any flow from the +Labrador Current may be questioned. + +The winters are long, usually bringing heavy snowfalls; and strong gales +are frequent during much of the fall and winter season. Perhaps the most +dangerous of these "blows" come out of the mountain to the north and +northwest of the gulf. Thus, in addition to the uncertainty of an +opportunity to set gear when once upon the fishing grounds, the winter +fishing here is not without its element of serious danger. While the ice +crop in northern New England never fails, yet, perhaps because of the +strong tidal currents of these waters, the principal harbors rarely are +closed by ice, or, if closed, for but a few days only. + +While the summers are fairly mild and in certain parts of them even +extremely hot, fogs are heavy and virtually continuous during the "dog +days" (July 20 to September 1). when southerly and south-westerly +breezes bring the warm moist air from the Gulf Stream into the cooler +currents from the land. The fogs of Fundy are especially noted, even in +these waters. During the summer seasons winds from the east and north +bring the only clear weather experienced in the outer chain of fishing +grounds. + +The main body of the gulf lies approximately between 42 deg. and 45 deg. +north latitude. It is in form like a deep bowl whose outer rim is made +by Georges Bank and Browns Bank, with a narrow, deep-water spillway +between: its area is half encircled in the arms of the mainland, two +conspicuous headlands reaching bodily seaward to mark its wide entrance +at the opposite sides--Cape Cod, Mass. [7] on the western side, and Cape +Sable, [8] Nova Scotia, on the eastern flank, distant from each other +about 230 miles. These two capes range with each other about ENE. and +WSW, thus matching alike the general trend of the coast line, of the +island chains and of the offshore ledges within this area. + +From a base line connecting these outposts of the gulf the distance to +the Maine coast opposite averages about 120 miles. From Cape Sable, at +its eastern end, the coast trends for some distance to the northwest, +whence a continuation of this course strikes the coast of Maine near +West Quoddy Head at a distance of rather more than 110 miles. From West +Quoddy head to Cape Elizabeth (in a direct line about 160 miles) the +coast, in general rough, rocky, and with many lofty headlands is +extremely irregular and deeply indented and follows a general course of +WSW. Thence, the coast, lower and becoming more and more sandy, begins +to trend more decidedly south-west until it reaches Boston, when it +turns to the southeast, and to the east toward Cape Cod. + +But this is not the entire story. There remain outside of these stated +limits the Bay of Fundy in the north, with a possible area of 3,000 +square miles; and at the south Cape Cod Bay, whose area, with that of +the waters west of a perpendicular drawn from the western end of the +base line that strikes the land in the vicinity of Portsmouth, N. H. +makes an additional section containing close to 1,500 square miles. +Within the limits thus inclosed there are, roughly, 30,000 square miles +of most productive ground most intensively fished through all the year. + +The Bay of Fundy is divided at its head by Cape Chignecto, making two +branches to north and to east--Chignecto Bay and Minas Basin. With +these smaller areas, lying as they do entirely within the territorial +limits of Canada, American fishermen have little to do, although both +are valuable and productive fishing grounds. + + +[Footnote 6: William Strachey (1609), speaking particularly of Casco Bay, +but the words equally applicable to almost any stretch of the Maine +coast, says "A very great bay in which there lyeth soe many islands and +soe thick and neere together, that can hardly be discerned the number, +yet may any ship pause betwixt, the greatest part of them having seldom +lesse water than eight or ten fathoms about them"--History of Travalle +into Virginia Britannica.] + +[Footnote 7: This, the most striking cape of the Atlantic coast line, +made a very prominent landmark for all the early ocean voyagers +approaching it, and all were greatly impressed by it, whether they came +from the south and fought their way through its shoals to eastward, or, +coming from the north, found themselves caught in the deep pocket which +it makes with Cape Cod Bay. + +The Spaniard Gomez (1525) gave it the name "Cabo de do Aricifes" cape +of the reefs, referring to the dangerous shoals to the eastward. The +Frenchmen Champlain and Du Monts named it "Cape Blanc", and the Dutch +pilots, also noting its sandy cliffs, called it Witte Hoeck. The English +mariners at first accepted his last name of White Cape, but the English +Captain Anthony Gosnold, the first to make a direct passage to the +waters of the Gulf of Maine from Europe, although at first he called it +"Shoal Hope", soon changed this, because of the success of his fishing, +to "Cape Cod", which title, commonplace though it be, has been the name +to endure despite Prince Charles's attempt to change it to Cape James in +honor of his father.] + +[Footnote 8: Cape Sable, at the southern end of Nova Scotia, has held +this title from very old times. It is so indicated on a Portuguese map +of the middle of the sixteenth century.] + + + + +BAY OF FUNDY + +At the different seasons of the year the entire Bay of Fundy [9] is a +fishing ground for sardines and large herring; and while these are of +somewhat less importance in recent years than formerly, the principal +fisheries of this region still center around the herring industries--the +supplying of the canning factories with the small herring used as +sardines and the taking of large herring for food and bait. The sardine +industry of the State of Maine is largely concentrated in the district +about and including Eastport and Lubec, where about 30 of the 59 +factories and 16 of the 43 operating firms are located; so that, while +the herring catches of recent years have fallen much short of their +former proportions, they still show imposing figures. + +In the past much of the catch was taken in St. Andrews (Passamaquoddy) +Bay and along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy to Lepreau Bay and +Point. Lepreau. Of late years virtually no herring have been taken in +these waters, in which the herring schools that arrive in October were +accustomed to remain until spring. Of past fishing in this locality +Capt. Sumner Stuart, of Lubec, says: + +"The herring left St. Andrews Bay and the North Shore about 1885. There +is no summer netting there now. Those waters and Lepreau Bay were +formerly very productive fishing grounds, it being not unusual to take +5,000 (count) big herrings (food fish) in a single haul. These were +mainly spring and winter fishing grounds for large herring. The fish +seem to have disappeared from all these grounds at about the same +time.[10] + +"In past years (25 to 30 years ago) small herring were driven ashore in +such quantities by their enemies--squid, silver hake and dogfish--that +it sometimes became necessary for the authorities at St. John to use a +snowplow to cover them where they lay decaying on the beach." + +From the statistics of the sardine and smoked-herring industry for the +year 1924 (a year, be it noted, in which the sardine industry almost +reached low--level mark for the pack) the waters of the Bay of Fundy +furnished to American purchasers alone a total of herring for smoking +and canning purposes amounting to 76,756,250 pounds valued to the +fishermen at $957,665. This showing, poor as it is when compared with +the figures of other years, by no means represents the herring fishery +as an unimportant industry. There still remains to be accounted for the +catch of herring of Grand Manan and the neighboring Canadian Provinces. + +A new source of profit to the fishermen in this industry has been +developed in the purchase of herring scales by firms engaged in the +manufacture of artificial pearls. For this purpose there were collected +at Eastport and Lubec 700,000 pounds of herring scales, valued at +$39,000; and a further amount was taken at Grand Manan of 140,000 +pounds, valued at $7,000. With other entrants already in the field, this +branch of the industry bids fair to grow to still greater importance. + +An estimate of the number of weirs in St. Andrews Bay, by Capt. Guilford +Mitchell of Eastport, Me., is as follows: Canadian: 1921: 126 weirs +1923: 40 weirs Calais to Eastport: 1921: 35 weirs; 1923: 7 weirs Total +number in operation, 1923, Canadian, about 300; American less than 130. + +North Shore and coast of Nova Scotia. Along the North Shore +and from Yarmouth to Cape Sable, over a hard bottom, cod abound. The +western shore of Nova Scotia is virtually all fishing ground for cod, +haddock, hake, and cusk, but trawling is somewhat handicapped here by +strong tides and rocky bottom, these combining to destroy much gear. +Halibut are somewhat unusual on this western shore except about the +mouth of the Bay of Fundy, but in summer these fish are occasionally +found close inshore along the southwest coast, going somewhat beyond +Digby to the northward. Haddocking is quite an important industry off +Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, during the winter, the sets being of rather +short duration and made at the slack of the tide at high water. This +practice is made necessary by the heavy tidal currents on these grounds. + +The whole western coast of Nova Scotia is herring ground at some season +of the year. "Drifting" for herring was formerly a considerable industry +from Digby to Briers Island, but in these last few years it has not been +important, although the year 1927 had a very good run of large food +fish. This western coast is also an important fishing area for lobster +men. + +Swordfishing in the Bay of Fundy was formerly profitable in September, +although these fish were never so numerous here as upon the outer shore +of Nova Scotia. + +St. Marys Bay is a summer herring ground. Good haddocking may be had +here, also, from April 15 to October 15, with the period from the +opening of the fishing in April up to July 15 the best of it. + +The mackerel fishery of the Bay of Fundy seems of comparatively small +importance in these latter years. The local fishermen say that the fish +can not stem the tides of these waters! The abundance of small herring +should be an inducement sufficient to bring them here. Apparently these +fish pass straight inshore northwesterly and reach the coast of Maine. A +considerable amount of this species is taken by traps and by netting in +St. Marys Bay and in the general vicinity of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, as +at Cranberry Head, Burns Point. Beaver River, Woods Harbor, and at +various other points between Yarmouth and Cape Sable; but the inner +waters of the Bay of Fundy show very slim catches when compared with the +great amount taken on the outer shores of Nova Scotia in a normal +mackerel season. It has been 32 years, it is said, since any number of +mackerel have been "hooked" in St. Mary's Bay. + +Lurcher Shoal. This lies WSW, from Cape St, Mary 19 miles and WNW, from +Cape Fourchu, distant 13 miles, it is an irregularly shaped piece of +bottom, a rocky ground, about 5 miles long, north and south, by 3 miles +wide, There are a number of "nubbles" arising to 5, 7, and 9 fathom +depths--with a spot reported as having only 12 feet of water over it-- +rising from the average depths over the rest of the shoal of from 13 to +15 fathoms. Over this generally rocky bottom are scattered patches of +gravel and of shells, Depths about the shoal are from 30 to 50 fathoms +over a bottom consisting mostly of stones, Tide rips are very heavy +here, The seasons and species found here are as on Trinity: cod, +haddock, pollock, and herring, it is a good lobster ground. + +Trinity Shoal. This shoal, 14 miles N. by W. from Cape Fourchu and +7 1/2 miles SW. from Cape St Mary, with a rocky bottom upon it and over +an indefinite area about it, is perhaps 3 miles long, NE and SW, by +some 2 miles wide. Near the center is a rock, uncovered at low water, +but over the greater part of the shoal there are depths of from 6 to 10 +fathoms, with an average of from 12 to 16 fathoms over the sandy and +stony ground about it. There is a strong tide rip here on the eastern +and northeastern part known as Flood Tide Eddy, where is good fishing by +hand line for pollock in September and October. Cod and haddock are +taken here in small amounts by trawling. It is a herring ground also, +and there is a lobster ground on the shoal and all about it. + +A cod ground extends offshore SW from Briers Island, beginning about 5 +miles out from the island and extending to about 18 miles from the land. +Its width is about 4 miles. Depths over this area are from 40 to 60 +fathoms over a hard, shelly bottom. Cod are taken here in from 30 to 44 +fathoms on the shoal ground running from 5 miles from Gull Rock and the +South-West Ledges down to the Lurcher Shoal, a distance of about 22 +miles. Between these points fishing is done mostly by hand-lining "at a +drift." Cod are taken over the ledges in 5 fathoms of water and thence +out to 60 fathoms about them from August to November. Pollock are taken +by the same method. The best season is August. September, and October. +This is a good lobster ground. + +Northwest Ledge. Lies about 3 3/4 miles northwesterly from Briers +Island. This is a piece of rocky bottom about 2 miles long by something +less than 1 mile wide with depths of from 2 to 10 fathoms over the ledge +and soundings of 12 to 30 fathoms on the gravelly ground about it. Cod +are found here in good number from September to November, inclusive, and +are taken by hand-lining. Pollock also are taken here in summer, +"drailing" by hand line. + +A narrow piece of rocky ground with somewhat greater depths connects +this with Batsons Shoal, some 5 miles SW., the two thus making what is +virtually one piece of ground. Depths on Batsons Shoal are rather less +than on Northwest Ledge, but the methods of fishing, the species taken, +and the seasons of their abundance are the same on both. The bottom all +about these two grounds is rocky, with from 20 to 40 fathoms inside of +them, but this deepens rapidly to 100 fathoms over rocks and coarse +gravel outside of them to W. and NW. + +West-Northwest Rips and the Flat Ground. These lie WNW from Briers +Island, extending offshore about 18 miles. On the eastern end of this +area, two parallel shoals, about 1 1/2 miles across and having 50-fathom +depths between them, rise from the 100-fathom depths of water over the +muddy ground around them to reach 15 fathoms on the landward end of the +rips, deepening to 35 fathoms off the western part, where the two ridges +come together at about 9 miles distance from Briers Island, to carry on +to the westward over the Flat Ground, which extends to a distance of +about 18 miles from the island. + +This Flat Ground, deepening gradually westward, averages to have 50 +fathoms of water over a level, gravelly, and rocky bottom, to pitch down +suddenly, as do all other slopes of this piece of ground, to the +100-fathom depth, which prevails on all sides of The Rips. Currents are +very strong here, as elsewhere in these waters, so that trawls are set +only on the slack of the tides, beginning about one hour before and +remaining down until about one hour after these periods. Formerly this +was a good ground for the taking of large herring. In these days The +Rips furnish good cod and haddock fishing for the entire year, with hake +abundant at all times on the mud about them. In fact; virtually all the +ground from this point south to the Lurcher Shoal furnishes good fishing +for these species. + +Boars Head Ground (also called Inner Ground). This parallels the coast +about 4 miles N. by NW from the Head, at Petit Passage, into St. +Marys Bay. This ground is about 4 miles long by 3 miles wide, having +depths from 55 to 65 fathoms over a hard bottom of broken ground. Cod +are most numerous here from April to July, inclusive; haddock from July +to September, inclusive. Hake are found here in summer and early fall, +principally on the muddy ground between this and the next fishing +ground--the Outer Ground. + +Outer Ground. This is about 3 miles long by 2 miles wide, lies about 9 +miles out from the main on the same bearing as the Inner Ground, and is +visited by the same species, their periods of abundance upon this piece +of bottom being the same as on the former ground. Virtually all taking +of ground fish on these grounds is done by hand-lining, though the +practice of trawl fishing has come more and more into use in recent +years. + +Head and Horns. A shoal of 68 fathoms, about 2 miles long in a NNE and +SSW direction by 1 mile wide, lies due north from the Boars Head of Long +Island. Here is a hard bottom where good cod fishing is had during the +spring and summer. Hand-lining from the bottom is carried on in summer +for pollock. Haddock are few here, these appearing mostly in the summer. +Depths about the ground average 80 fathoms over mud and stones. + +Sandy Cove Ground. Lies offshore NNE about 7 miles from West Sandy +Cove. It has from 40 to 50 fathoms of water over a sandy bottom, lying +parallel with the coast, about 4 miles long by 2 miles wide. Cod are +abundant on this ground from May to July, hake coming somewhat later. As +were most of the grounds of this vicinity, this ground was mainly a +hand-line spot, but in recent years fishing here has been done mostly by +the trawl method. + +Inner Sandy Cove Grounds. About 2 miles NNW. from West Sandy Cove. +These are 3 miles long NNE. and SSW. by 1/2 mile wide. Both hand-lining +and trawling methods of fishing are in use here, but the trawl is fast +displacing the older gear. Depths are about 35 fathoms over a sandy +bottom and 50 fathoms all about it. Species and their seasons of +abundance are as on the Outer Sandy Cove Ground. Almost anywhere +between Spencer Island and Cape Split there is good haddock fishing in +June and July and cod fishing in May and June. Depths are from 16 to 40 +fathoms: the bottom is generally stony, with considerable areas of +gravel. The fishing is done principally by trawling, rather short "sets" +being made. Off Cape Split are considerable whirlpools, which, with +spring tides, are very dangerous. These sometimes run 9 knots an hour. + +Spencer Island. Almost anywhere between Spencer Island and Cape Split +there is good haddock fishing in June and July and cod fishing in May +and June. Depths are from 16 to 40 fathoms: the bottom is generally +stony, with considerable areas of gravel. The fishing is done +principally by trawling, rather short "sets" being made. Off Cape Split +are considerable whirlpools, which, with spring tides, are very +dangerous. These sometimes run 9 knots an hour. + +Isle au Haute. Lies far up within the bay 9 miles W. 1/2 S. from Cape +Chignecto. All about this island are good summer haddock grounds with +fair cod fishing. The latter are taken by trawling principally. Depths +about the island are from 9 to 14 fathoms, deepening offshore to 35, the +average depths being 22 to 27 fathoms. North of the island the bottom is +generally sandy; elsewhere much of the ground is rocky or stony, with +here and there a small patch of gravelly ground. To the S. of this +ground, toward the Nova Scotia shore and to within 2 miles of the coast, +the bottom is mainly muddy and of little account as a fishing ground. +Tides are very heavy on all the inner grounds of the Bay of Fundy. + +Quaco Ledges. This ground lies about 10 miles SE, from Quaco Head and +is out at low tide, the water about the ledges having depths from 14 to +30 fathoms over a bottom of stones and gravel, There is a heavy tide rip +over these ledges when covered, These furnish good pollock fishing in +the summer months, and cod fishing is carried on here by hand-lining +from May to July. + +Salmon Netting Ground. A salmon-netting ground lies off about the +Mouth Harbour and St, John Harbour, where these fish are netted, for the +most part during June and July, when they are en route to the St, John +River, where are their spawning grounds. + +Ingalls Shoal. This is the name given by some of the fishermen of the +vicinity to a shoal lying about midway between Digby, Nova Scotia, and +Point Lepreau, New Brunswick. This ground is about 9 miles long. NE. and +SW., by about 5 miles wide. It lies about 22 miles NW. from Digby and 18 +or 20 miles from Point Lepreau. The depths are from 35 fathoms on the +shoalest area (where is a piece of ground some 4 miles long by 1 mile +wide near the center of the bank, lying in a NE. and SW. direction), the +bottom sloping away from this on all sides to 47 or even 55 fathoms in a +few places. The bottom is mostly of sand and gravel or of small stones +over much of the ground except for the shoal parts, where it is mainly +rocky. This piece of fishing ground furnishes good cod fishing in June, +July, and August, which formerly was carried on by hand-lining but now, +as elsewhere in the bay, is more and more becoming a trawl fishery. +Haddock and pollock also are taken here in fair amounts. + +Mussel Shoal Ground. This is a mussel-covered bottom lying 8 miles ESE. +from the Eastern Wolf and 9 miles from Point Lepreau. It runs in an E. +and W. direction and is about 2 miles long by 1 mile wide. Depths are +from 40 to 50 fathoms. This is a mussel and scallop bed, where large cod +are usually in abundance in winter. Pollock are plenty here in June, and +hake are here and in the surrounding Hake Ground in all the summer +months. + +The Wolves. These make a group of small islands lying N. 1/2 E. from +Grand Manan, distant 8 or 10 miles. On the bottom of rocks and gravel, +extending about a mile from the shores of these, in depths of from 18 to +34 fathoms, small boats and small vessels take a quantity of fish by +trawl and hand line. These are mainly haddock and cod grounds in May and +June and pollock grounds in June and July. It is also a winter lobster +ground for Canadian fishermen. + +The Wolves Bank. This bank lies between The Wolves and Grand Manan, +distant about 8 miles from East Quoddy Light, SE. 1/2 E. Marks: The +Coxcomb showing to the eastward and just touching on the western edge of +Green Island: bring the heads of Grand Manan to form The Armchair, and +White Horse and Simpson Island into range. This is a small-boat ground +of scarcely more than 6 acres, with depths of 18 to 30 fathoms on a +bottom of rocks and mud. Species and seasons are as on The Wolves. +Southeast from The Wolves from 2 to 20 miles lies a piece of muddy +bottom where hake are usually abundant in summer. + +Campobello and vicinity. Fair quantities of haddock and cod are found +between Grand Manan and the American shore in the North Channel (Grand +Manan Channel) between West Quoddy Head and Grand Manan in depths of +from 40 to 50 fathoms, over a bottom of rocks, mud, and sand in June, +July, and August and up to September 15, while hake is the most abundant +species present. + +No haddock or cod are on these grounds in winter. Halibut are taken in +similar numbers in the North Channel in May, June, and July. Pollock are +taken on the western side of Campobello Island, near the eastern side of +Indian Island, and at the mouth of the channel between Campobello and +Casco Bay Island. In all these places are strong tidal eddies. Some fish +are taken by seining, but most are caught by hook and line in a +small-boat fishery lasting from June 1 to September 1. + +All around Campobello and Deer Island and on the New Brunswick shore as +far as St. John are located weirs, which furnish large quantities of +herring to the factories at Eastport and Lubec. + +Passamaquoddy Bay. [11] Depths here are from 10 to 24 fathoms, even 30 +fathoms where the St. Croix River passes out into the sea. In general +the bottom is muddy, although there are rocky patches. In most years a +school of cod "strikes" here in April, the early corners being mostly of +small size, but the later arrivals may reach 30, 40, or even 60 pounds. +Haddock sometimes make their appearance in the bay as early as May 1, +remaining through August. Hake, also, are present from June to +September, but this excellent fish is held of little account by local +fishermen. A considerable flounder industry is developing in these +waters, the fish being taken in specially devised traps as well as by +the smaller otter trawls. + +Passamaquoddy Bay is also a spring netting ground for herring (food +fish), and there are also many weirs in operation here each year whose +catch goes to the factories of Eastport and Lubec for canning as +sardines. Pollock are very abundant, and a great deal of fishing for +them is carried on from June to October, both by seine and hand line. At +times the pollock completely fill the many herring weirs, until, from +their numbers, there is no market for them. Pollock are also abundant at +the same season and are taken by the same methods in the St. Croix +River, though perhaps they leave the river a month earlier in the fall. + +The Mud Hake Grounds. These grounds extend about N. and S. between +Campobello and The Wolves and from about West Quoddy Head to Grand +Manan. Their length is about 15 to 18 miles and their width 3 1/2 miles. +This is a summer ground much used by Canadian fishermen out of +Campobello, Grand Manan, and Beaver Harbor. It is said to be the best +hake grounds in this vicinity. Depths are from 45 to 60 fathoms, and +fishing is done by trawls and hand lines. + +There is a stretch of muddy bottom from Point Lepreau and Beaver Harbor +to Grand Manan, which furnishes good hake fishing. In general, the +bottom on the western side of the Bay of Fundy is muddy. Off Beaver +Harbor on a mud bottom with 30 fathoms of water cod are found the year +around, although this fishery is mainly carried on in the winter in +small craft from Beaver Harbor and Campobello, mostly by trawling, but +some hand-lining is carried on. + +Beaver Harbor. There is a stretch of muddy bottom from Point Lepreau +and Beaver Harbor to Grand Manan, which furnishes good hake fishing. In +general, the bottom on the western side of the Bay of Fundy is muddy. +Off Beaver Harbor on a mud bottom with 30 fathoms of water cod are found +the year around, although this fishery is mainly carried on in the +winter in small craft from Beaver Harbor and Campobello, mostly by +trawling, but some hand-lining is carried on. + +Grand Manan Bank. This bank is at the entrance of the Bay of Fundy, SW. +1/2 S. from the southwest head of Grand Manan Island from which the +northern part of the bank is 15 miles distant. From Mount Desert Rock, +E. by S., it is 45 miles distant. The bank is 10 miles long and 5 miles +wide, extending in a NE. and SW. direction. The bottom is mostly stones +and gravel, the depths running from 24 to 45 fathoms. Soundings of 18 +and 21 fathoms are found on the northeast part. + +Cod (especially abundant when the June school is on the ground) and +pollock are the principal fish. Haddock are not usually abundant, +although sometimes they are plentiful in the fall from late September to +December; hake are fairly abundant on the mud between Grand Manan Bank +and the Middle Ground (in The Gully). This is a good halibut bank, the +fish being in 33 to 60 fathoms in June and July; the southwest soundings +and the southeast soundings are most productive always. + +The best fishing season is from April to October, when the fish come to +this bank to feed. In the spring the fish, other than halibut, are +mostly on the southwest part, but later (July to October) the best +fishing is had on the northern edge of the ground. The very best herring +fishing for large herring (food fish) occurs on this bank in June and +July. In general, this is a small-vessel ground fished by craft from +Cutler, Eastport, Grand Manan, and, to a less extent, Yarmouth, Nova +Scotia, with an occasional visit by craft from Portland and Rockland, +chiefly trawlers of moderate size. + +Tides run NE. in flood and SW. on the ebb and are quite strong, the +flood being the heaviest. Because of these powerful currents, fishing is +somewhat difficult, it being necessary to make sets at the slack of the +tides, getting the gear over and traveling with the finish of the +current, to take it up and come back with the tide's return. + +Clarks Ground. This lies SSE. from White head 4 1/2 miles (just inside +the Bulkhead) and has depths from 6 to 14 fathoms over a rocky bottom. +Here are very heavy rips on the ebb tide. This is a good summer ground +for pollock, cod, and halibut, and it is a good herring-netting ground +in the season. + +Southern Head Reef. The chain of reefs extending S from White Head +Island is all good ground in summer for cod and for pollock, also, when +the herring schools are on this ground. Currents are very heavy here. +The ledges that make up this reef are more or less connected. Among +these are Brazil Shoal, Tinker, Inner Diamond, Outer Diamond, Crawleys, +Rans, Proprietor (Foul Ground), and the Old Proprietor. While virtually +all this reef is pollock ground, Crawleys and Rans perhaps furnish the +best fishing. + +Gravelly. Lying about 5 or 6 miles SE. by S. from White Head, this +piece of bottom has about 25-fathom depths over a rocky bottom. This is +a cod and pollock ground in their season. While an occasional halibut is +taken here in summer. Heavy tide rips occur here also. + +The Soundings. Mentioned elsewhere as a herring ground, these lie +outside the Bulkhead Rips 8 or 9 miles SE. from White Head. There are 30 +or 40 fathoms of water here over a rock bottom, where pollock and cod +are found in good number in July, August, and September, and a certain +amount of halibut in summer. + +Bulkhead Rips, also called The Ripplings. This is a long rocky barrier +rising sharply from the deep water about it to depths of from 12 to 20 +fathoms. Here are found cod, haddock, hake, and pollock in abundance +from June 1 to October 31. Apparently all are feeding on the small +herring, so numerous in this vicinity at this season. Virtually no +haddock are found on the grounds in the near neighborhood of Grand Manan +in winter. The Ripplings were formerly one of the principal fishing +grounds of the herring netters but of late years have been less +productive. + +Cards Reef. The depths here are from 28 to 30 fathoms, over rocks, and +the ground lies 3 miles S. by E. from the Old Proprietor and 9 miles +from White Head. This is a cod and haddock ground from June to +November. + +Gannet Rock. This lies east of the Murre Ledges. All about it is good +ground in from 40 to 70 fathoms over a hard bottom. Cod are found here +in good number from March to May, and halibut are taken here from March +to May, inclusive. + +Southeast Ground and Gravel Bottom. These lie S. of Seal Island, +forming an extensive piece of fairly level ground extensive piece of +fairly level ground. The western part bears a little E. of S. and the +eastern part about ESE. from the island. It is about 5 or 10 miles in +diameter. While this is really but one piece of ground, the eastern part +is called the Southeast Ground and the western part, from the nature of +its bottom, the Gravel Bottom. The eastern portion is muddy and has 40 +to 60 fathoms. The western has 35 to 40 fathoms. It is a good cod ground +in winter and spring. Haddock are present from November to March, +inclusive; hake in summer. Fishing is done mainly by trawling by sloops +and vessels. + +Machias Seal Island. Nineteen miles E. by S. from Moosabec Light. +This furnishes good ground in the water all about it, where depths are +from 15 to 54 fathoms over a generally rocky and uneven bottom. In +summer cod, haddock, and pollock are abundant here, the cod and haddock +remaining all winter. The fishery is carried on mostly by the smaller +vessels from Maine ports, principally those from Cutler, with an +occasional visit by larger craft, usually from the Portland fleet. This +ground is not much visited in winter. Fishing is done by trawling and +hand-lining. + +Gannet Rock. This lies east of the Murre Ledges. All about it is good +ground in from 40 to 70 fathoms over a hard bottom. Cod are found here +in good number from March to May, and halibut are taken here from March +to May, inclusive. + + +[Table I--Fishing Grounds of the Bay of Fundy Area of the Gulf of Maine, +showing the principal species taken upon them.] + + +[Footnote 9: It (Fundy) was not clearly indicated by Verrazano (1524) +nor in the report of Gomez (1525), who probably saw something of its +entrance but fog or other unfavorable circumstances may have prevented +him from observing it more accurately, but we find in the first old +Spanish maps, in the latitude where it ought to be, names like these: + +Rio hondo or 'fondo' (a deep river) or Bahia Hondo (a deep bay), or +Golfo (a gulf) once, also 'La Bahia de la ensenada', the bay of the deep +inlet. + +Doctor Kohl, here quoted further says "On the maps of the seventeenth +and early part of the eighteenth century, especially, it is written Bay +of Funda. I believe that this name grew out from and is a revival of, +the old Spanish name 'Bahia fondo'".] + +[Footnote 10: It is gratifying to announce that the winter of 1925-26 +saw a large run of herring on this ground, where for a number of years +past there has been virtually no fishing for this species.] + +[Footnote 11: "According to Porter C. Bliss, a thorough student of the +Indian dialects, Acadie is a pure Micmac word meaning place. In Nova +Scotia and Maine it is used by the Indians in composition with other +words, as in Pestum-Acadie; and in Etchemin, Pascatum-Acadie, now +Passamaquoddy, meaning 'the place of the pollocks'" (Doctor Kohl, _Dis. +of Maine_, p. 234) + +"This derivation is doubtful. The Micmac word Quoddy, Kady, or Cadie +means simply a place or region and is properly used in conjunction with +some other noun; as, for example, Pestum-oquoddy (Passamaquoddy), the +place of pollocks." (Dawson and Hand, in _Canadian Antiquarian and +Numismatic Journal_) + +"La Cadie, or Arcadie: The word is said to be derived from the Indian +Aquoddiaukie, or Aquoddie, supposed to mean the fish called a pollock. +The Bay of Passamaquoddy, 'great pollock water,' if we may accept the +same authority, derives its name from the same origin." (Potter, in +_Historical Magazine_, I, 84)] + + + + +INNER GROUNDS + +Under this heading are listed those grounds of the innermost chain of +shoals, ledges, and "fishing spots", patches of rocky and gravelly +bottom, the deeper water between them being over the muddy ground, which +line the coast of the Gulf of Maine, making of it an almost continuous +piece of fishing ground. In the Reports of the United States Bureau of +Fisheries, on which all the statistics of the catch and value of the +various species quoted in this report are based, these figures are +grouped under the heading "Shore". + +The larger and more important of these grounds are outcroppings along +the edge of the 50-fathom curve and lie at distances varying from 12 to +20 miles offshore; but there are many inside this line, and where the +deep water of the Gulf of Maine extends so far inshore some are close in +to the land. Thus, nearly all are within comparatively easy reach even +for the smaller craft (where these all now have power) and so furnish +productive fishing for a large fleet of gill netters and sloops (small +craft of from 5 to 10 tons net) and to the myriad of "under-ton" boats +(of less than 5 tons net), all these being enabled to run offshore, +"make a set," and return the same day. + +With the uncertainties of the weather and the hazards of the winter +fishing, very often the large vessels also follow this practice on those +not too frequent "fish days" (when conditions permit fishing "outside ") +that intervene between the storms; and with the scarcity of fish in the +markets usual to the season and the consequent better price for the +catch, with ordinary fishing luck they are well paid for doing so. + +The fish of these shore grounds, due perhaps to the greater abundance of +food here, are thought to be distinctly superior in quality to those of +the same species taken on the offshore banks. The cod and the haddock, +especially, of the Gulf of Maine are particularly well conditioned fish +and are noted for their excellence. + +The figures presented in Table 2 show only a fraction of the catch from +the Inner Grounds, since they deal entirely with the fares of fishing +vessels of 5 net tons and over. There are literally thousands of the +so-called "licensed" or "under-tonned" boats, mainly gill-netters, that +take millions of pounds from these waters annually, principally cod and +haddock. + +On the Maine coast and across the line in New Brunswick there are more +than 300 weirs which furnished to American smokers and canners during +the year 1923 (whose figures have been chosen as representing an average +season) 77,000,000 pounds of herring. On the coast of Massachusetts +there are 50 or more weirs and fish traps, and from the Isle of Shoals +to Pemaquid Point in Maine there are more than 50 floating traps in the +various bays, on the points of offshore islands, or even in the open +sea, and all these take a rich harvest from these waters. Then, too, +there is the lobster fishery, more important in the Gulf of Maine than +anywhere else in the United States. + +Of these various branches of the fisheries industries few statistics are +available, yet we may say that the figures of the 1919 census showed +that the "under-ton" boats mentioned landed 5,324,426 pounds of fish at +the port of Boston, mostly of cod and haddock, and that the same type of +craft in 1923 landed at Portland, Me., more than 3,000,000 pounds, +principally of ground fish. We also know that every island, hamlet, +village, town, and city along this nearly 4,000 'miles of coast line +takes its toll from the sea. + +Lukes Rock. This rock lies S. by E. 3 miles from Moosabec Light, +circular in shape, and about 1 mile in diameter. Depths are from 25 to +35 fathoms; the bottom is rocks, gravel, and mud. This is mainly a +small-boat fishing ground, but there is some vessel fishing. Hake are +taken here from June to September, inclusive; cod are present about the +rocks the year around. Pollock are here in spring and fall, and haddock +from December to February, inclusive. Fishing is by trawl and hand line. + +Newfound Ground. A small rocky spot about 1/4 mile across with an +automatic buoy in the center for guidance into the Bay of Fundy. This is +a small-boat ground having depths averaging 18 fathoms. It lies about 3 +miles S. by W. from Moosabec Light. Species and seasons are as on Lukes +Rock. Fishing is by trawl and hand line. + +Henrys Rock. Five miles SW. by S. from Moosabec Light. 1/4 mile in +diameter, and 30 fathoms over a level bottom. Fishing is done by hand +line and trawl. Cod are present the year around, a few haddock in the +fall, hake in the summer but not in the fall, and pollock in spring and +fall. + +Handspike Ground. Eight miles SW. by S. from Moosabec Light, nearly +circular in form, and 1/4 mile across. It has a bottom of rocks and depths +of from 35 to 40 fathoms. Species and seasons are the same as on Lukes +Rock, but mainly cod and pollock are taken here by trawl and hand line. + +Western Egg Rock. This is SW. from Moosabec Light, 8 miles distant, +lying in a NE. and SW. direction, 3 miles long by 1 mile wide. The +bottom is irregular, sharp, and rocky and has 25 to 30 fathoms. Fishing +here is mostly by hand line, the ground being said to be too rough for +trawling. This is a small-boat ground, and fishing is done mainly in the +summer season. Cod and pollock are taken in the spring, summer, and +fall; haddock are present in spring and fall; and cusk in 35 to 40 +fathoms in spring and fall. This is not a hake ground. + +Old Egg Rock. This rock is WSW. from Moosabec Light, 6 miles distant, +and running in a NE. and SW. direction. It is 3 miles long by 1 mile +wide; has a rocky bottom and depths of 25 to 30 fathoms. This is also a +small-boat ground, where fishing is done mainly by hand lines, but +trawls also are employed. This ground is fished by the larger vessels in +the fall months when the weather is too rough for fishing on the outside +grounds. Cod, haddock, and a few pollock are taken in spring and fall; +hake in fair number in the fall months. + +Middle Ridge This is W. by S. from Moosabec Light 3 miles. It lies in a +NE. and SW. direction and is about 1 mile long by 1/2 mile wide. The +depths are from 18 to 25 fathoms and the bottom is rough and rocky. It +is a small-boat ground mostly and of little importance as a fishing +ground. Cod are present the year around haddock in late spring and +summer with a smaller number in the fall. Cusk are here the year around. +A few pollock are here in the spring and fall. + +Broken Ground. This lies S by E from Moosabec light, 15 miles, whence +the ground extends WSW to within 4 miles of Mount Desert Rock with an +average width of 1 mile. The depths run from 15 to 100 fathoms. The +shallows are sharp and rocky; the deeps, clay and gravel. There are +places 1/2 mile long and others 3 miles long having depths of 70 fathoms. +Several of these spots have special names: Crawley's Rocks, Puzzling +Rock, The Ridges. The grounds mentioned here and those previously +mentioned are known to the fishermen as the Moosabec Ridges. All these +seem to be fishing spots cropping out upon the 50 fathom curve. On the +Broken Ground the fishing season is from June 1 through September. +Herring usually are abundant here from May to September. Cod are taken +outside of the grounds in spring and fall. Pollock and small cod are +taken on the shoals in summer and fall, and hake on the mud bottom in +summer and fall and hake on the mud bottom in summer and fall. + +Tibbetts' Ledge. This lies east from Petit Manan 4 or 5 miles. The +marks are Schoodic Island over Green Island of Petit Manan and the Ladle +over Nash's Island. This ledge consists of two rocky shoals with depths +of 3 to 3 1/2 fathoms, about one acre apiece in extent and 1/4 mile apart +lying NW and SE from each other. To the westward of these is broken +ground nearly to Petit Manan. These are favorite small-boat grounds. The +eastern ledge drops suddenly into the mud. In May large cod are caught +over the muddy bottom just E of the ledge in 27 to 30 fathoms. Hake and +haddock are taken in late spring (May) and fall. Fishing is by hand line +and trawl. + +Ben's Ground. Lies ESE from Petit Manan 4 or 5 miles. The marks are +Petit Manan Light to northward of Middle Hill of Mount Desert and Humpback +Mountain on the west side of Trafton's Island or Pond Island Light to +the eastward of Jordan's Delight. The ground is circular in shape, +about 3/4 mile across, having 14 to 30 fathoms of water. The bottom is +of rocks and mud. This ground is of little importance except as a +small-boat ground in summer for cod and haddock. Hake are taken on the +muddy bottom near it, It is a winter haddock ground in calm weather, +these fish leaving it in the storms, the water being somewhat too +shallow for them to "ride out a blow" in comfort, Such at least is the +reason the fishermen give for the sudden cessation of their taking on +shoal grounds after a period of heavy weather. + +Southeast Rock. This is a ledge, nearly uncovered at low tide on its +shoalest spot, SSE from Petit Manan and 4 1/2 miles distant, The shoal +portions slope toward the NE a distance of 4 miles over an irregular +bottom, Depths vary from 17 to 30 fathoms, The shoals are rocky, and the +deeps are muddy, Cod and haddock are taken here in May and June, hake +from July to September, It is a good lobster ground, also, Fishing here +is by handline and trawl operated from vessels and small boats from +near-by Maine ports. + +Broken Ridges aka Joe Roy Ground. This lies SSE from Petit Manan 7 +miles to the center. It is 2 miles long NE and SW and one mile wide and +from 27 to 33 fathoms, and the bottom of rocks and mud is very uneven, +The shoalest portion is near the center. It is said to be a good cod and +haddock ground, and is mainly a small boat ground, although some vessel +fishing is carried on here in the spring. + +Black Ledges Ground. This ground lies between Jordan's Delight and the +Halibut Ledges, or Black Ledges. It is a good haddock ground for a +brief season in the spring and early summer when the fish are following +the herring schools. In general it is a small-boat ground on which +chiefly hand lines and trawls are operated, A few cod and cusk are taken +here in the fall, and it is a good lobster ground. + +Bakers Island Ridge. This is a narrow ledge making out from Bakers +Island E, by N. The eastern part bears S. by E. from Schoodic Island 3/4 +mile distant The ridge is much broken, its average width being 1/2 mile, +and it has depths of from 20 to 25 fathoms over a rocky and gravelly +bottom. It is not much fished on the shoaler spots, but in 30 to 35 +fathoms, on a muddy bottom, hake are abundant from July to October, +inclusive. Cod and cusk are found here in the spring and fall; haddock +from October to January, inclusive. Fishing here is done by small boats +and small vessels mainly from Bass Harbor and Southwest Harbor by trawl +and hand line. It is a very good lobster ground. + +Martins Ground; Hillards Reef. The center bears WSW. from Schoodic +Point, distant 3 miles. It is a rocky patch of 4 or 5 acres and has +depths of from 15 to 25 fathoms. It is not important except for its +hand-lining for cod and haddock in the spring and fall months and for +hake in the fall. It is a good lobster ground. + +Egg Rock Broken Ground. This is a rocky ridge making out S. by W. from +Egg Rock Ledges and is about 2 miles long by 14 miles wide. It has an +irregular bottom, with depths from 9 to 15 fathoms. This ridge, with +Martins and Seaveys Grounds, divides the western or Bakers Island mud +channel from Schoodic mud channel. Both these were formerly considered +very good hake grounds but, while still good, are not as profitable for +hake fishing as in past years. Haddock are taken on the ridge in the +spring and in October, November, and December. A few cod are taken in +the spring and fall. Fishing is by trawl and hand line. It is a good +lobster ground. + +Inner Schoodic Ridge. This ridge bears SE. by S. from Bakers Island, +the center distant 12 miles. This ground is nearly circular in form, +about 4 miles in diameter, and has depths running from 18 to 60 fathoms. +The bottom is of rocks, gravel, and mud; the shoaler portions are sharp +and rocky. Vessels from Maine ports use this ground, fishing by hand +line and trawl. Cod and haddock are abundant here in spring and fall, +and hake fishing is good through the summer. It is a good lobster +ground. + +Outer Schoodic Ridge. The northwest part of this ground bears SE. from +Bakers Island, from which it is distant 22 miles. It lies 7 miles +outside Inner Schoodic, has long been considered one of the best shore +fishing grounds of the Maine coast, and still seems to deserve the +reputation. The ridge is about 8 miles long in a NE. and SW. direction, +lying nearly parallel with the adjacent coast. Its greatest breadth is 6 +miles. The bottom is broken and irregular and has depths from 22 to 80 +fathoms over rocks and gravel on the shoaler parts and mud on the deeps. +Principally Maine vessels fish this ground, using hand line and trawl. +Cod, pollock, haddock, cusk, and hake are present here from June to +November, and a few large halibut, up to 300 pounds in weight, are taken +here in June and July. + +Mount Desert Outer Ridge. This ridge lies SE. by E. from the Big Hill +of Mount Desert Island. From Schoodic Island to the center of this +ground is about 25 miles. Its length E. by N. and W. by S, is 2 miles; +its breadth 3/4 mile. Depths are from 45 to 60 fathoms; the shoals are +rocky, but on the sides sand and clay predominate. This is a +comparatively small ground, but it furnishes good cod fishing in the +spring (April to July) and fall. Cusk are taken in the spring and fall. +Virtually no haddock are taken here. Hake are found in the deep water on +the W. and SW. in spring, summer, and fall; trawl lines principally are +used here. It is a good lobster ground but is too distant for present +fishing methods. + +Flat Ground. This ground lies between Mount Desert and Swan Island, +SW. from Long Island. In 50 fathoms, on a hard mud bottom, there is good +fishing for hake in the summer. Fishing is by hand line and trawl. + +Enoch's Shoal. This shoal lies ENE. 3 miles from Great Duck Island. +This is a small hummock on the outer parts of a ridge extending out to +it from Great Duck island. It has a sharp, rocky bottom with depths of +about 18 fathoms. Hand lining and trawling are the methods employed to +take a few cod in early spring; haddock are here in small numbers in the +summer as well as a small quantity of hake. It is a good lobster ground. + +Banks Ground. The center bears SE. by S. from Great Duck Island, +distant about 5 miles. It is about 1 1/2 miles long in a NE. and SW. +direction by 1/4 mile wide and has a mud bottom with depths from 35 to +50 fathoms. It is mainly a small-boat ground, fished mostly in the +summer, when hake are fairly abundant and there are a few haddock and +cod. It is a lobster ground, also. + +Shell Ground. This lies SE. from Long island Head, from which the +center of the ground is distant 6 miles. It is 2 miles long, in a NE. +and SW. direction and about 1/2 mile wide. In the middle portion is a +shoal of 25 fathoms, its bottom sharp rocks. On all sides of this shoal +the bottom is quite irregular, consisting of pebbles and mud. The +greatest depth, near the edge of the bank, is 50 fathoms. Cod and +haddock, together with a few cusk and pollock, are taken here in June, +July, and August and even into the late fall, but it is mainly a hake +fishing ground for small boats and an occasional larger craft, all using +hand line and trawl. It is a good lobster ground. + +Abner Ground. This ground is SSE. from Gott's Island, distant 8 miles. +It extends 1 1/2 miles in a NE. and SW. direction and is about 1/4 mile +wide. The bottom is broken, rocks and mud, with depths of from 25 to 50 +fathoms. This is principally a haddock ground, the best season being in +July and August, and is resorted to mostly by small craft. + +Grumpy. Extends from SE. 4 1/2 miles from Eastern Ear of Isle au Haute to +SE. 1/4 E. from the western head of Isle au Haute, distant 7 miles. This +ground is 2 1/2 miles long by 3/4 mile wide and has a small shoal of 14 +fathoms on the northeast part. Over the rest of the ground the average +depths run from 35 to 40 fathoms over a gravelly bottom. Though not of +great importance of late years, this was formerly considered one of the +best inshore grounds for cod for the entire year and for haddock in +winter. Hake usually are abundant just off the southeast edge in summer. +This bank is mostly fished by craft from ports of eastern Maine--small +boats as a rule--and the principal method is by trawling, although +there is considerable hand-lining for cod in 25 fathoms in June and +July. Marks: Big Camden Mountain over the Eastern Ear of Isle au Haute; +Fog Island in Jericho Bay, touching on the eastern part of Big Spoon +Island; Brimstone between Isle au Haute and the Western Ear. + +Hatchell Ground. This ground lies SE. by E 3/4 E. 9 1/2 miles from the +western head of Isle au Haute. Marks are eastern Mount Desert Hill in +the Middle Saddle of Long island, and Little Spoon Island in the great +or center Saddle of Isle au Haute. + +Blue Hill Ground. This ground lies approximately E: by S. 3/4 S from the +western head of Isle au Haute, distant 7 miles. The bottom consists of +gravel and pebbles. Marks: Brimstone Island out by the western head of +Isle au Haute and Blue Hill on the west side of Marshall Island. These +marks lead to a depth of 25 fathoms on the northeast part of the ground, +deepening southwest to 40 fathoms in 1 mile from the shoaler part, which +is about 1/2 mile wide, part of the ground, deepening southwest to 40 +fathoms in 1 mile from the shoaler part, which is about 1/2 mile wide. +This is a good ground for cod in the spring and fall but is best for +haddock during the entire winter. Hand lines and trawl are used. + +Inner Horse Reef. This reef lies SE. 3/4 E 1 1/2 miles from the eastern ear +of isle au Haute. There is a shoal here of 25 fathoms about 1/8 mile in +diameter. From this the water gradually deepens to NE. for 1/2 mile, where +it drops off into the mud. Depths on this northeast portion are about 35 +fathoms. The bottom is of pebbles and gravel. In spring and fall this is +a good cod ground. Hake are found close to the edge in summer. Fishing +is by small craft, generally, using trawl and handline. It is a good +lobster ground. Marks: Bring Blue Hill Mountain in the saddle of White +Horse; Brimstone showing between Western Ear and Isle au Haute. + +Outer Horse Reef. This is a short distance SW. from the Inner Reef, +with only a narrow gully between. The small shoal falls off rapidly on +all sides. It has a depths of 30 fathoms. Over a space 1/4 mile in +diameter the bottom is gravelly. Seasons and species are as on Inner +Horse Reef. + +Hake Ground. North of Monhegan island lies a patch called the Hake +Ground or Mud Channel, the first name because of the abundance of hake +taken here during June, July, and August. It extends from just outside +White Head to abreast of Monhegan Island on the northern side. The +depths vary from 20 to 45 fathoms, and the ground is still considered +one of the best hake grounds alongshore. It is fished by small boats and +vessels when the dogfish are on the outer grounds. This is a good +haddock ground in December and January, as well as a good lobster +ground. + +Southwest Ground. This lies 2 miles SW. from the western head of Isle +au Haute. It is circular in form, 1/2 mile in diameter and has a gravelly +bottom with depths varying from 35 to 40 fathoms. It is a cod ground +from April to June and from September to November, inclusive. A few +pollock and haddock are taken with the cod. Hake are abundant in summer +close to Isle au Haute. Handlines and trawls are used in the fishing. It +is also a good lobster ground. + +Barley Hill Ground. This ground lies NNE. from Seal Island and SSW from +the western head of Isle au Haute directly in line between the two, +about 3 1/2 miles distant from each point. It is circular in form, has 28 +to 30 fathoms of water, and the bottom is mixed mud and rocks. This is a +ground much resorted to by sloops and larger vessels, and the fishing is +by hand line and trawls. It is a good cod ground in spring and fall and +a hake ground on the mud and rocks in summer. Occasionally a few halibut +are taken here during June and July. It is also a lobster ground. + +Gilkey Ground. This bears S. from the western head of Isle au Haute. +4 miles distant. It extends ENE. and WSW about 1 1/2 miles long by 1/3 +mile wide. The bottom is rocky on the shoals where depths are about 23 +fathoms sloping to 35 fathoms on the southwest part., where the bottom +is gravelly and comparatively smooth. + +This is a cod ground in spring and fall, a haddock ground in winter, and +hake are taken on the edges in summer. Vessels fishing here are mostly +from Maine ports. It is also a good lobster ground. + +Rock Cod Ledge. This ledge lies NE. of Seal Island 1 mile. It has a +depth of 3 1/2 fathoms on the shoalest part, deepening gradually on all +sides for a considerable distance. The bottom is of sharp rocks and is +broken in places. Rock cod area present in fair numbers in spring and +fall, and this is a mackerel and herring ground in their seasons. +Haddock are abundant in the fall close in to the rocks of Seal Island in +6 to 15 fathoms. This is not a hake ground, although there are a few +cusk to be had here on the deeper parts and an occasional small halibut +is taken in the kelp on the shoal in June and July. It is a good lobster +ground. + +Gravel Bottom and Southeast Ground. These lie S. of Seal Island. +forming an extensive piece of fairly level ground extensive piece of +fairly level ground. The western that bears a little E. of S. and the +eastern part about ESE. from the island. It is about 5 or 10 miles in +diameter. While this is really but one piece of ground, the eastern part +is called the Southeast Ground and the western part, from the nature of +its bottom. + +The Gravel Bottom. The eastern portion is muddy and has 40 +to 60 fathoms. The western has 35 to 40 fathoms. It is a good cod +ground in winter and spring. Haddock are present from November to March, +inclusive; hake in summer. Fishing is done mainly by trawling by sloops +and vessels. + +Laisdells Ground. This is a small, rocky spot outside the Brandy +Ledges. It is about 1/4 acre in extent and has a sharp rocky bottom with +20 fathoms of water over it. It is the best cod and haddock ground in +Isle au Haute Bay. This is chiefly a small boat ground and is also a +lobster ground. + +Saddleback Reef. This reef lies S. from Saddle-back Ledge, 3/4 mile +distant. It is about 2/3 mile long N and S by 1/4 mile wide. Depths are +from 15 to 35 fathoms over a broken and rocky bottom. Cod are taken +here by hand line in May and June; haddock and cod by trawling in fall +and winter (November to January 1). It is a good lobster ground and +chiefly a small-boat ground. + +Otter Island Reef; Snipper Shin; Western Reef. These are names applied +to different sections of an irregular, broken piece of rocky ground +about halfway between Vinalhaven and Seal Island. Otter Island Reef is +the eastern section, lying 4 miles W. by S. by 1/4 S. from the western +head of Isle au Haute. Depths here are from 10 to 25 fathoms over a +rocky bottom. The trawl, formerly not much used here, is now in general +use. This is a cod and haddock ground at seasons when these fish are in +shoal water, but it is best for cod in winter and spring and for haddock +in the fall, from November 1 to January 1. + +Old Ripper. This lies S. from the Western Ground (Western Reef) and 10 +miles WSW. from Criehaven or Ragged Island. Apparently this is a part of +the Western Ground. On the deep-water mud bottom between these (Ripper +and Western Reef) is good hake fishing in summer, and cusk are abundant +from May to the time when the dogfish strike the ground, usually about +July 5 to 10. + +Crie Ridges. These lie 4 miles NW. from Matinicus Rock, 4 miles WSW. +from Criehaven or Ragged Island, and run SE. from Western Ground toward +Matinicus, distant 4 1/2 to 5 miles. Cod, pollock, and cusk are here in +the spring, and haddock are abundant in the fall. + +Bald Ridges. These begin just outside Wooden Ball Island and run off +in a nearly direct line for Matinicus Rock. They are each from 1/4 to 1/2 +mile wide, are quite close together, the distances between them being +not over 1/2 mile, and they are almost parallel with each other. Soundings +show from 15 to 30 fathoms upon them, with a broken, rocky bottom. The +shoalest water is about 1 mile from Wooden Ball Island, the depth +increasing toward the southern end. + +This is a good cod ground at all times when the fish are on the coast, +the spring school being the largest. The shoal is a favorite place for +rock cod. Haddock are present from January 1 to February 15. Hake are +abundant in their season on the mud bottom inside the Bald Ridges +1 1/2 miles WSW, in 50 fathoms. It is a good lobster ground. + +Henry Marshalls Ground. This ground lies S. by W. from Matinicus Rock +about 3 miles; its area is about 2 acres. The shoaler portion has a +depth of 35 fathoms and a gravelly bottom; on the edge the depth is 45 +fathoms and the bottom is of rocks and mud. Cod are taken here in the +spring, haddock in January and February, and hake in the summer months. +It is a good lobster ground. + +The Bounties (The Bowdies). This ground bears SE. by S 1/2 S distant 6 +miles from Wooden Ball Island. It is nearly circular in form, about 4 +miles across, and has depths from 40 to 60 fathoms. The bottom, of +gravel and rocks, is somewhat broken. It is a good cod and cusk ground +in spring and fall and a haddock ground in winter and is fished by +vessels and sloops, mainly by trawling but with a certain amount of hand +lining, in May and June. A summer hake ground extends from 3 miles +ESE. of Seal Island to 4 miles SSE of the Wooden Ball, thus it is about +7 1/2 miles long by some 2 1/2 miles wide. The depths here are from 35 +to 60 fathoms. + +Summer Hake Ground. A summer hake ground extends from 8 miles SE. of +the eastern Ear of Isle au Haute to 3 miles SE. of Long Island in 35 to +60 fathoms on a bottom of hard mud. This piece of ground is about 15 +miles long by 4 miles wide. + +Minerva Hub. This bears SSE. from Matinicus Rock, distant 6 miles. This +is a small, gravelly spot about 1/4 mile in diameter and with a depth of +35 fathoms, abounding with cod in spring and fall. It is a summer ground +for hake and cusk. Hand lines and trawls are used. + +Haddock Nubble. This lies SE. 1/2 S. from Matinicus Rock, distant 16 +miles, and has an average depth of 50 fathoms over a small, circular +patch some 2,000 feet across. The bottom is of gravel and rocks, and +"lemons" and marine growths of like nature are abundant. This is a June +cod ground, usually furnishing good haddocking, also, from November to +January, inclusive. + +Skate Bank. This bank bears SSE. from Matinicus Rock, distant 12 +miles. It is about 2 miles in diameter and nearly circular in form. +Depths are from 35 to 60 fathoms. The bottom is gravelly but quite +uneven. The best season on this ground for cod and cusk is from April +to July. Hake abound in July and August. Hand lines and trawls are used +here, fished by sloops and vessels. + +Matinicus Sou'Sou'West Grounds. These grounds bear SSW. from Matinicus +Rock, from which the inner edge of the grounds is distant 6 miles. They +extend about 9 miles N. and S. and have about the same width, being +nearly triangular in shape, broadest at the northern end. On the +northern part there is a shoal of about 30 fathoms 2 miles long E. and +W. and 1 mile wide. Sharp rocks cover this, but the ground is not broken +and drops off gradually to depths of 50 to 55 fathoms or even to 60 +fathoms on the southern part. Outside of the shoal the bottom is pebbly +and gravelly. This is one of the best cod and haddock grounds in the +vicinity. Cod are sometimes abundant here all winter; haddock are found +here from December 1 to February and are more abundant than the cod. +Hake are plentiful on this ground and in 60 fathoms on the mud off the +edge SE. of this ground during the summer season. Marks: The high +pinnacle on the eastern end of Wooden Ball, showing just out by +Matinicus Rock, SW. by S. from the rock, 5 miles. + +Inner Breaker. This lies 2 miles W. of the southwest point of +Matinicus Island. It is a rocky shoal about 1 acre in extent and having +7 fathoms of water. From this shoal the bottom slopes gradually to +depths of 25 to 30 fathoms, and this slope furnishes good fishing for +cod in May and June, while haddock are here in December and January. A +good school of hake is found on the edge of the ground in summer. The +bottom is rocky and broken and, while sharp, is fished with trawls as +well as hand lines. It is mostly a small-boat ground. + +Towhead Grounds. These grounds hear N. by E. 1/2 E. from Matinicus +Island, from which they are distant 2 1/2 miles. Depths are from 12 to 30 +fathoms. It is somewhat irregular in shape and has a very rocky, broken +bottom. The ground is from 2 1/2 to 3 miles long and 1/2 to 1 1/2 miles +wide. It extends E. by S. and W. by N. and is considered one of the best +inside shoal grounds for cod and haddock in the bay. Hand lines and +trawls are used here now, although in former times this and the +preceding grounds were considered too sharp for the use of trawls. Both +these are good lobster grounds and chiefly small-boat grounds. + +Green Island Ridge (or Western Ridge) and the Pigeon Ground. The +northern portion of this ridge lies 6 1/2 miles NW. by W. from Matinicus +Rock, from which the ground extends about 7 miles in a SSW. direction. +The greatest width is not over 1 mile. Depths are from 15 to 30 fathoms. +The bottom is broken and rocky. It is a good cod ground in the spring +and fall. Haddock are found here in June, November, and December. In +summer this is a good hake ground. Halibut are found on the shoals (10 +fathoms) and about the northern part of Western Green Island, on the +sandy bottom during June and July. + +Matinic Bank. This is an extension of the shore soundings that make out +to the southward and eastward of Matinic a distance of 2 or 3 miles, +with depths (outside of 1 1/2 miles) of 23 to 30 fathoms. The bottom is +level, consisting of rocks, pebbles, and gravel, and the ground abounds +in cod in the season from March to June. Just off the edge, in depths of +from 40 to 50 fathoms, the bottom is soft mud, on which hake abound in +summer. Very few haddock are taken on this bank. Halibut are sometimes +abundant here in 10 to 15 fathoms during May and June. + +Matinic Ooze. This is a flat bottom, composed of ooze and shells, that +makes off to the eastward of the Haddock Ledge and Shoal and bears about +S. from Matinic. The Haddock Shoal and the Ooze are really parts of one +ground, though they have been given different names by the fishermen. +The Haddock Shoal (3 miles S. by B. from the Seal Ledge: breaks in rough +weather) is thought to be poor ground and is but little fished, although +it is a fall haddock ground. The Ooze falls off gradually, reaching a +depth of 50 fathoms on the outer part. It is considered fair fishing +ground for cod and haddock in the spring and for cod and hake in the +summer and fall. + +Freemans Ground. This ground lies 6 1/2 miles E. from Monhegan Island +between Ornes Ground and Matinicus Western Ground. It is 3 miles long +and 1 mile wide and runs in a NE. and SW. direction. There is a shoal on +the southwest part having 20 fathoms over a sharp rocky bottom. The rest +of the ground has depths of 25 to 40 fathoms, the bottom of rocks, +gravel, and shells, in some places uneven and in others smooth. This is +a good spring ground for cod and for cod, hake, and pollock in the fall. +Haddock are not numerous on this ground, though a few are usually to be +found here in December. Herring are here May to August. + +Middle Shoal, Pollock Rip, Allens Shoal, and Deckers Shoal. These are +small rocky patches lying to eastward of Monhegan Island and northerly +from the Outer Shoal. They have depths from 6 to 30 fathoms over a +sharp, rocky, and broken bottom. Middle Shoal is 2 miles from the +island. Pollock Rip 1 1/2 miles. Allens Shoal 1 1/4 miles, having 5 1/2 +fathoms and breaking in rough weather; and Deckers Shoal 1 mile. Depths +vary here from 6 to 30 fathoms over a bottom generally sharp and rocky. +The principal fishing here is hand-lining for cod in the spring during +the herring season and in the fall in "squid time". A few pollock are +taken here also. + +A number of small patches lie westerly from the Outer Shoal and close to +Monhegan Island. These are the Cusk Ground with a depth of 20 to 35 +fathoms; Gull Rock Ledge (breaks in rough weather) 3 1/2 fathoms; +Lobster Point Ground, 15 to 30 fathoms; Inner Spring Ground, 15 to 30 +fathoms; Outer Spring Ground 25 to 30 fathoms. All these are fished for +cod nearly all the year, for haddock in December and January, and for +pollock in early spring and late fall. The Spring Grounds are near the +harbor and so are fished before the others. All are lobster grounds. +Small boats and vessels operate here. + +Black Island Ground. This ground is ENE. 2 miles from Monhegan. 1 mile +in diameter, has a shoal of 10 fathoms, and sharp rocky bottom in the +center. The ground slopes gradually from this to the edges, where are 40 +fathoms. Beyond the depths of 28 to 30 fathoms the bottom is gravelly +and smoother. This is a cod ground in spring, and cod and hake are taken +here on the edges in summer and fall. Pollock are found about the shoal +in summer. It is a good lobster ground. + +Franklin Ground. This ground is NE. by N. midway between Monhegan and +Burnt Island, distant 4 miles. Cod and haddock are found here from April +to June and pollock in summer. In summer and fall hake are taken by +night fishing with hand line about the rocks in 20 to 30 fathoms on the +broken ground. Fishing here is by hand-lining in summer and trawling in +fall and winter. It is a lobster ground. + +White Head Ground. Depths on the shoal (the White Hub: Bring Budd +cottage out by White Head, Black Head. and Allens Island touching) are 7 +fathoms, thence to 20 fathoms on the edges about it. This ground extends +NE. and SW., 2 miles long by 1/4 mile wide. The bottom is chiefly +broken, of rocks, and with spots of coarse gravel and sand. Fish and +their seasons are as on Franklin Ground. Marks: Bring Black Head, White +Head, and Gull Head in range on the east side of Monhegan Island. + +Burnt Island, Inner Ridge aka Andrews Shoal. This is NE. by E. from +Monhegan, distant 5 miles. It is a broken ground with depths from 15 to +20 fathoms, the bottom rocky and gravelly, with occasional mud holes. It +extends NE. about 4 miles, nearly to Roaring Bull Ledge, and is 1/2 mile +wide. There are strong tidal currents here, the flood being NE., the ebb +SW. It is a cod ground from April to June, and cod and hake are taken +from September to November; haddock in December. It is a good lobster +ground. + +Burnt Island, Outer Ridge. This ground is parallel with the Inner +Ridge and at a distance of 3/4 mile. Depths are from 5 to 25 fathoms, +the bottom being rather less broken than on the Inner Ridge. Fishing +seasons and species are as on Inner Ridge. Hand-lining is done mostly +because of strong tides. It is a good lobster ground. + +Ornes Ground. This ground bears E., distant 4 1/2 miles from Monhegan +Light to the center. It is 1 mile long. E. and W. and 1 mile wide. +Depths are from 30 to 45 fathoms. On the shoal parts the bottom is of +sharp rocks and broken. On other parts it is generally pebbly and quite +level. The shoal lies toward the eastern part of the ground and is a +good spring cod ground; also a pollock ground in the spring and fall. It +is a night fishing ground for hake, by hand lining close to the rocks +during September and October. Herring are abundant here usually in May +and June. It is a good lobster ground. Fishing is done by hand lines and +trawls. + +Outer Shoal. This ground is ESE from Monhegan Light about 2 1/2 miles. It +is circular in form and about 1 1/2 miles across. Depths are from 10 to 38 +fathoms. There is a small rocky shoal in the center of the ground; the +remainder of this piece has a gravelly bottom. This is a cod ground from +spring to fall and a good pollock ground in September. A few haddock are +taken here about the edges in December. Hake are abundant on the edges +on the mud in 45 to 50 fathoms during the spring, summer and fall. + +Monhegan Inner Sou'Southeast Ground. This ground is SSE from Monhegan +Light. It is circular in form and 1/14 miles across. The center is 5 +miles fro the light. Depths are from 30 to 50 fathoms, the shoalest +water being on the eastern part, the shoal has a broken and rocky +bottom, but the rest of the ground is gravelly and muddy. The principal +fishes taken are cod and cusk in the spring, summer and fall. Very few +haddock are found here. Pollock are numerous in the fall, when they are +taken by hand lining. Hake are abundant in September and October. June +is the best fishing month, except when the squid strike the ground in +the fall. This is mainly a small boat ground, fished by trawls, hand +lines and an increasing number of gill nets. + +Monhegan Outer Sou'Southeast. Three miles outside the Inner Ground on +the same bearing and similar in size and form. The bottom is rocky and +muddy or of hard clay. The depths are from 35 to 55 fathoms. The same +species are found here as on Inner Sou'Southeast and at the same +seasons, and in addition, hand lining is done for cod in August and +September. + +Blue Ground. This is SE 1 1/2 E from Monhegan, distant 14 miles; E 1 1/2 S +from Portland Lightship 45 miles, and SW from Matinicus Rock 9 miles to +southern Edge. Fishermen usually take the Monhegan bearing [12] for their +starting point. This ground has a small shoal in the center, having 28 +to 30 fathoms, from which the bottom slopes off to 45 and 60 fathoms on +the edges. The shoal is broken and rocky, bu the deep water is over a +level gravelly bottom. This ground is circular in form and about 2 miles +across. It is both a small-boat and vessel ground, larger craft +operating here mainly in the fall. Hake are found here in large numbers +in summer and fall; cusk are taken in the deep water the year around but +are most abundant in January. Cod are here the year around, the largest +school occurring in February and March. + +Monhegan Southeast Ground. This ground lies SE from Monhegan Island, +the center distant 12 miles. This is nearly circular, 3 miles in +diameter. The bottom is so broken that depths may vary much within a +short distance, but depths are from 35 to 75 fathoms over a bottom of +rocks, gravel and mud. Fishing is by trawl and handline. It is good cod +ground from April to July; haddock are taken in December and hake in +summer on the edges in 50 to 60 fathoms. + +Hill Ground. This ground is SSW 9 miles from Matinic: between 3 and 4 +miles long NE and SW and some 2 miles wide. The shoalest part has 35 +fathoms and a rocky bottom. From this it slopes gradually to a depth of +50 fathoms over a bottom of mixed gravel, rocks and mud. Its best +fishing is for hake, using both hand lines and trawls. + +Monhegan Inner Sou'Sou'west Ground. this ground takes its name from its +bearing, lying SSW from Monhegan light, distant 5 miles. Its width is +1 1/2 miles, its length NNE and SSW is 1 1/4 miles. It has a sharp, broken, +rocky bottom, including a small shoal of 20 fathoms and some hummocks of +rather greater depths. The deepest water is in the neighborhood of 50 +fathoms. Fishing here is from May until July for codfish and pollock: +hake and cusk are in the deep water in the spring months and halibut on +the shoal in July and September. This ground is principally fished by +trawls, but there is considerable hand lining in September and October. +Gillnetting, too, has become more common of later years. + +Harris Ground. From 15 miles S 1/2 W from Monhegan island to 6 miles +SSW. It has 40 to 50 fathoms over a bottom of sharp rocks and mud--a +"blistery" bottom. Cod, cusk and hake are found here the year around. +Halibut are here in June, July and August. Fishing is by trawling and +hand lining, with very little gillnetting. + +The 45 Fathom Bunch. Sixteen miles S 1 1/2 E from Monhegan. This is a +great ground for June hand lining for cod. Thence 1 mile ENE to 70 +fathom depth, which leads to a piece of ground leading to the Inner +Fall, on which, on a hard bottom and mud where there is an abundance of +"lemons" and similar forms, are found cod cusk and pollock in June. The +ground is about 6 miles long, WSW and ENE by 1 mile wide. + +Another Forty Five Fathom Bunch lies 22 miles S 1/2 E from Monhegan. This +ground is 4 miles long by 1 mile wide, running ENE and WSW, and has +depths from 45 to 75 fathoms. This is likewise a great cod hand lining +ground in June. + +Another of the same name lies 26 miles S 1 1/2 E from Monhegan. It has a +49 fathom shoal and the species and seasons are much the same as on the +other grounds of the name. This is probably the ground known to other +vessel captains as Toothaker Ridge. + +Monhegan Outer Sou'Sou'West. This ground is SSW from Monhegan Light. +the center distant 9 miles It is 4 miles long, NNE and SSW and about 2 +miles wide, and has 45 fathoms on the shoalest part but the depths +generally are from 60 to 80 fathoms. The bottom generally is gravelly +and quite level. The ground is fished by both boats and vessels using +hand lines and trawls. + +This is a cod ground in spring and fall. In summer hake are abundant +here, and halibut are quite plentiful in July on the shoalest part. + +Old Jeffrey. An exceedingly good ground. It is said that better +fishing may be had here than on any other ground of its size in the +vicinity. This piece of bottom bears SE from Pumpkin Rock, from which +the center is distant about 6 miles. It is about 3 miles long NE and SW, +and about 1 mile wide. The bottom is broken, of gravel and mud, with +depths from 25 to 50 fathoms. Fishing here is by trawling and +land-lining. In spring cod are most abundant, in late summer and fall +hake, cod, and pollock are taken. Halibut are found on the shoaler parts +in July. + +Little Jeffrey. A small piece of broken, rocky bottom, roughly +circular in form. Depths average 35 fathoms. Species and seasons are as +on Old Jeffrey, from which it lies about 4 miles NE by E. + +Monhegan Western Ground. This is a somewhat extensive ground lying +about 4 1/2 miles WSW from Monhegan Island. The depths range from 22 to 45 +fathoms. Its length is 4 or 5 miles, and its greatest breadth is 2 miles +on the eastern portion, gradually narrowing westward to about 1 mile. +The ground runs SE and NW. Pollock are found here in September and +October. It is fished by hand lines, trawls and gill nets. Marks: Bring +houses on New Harbor over the white cliff on Pemaquid 6 miles from New +Harbor. + +Broken Ground. The center bears nearly S. from Pumpkin Island (at +entrance to Boothbay Harbor), distant 7 miles. It extends 4 miles in an +ENE. and WSW direction and has an average width of 1 3/4 miles. Depths are +from 35 to 50 fathoms on a bottom of rocks and mud. Cod are taken here +the year around; hake from June to September. Cusk also are found here +all the year in 40 fathoms depths. It is fair herring ground on spring +nights. + +Great Ledge. Ten miles S. from Cape Newagen. It is about 4 miles long, +SSW. and NNE and from 1 to 2 miles wide. There is said to be a shoal of +14 fathoms on the northern edge and another of 22 fathoms near the +center. These are both broken and rocky, but the main part of the +ground, having depths of 30 to 45 fathoms, is mostly composed of sand. +is quite level, and slopes gradually toward the edge. It is a good +ground for cod and haddock in winter and for cod in the spring. A few +pollock are taken here, also. Halibut are found on the shoals in July. +On these, also, are good lobster grounds. It is chiefly a small-boat and +vessel ground, fishing being done by hand lines and trawls, with some +gill netting. Marks: Show the sawtooth of Morse's Mountain coming out by +Seguin on the western side; hold this until Pumpkin Island comes onto +White Island. + +Barnum Head Grounds. These lie SSE. from Damariscove Island and are +about 1 mile long by 400 yards wide. Depths are from 40 to 70 fathoms +over broken ground of sharp rocks on the shoals, with mud on the deeper +parts. This ground is fished by hand lines, gill nets, and trawls mainly +by boats and small craft. Cod, haddock, and pollock are found here in +the spring and fall months: hake in the muddy parts in summer. It is a +summer hand-line ground for cod and pollock also. Marks: Bring the peak +of Heron Island on Damariscove and the "Whistler" on Seguin, 7 miles +from Damariscove Island (this gives 21-fathom soundings) or Big White +Island's inner part just touching on Barnum Head; Morse Mountain (in +Kennebec) touching on eastern part of Seguin to make a sawtooth. + +Peterson's Ground. Lies distant SW. from Monhegan 20 miles and SSE. +from Seguin 16 miles. This is about 3 miles long in an ENE. and WSW. +direction by about 1 1/2 miles wide. The northern and western edges rise +sharply from the 85 or 90 fathoms of the muddy bottom about it to 60 +fathoms over a bottom of rocks and stones. Easterly and southerly the +ground slopes away gradually over hard gravel to 90 fathoms. Cod and +hake furnish the best fishing here--at its peak during October and +November. + +Cusk Ridge. It lies S. 1/2 E. 12 miles from Pumpkin Island, 3 1/2 to 4 +miles long, NE. and SW., and 1/4 mile wide. This ground is somewhat +difficult to find. It has a bottom of black gravel and rocks with 30 to +60 fathoms of water over it. A "blistery" bottom that is a cod ground +the year around, the best of the fishing occurring in the spring months. +Hake are abundant in the fall, and cusk fishing is exceptionally good in +the deep water in June. + +Potato Patch. Three miles WNW. from Monhegan. A round nubble about 14 +mile in diameter, of sharp, rocky bottom having about 40 fathoms over +it. Cusk and cod are taken on the shoal and hake from the muddy edges +about it. + +The Apron. Four and one-half miles from Monhegan. Marks are the tripod +on Eastern Egg Rock over Franklin Island Light; Monhegan Light over the +middle of Manana. Its length is 5 miles and its width 3 miles. It is a +broken piece of ground with 10 to 45 fathoms. Cod are present the year +around and haddock all the year except for a few weeks in summer. Cusk +are here most of the year, but the season for pollock is September. + +Henry Gallant Ridges. The inner one lies 16 1/2 miles S. by E. of +Monhegan Island, extending in a NNE. and SSW. direction, about 1 mile +long by 1/4 mile wide. The outer ridge lies about 1 1/4 miles farther from +the island on the same bearing as the first and paralleling it and +apparently is about the same size. The bottom on both shoals is of +gravel and black rocks with depths averaging 45 fathoms but rising from +the 80 and 90 fathoms of the surrounding muddy ground. Both these are +year-around cod grounds, the spring months, however, having The largest +school. Cusk also are abundant on both shoals in the spring. + +Mosers Ledge, also known as Middle Ground. This piece of shoal ground +lies about midway between Monhegan Island and Pemaquid and has a +3-fathom shoal on the eastern part where the sea breaks in heavy +weather. This shoal, called Mosers Ledge, is broken and rocky but slopes +gradually to the SW., reaching 48 fathoms, with a bottom of gravel and +mud on the deepest part. The ground is about 2 miles long NE. and SW. +and about 1 mile wide. It is good ground for cod and haddock in the +spring and for herring in June and other top-schooling fish In their +season. Mackerel occur in late August and September. It is a lobster +ground the year around. + +Johns Head Ground. About 4 miles SSE. from Pemaquid Point. Depths are +from 25 to 15 fathoms over a sandy bottom, making a good cod ground in +April and May. The ground is of circular form about 1 mile in diameter. +Hand lines and trawls, together with some gill nets, are used on the +sand shoal. + +White Island Ground. This is ESE from White Island, from which its +inner edge is distant 1/4 mile and the outer edge about 4 miles. Of +triangular outline, it is widest at the outer end. It is very broken and +uneven and has depths from 6 to 30 fathoms. In some places the bottom is +gravelly, but on the shoal it is sharp, broken rocks. The small, rocky +spots are known by other names, such as Browns Head Ground (a herring +ground in June), where the fishermen catch a few rock cod. The sandy +bottom furnishes good fares of haddock in May and June. "Bobber +trawling" is the usual method used here in June. This ground is fished +mainly by small boats and sloops using hand lines and trawls. + +Steamboat Ground. Seven miles WSW. from Monhegan Island; it is 3 miles +long, NE. and SW, and 1/2 mile wide. Its bottom is broken with patches of +rocks. Depths are from 25 to 50 fathoms, the shoalest 20 fathoms. This +is fished by hand lines and trawls mainly by craft from New Harbor. Cod +are found here the year around but are most abundant in the fall. +Haddock are present all the spring and fall; hake through the summer +months; pollock in the fall. Cusk are most abundant in the spring. A +certain amount of lobster fishing is done here. + +Inner and Outer Boutens (Bootlegs). The inner ground lies 3 miles SW. +from Monhegan Island. It is about 1 mile long. NE. and SW., by 1/4 mile +wide. It has a sharp, rocky bottom, shoalest in the center, where are 25 +fathoms, sloping gradually southwest and falling off suddenly on the +northeast side to the mud in 60 fathoms on the edges. Cod, haddock, and +cusk are here the year around. Hake occur in summer on the muddy edges. +It is a fairly good lobster ground on the shoal. The Outer Bouten lies 1/2 +mile SW. of the Inner, separated from it by a deep, muddy channel. It +has a small shoal of 30 fathoms rising suddenly from the surrounding +mud. Fish and seasons of their presence are as on Inner Bouten. Fishing +on these grounds is mainly by hand line and trawl. Marks: The Tripod on +Western Duck Island on the eastern side of the big eastern mountain of +Camden: Black Head just out by White Head; White Head through the "Hole +in the Wall." + +Hill Ground. This ground is SSW 9 miles from Matinic: between 3 and 4 +miles long NE and SW and some 2 miles wide. The shoalest part has 35 +fathoms and a rocky bottom. From this it slopes gradually to a depth of +50 fathoms over a bottom of mixed gravel, rocks and mud. Its best +fishing is for hake, using both hand lines and trawls. + +Seguin Sou'Sou'West Ground. This ground lies SSW. from the western part +of Seguin Island, the center distant 4 miles. It is a rocky shoal, 1/2 +mile long by 200 yards wide, with a 1/2-acre shoal in the center. Depths +are 7 to 14 fathoms. This is evidently a SSW continuation of the Hill +Ground. It is fished by small boats for rock cod by hand-lining. +Trawling is done in March for cod, and this is also a cod ground in +April. It is both a small-boat and a vessel ground and is a lobster +ground the year around. Marks: Elwells Rock touching the western side +of Seguin, and Fullers Rock touching the southern part of Bald Head. + +Seguin Ridge. This ridge is SSW. from Seguin Island, distant 5 miles. +Four miles long. ESE. and WSW by 1/2 mile wide. There are a number of +small rocky spots--hummocks of 9 to 14 fathoms in depth. In general the +ground has from 10 to 40 fathoms over it, except as mentioned. Cod and +cusk are taken in the spring, haddock in May and June. and hake in +summer. It is a good cod ground in the fall and also a lobster ground. A +few pollock are seined here in the spring. Fishing is by hand lines, +gill netting, and trawling. Marks: Pond Island Light on the eastern spur +of Seguin; Wooded Mark Island on Bald Head (Small Point). + +Seguin Ground. This ground is SW. by S. from Seguin Island, distant +about 7 miles to the center. About 4 miles long. NE. and SW., and a +little more than 2 miles wide in the widest part. There is a small +hummock called Bumpers Island Ground on the northern end with depths of +13 fathoms. The northern part is mostly rocky, but toward the south the +bottom is gravelly and sloping, so that on the middle and southern +portions there are depths of 35 to 45 fathoms. Cod, hake, and pollock +are the principal fishes taken here and furnish some of the best fishing +in this vicinity. Haddock are not common here but are abundant on the +sandy bottom to the westward in April and May. Trawl fishing and gill +netting are done in the spring for cod and hand lining for cod and +pollock in October. It is a small-boat and vessel ground and a winter +lobster ground. + +McIntire Reef. This reef is SSW. from Bald Head (Cape Small Point). The +distance to the center is 4 1/2 miles. This is 2 miles long. NE. and SW., +by 1/2 mile wide. Marks are Yarmouth Island Hill over Mark Island and Pond +Island Light on the northern part of Fullers Rock. This reef is very +broken and hummocky and has a rocky bottom and depths from 14 to 20 +fathoms. A shoal of 7 fathoms is on the northwest part, where there is +good hand-lining for cod. It is a good lobster ground. Just east of this +ground is a piece of bottom composed of hard mud and shells where hake +usually are abundant in summer. + +Seguin Hub. This lies SSE. 5 1/2 miles from Seguin Light. There is a +collection of half a dozen small hummocks rising from the 65 or 70 +fathoms of the surrounding muddy bottom to 30 or 35 fathoms of rocky +bottom. These are hand-line spots. Species and seasons are as on Seguin +Ground, except that a great proportion of hake are taken here on mud +from 60 fathoms down. It is a cod ground in spring and summer. Marks: +Hunnewell Point Woods on Seguin; Damariscotta Hill over Damariscove +Island. + +Cow Ground. Nearly SW. from Bald Head, the center distant 6 1/2 miles. +This is nearly 4 miles long in a NE. and SW. direction and 1 1/2 miles +wide. The northeast portion is rough and rocky and has depths from 16 to +18 fathoms. On the southwest part gravel and stones predominate, and the +bottom slopes off to 20 or 30 fathom depths. Trawling and hand-lining +are the principal methods employed here, but there is an increasing +amount of gill netting. Cod and pollock are the principal fishes taken +here, mainly in the spring. This is a lobster ground from November to +April. + +Murre Hub. This lies WSW. from Small Point, the center distant 10 3/4 +miles and 3 miles SW. from Seguin. This ground is 3 miles long. N. and +S., with an average width of 1 1/2 miles. Depths are from 34 to 45 +fathoms. The inner parts are shoalest, and the bottom there is sharp +rocks and broken ground. From this the ground slopes gradually to the +south, where the bottom is sand and gravel. Cod are here from spring to +October; hake from June to October; and haddock are present during the +winter season. Fishing is almost entirely by trawling. + +Mistaken Ground. This ground bears N. from the center of New Ledge. +from which it is distant about 10 miles; from Portland Lightship SE. +1/2 S 21 miles to the edge and 22 miles to the shoal water. It is 8 miles +long in an E. and W. direction and 5 miles wide. Depths are from 45 to +100 fathoms, both the shoalest and the deepest soundings being on the +western part, where the bottom is mostly rocks and boulders. There is +said to be a small shoal "peak" of 35 fathoms here. Over the greater +part of the ground the bottom is of rocks and gravel. In proportion to +its size this ground is nearly as important as New Ledge, being resorted +to by the same species of fish at the same seasons and being visited by +the same type of craft, with a larger number of the small crafts +operating here and the larger vessels fishing here principally during +the worst of the winter weather. + +The fishing is by hand line, trawl, and gill netting, with a lessening +use of the hand line and an increase in the use of this ground by the +gill-net fleet. Cod and cusk are taken here from May to July and +through October and November, the cod predominating on the ridgy bottom +in the deep water, on the western and northwestern side. Hake are also +found here in the winter. Haddock are fairly abundant from December to +March. There are usually many pollock on the shoal in fall and winter. + +Tag Ground. Between Broken Ground and Seguin Island, ESE. from Seguin, +distant 5 miles. A narrow rocky ridge 2 miles long, in a NNE. and SSW. +direction, with an uneven bottom and depths from 14 to 30 fathoms. +Principally a summer small-boat ground fished by hand lines, trawls, and +gill nets. Cod are found here the year around. Haddock are abundant in +the winter, hake in the summer months, and the pollock are here also in +the summer season when "top schooling." Cusk are found in the deep water +all the year. + +Outer Kettle, also known as Kettle Bottom. The center of this ground +bears S. from Seguin Island, from which the northern edge of the ground +is distant 10 miles. Its length is 12 miles in a N. and S. direction, +and its width 10 miles, thus being roughly circular in forum. It is an +uneven piece of bottom consisting of rocks, gravel, and mud. The depths +range from 25 to 75 fathoms. This is one of the best fishing grounds on +this part of the coast. Cod are the most abundant fish and are taken the +year around. Haddock are plentiful in the winter months and cusk are +present all the year in the 50-fathom depths. Fishing here is by trawl, +hand line, and gill nets operated by small boats, sloops, and, in the +rougher weather of the winter, larger vessels, which visit it also, +generally to make one "set" at a season when a "fish day" (one on which +it is possible to fish) is the exception. + +Murray Hole. A small circular piece of ground about 1 1/2 miles across +and capable of taking about 40 or 50 lines of trawl: it lies between the +two kettles and heads S. by E. from Seguin. Depths here are from 42 to +60 fathoms over a bottom of pebbles and gravel. It is a good cod and +hake ground in June and July. + +Inner Kettle. This is S. by E. from Seguin and distant 8 miles. The +depths here average 40 fathoms over a bottom of gravel and rocks. +Species and season of abundance are as on the Outer Kettle. Marks are as +follows: The Eastern Hawkwings (west side of the Kennebec River) on +western side of Seguin; Damariscove Mountain just touching the east side +of Damariscove Island. + +Bantam. This ground lies off Seguin 6 miles E. by N. It has a bottom of +rocky broken ground. There is a buoy in the center over a reef that is +said to break at low water. Elsewhere depths range from 14 to 20 +fathoms. The shoal is about 2 miles long in a NE. and SW. direction and +is about 1 mile wide. This is a cod and haddock ground in the spring, +and bake are plentiful in summer on the edges of the ground. + +White Head Ground. Depths on the shoal (the White Hub: Bring Budd +cottage out by White Head, Black Head. and Allens Island touching) are 7 +fathoms, thence to 20 fathoms on the edges about it. This ground extends +NE. and SW., 2 miles long by 1/4 mile wide. The bottom is chiefly +broken, of rocks, and with spots of coarse gravel and sand. Fish and +their seasons are as on Franklin Ground. Marks: Bring Black Head, White +Head, and Gull Head in range on the east side of Monhegan Island. + +Green Ground. This is a hand-line spot for cod all the year, but the +fishing is best in the spring and continues good until the last of the +fishing for cod about the river mouths in June. There are two shoals, +one of 14 and the other of 16 feet, both of which break in rough +weather, but depths elsewhere on the ground about are from 13 to 20 +fathoms. The bottom, both on the shoals and about them, is rocky and has +many starfish upon it, except on the north-western part, where the +bottom is of sand. Marks: The eastern end of Elmwood Rock on the little +high woods of Small Point: the Outer Sister on Lower Five Island. + +Lambo. This lies B. by N. from Halfway Rock 5 miles. It has a buoy +upon it, marking a 5 fathom shoal that breaks in heavy weather. Good +fishing is to be had in all directions about it, with haddock in June on +the sand outside it, hake inside in August, and cod on the hard bottom +about it; but for these it is mostly a summer hand-line spot. + +Bull Ground. This is an irregularly shaped piece of bottom of +indefinite area, being perhaps 3 miles long by 2 miles wide. It lies +between Lambo Ledge and the White Bull and at about 2 miles distance +from Ragged Island. The bottom here is of rocks and mud with depths from +20 to 30 fathoms. This ground furnishes hake fishing in June, July, and +August. Cod are taken here in good numbers in the fall by gill nets, +with a lesser amount also in the spring by the same method. In the +winter the cod are taken here by "bobber trawl." Haddock are taken about +the edges in August. mainly by hand line. This ground is visited +principally by small boats, the greater part of the catch being taken by +gill nets, although trawls and hand lines also are used here. + +The Garden. This is a broken piece of ground lying outside The Elbow +and Eagle Island. It runs NNE. and SSW., is about 2 miles long by 1 mile +wide, and has depths running from 35 to 60 fathoms. This is a fall +ground for hand-line fishing for cod, while haddock, cod, and cusk are +found here in the spring. Hake are taken in May and June on the mud +about the edges. + +Marks: Halfway Rock Light on the big field of Chebeague Island; Eagle +Island Woods on the woods in the Eastern Bay. + +Sand Shoal. It is ENE. from White Head Grounds 4 miles. This has +depths of 18 to 20 fathoms and in species and seasons of their abundance +agrees with White Head Ground. + +The Elbow. This lies NE. from the Sand Shoal 6 miles from the +lightship; S. by E. 4 miles from Halfway Rock. Depths on the shoal parts +are 26 fathoms, deepening to 40 fathoms on the edges. The bottom is of +rocks and mud. The species and seasons are as on White Head Grounds. + +Old Orchard Ground, Wood Island Ground, Cape Porpoise Peaks. Extending +over a piece of bottom made up of blue clay with numerous rocky patches, +this ground has depths of from 20 to 50 fathoms. Bearing about NE. from +Cape Porpoise and distant from 4 to 5 miles, it lies in a N. and S. +direction and is about 5 miles long by 1 1/2 miles wide. It is a good +spring and summer cod ground, a summer hake ground, and haddock are here +in April and May and in the fall and winter and cusk on the deeper parts +the year around. This ground is much resorted to by small boats and in +winter by some of the larger vessels of the vicinity. Fishing is by hand +lines, trawls, and a certain amount by gill netting over the smoother +parts. Marks: The eastern end of Wood Island on the bank at Old Orchard; +to the center 6 miles SSE. from Wood Island Light. + +Drunken Ledge (Drunkers). Eight miles from Cape Elizabeth; 3 miles N. +of Tanta 4 miles S. by E. from the whistling buoy off Cape Elizabeth. +Depths are 18 to 40 fathoms on a bottom of sharp rocks. It is about 5 +miles long N. and S. by 2 miles wide, extending SSW. and NNE. Cod and +cusk are taken the year around; hake in the summer on the mud at edges; +haddock from March to June. Fishing is by trawl, hand line, and gill +net. Marks: Western Light of Cape Elizabeth on eastern part of woods on +Cape until the lightship bears NE. + +Eagle Island Ground. This lies S. from Halfway Rock 2 miles. It has a +rocky bottom with 20 to 25 fathoms. It is a good cod ground the year +around, fished mainly by hand line; there is little trawling here and +only a small amount of gill netting. + +Flat Ledge; Temple Ledge. Two miles SW. of Bald Head, Cape Small +Point, rises a piece of rocky ground from the 20-fathom depths +surrounding it. Over the shoal in the center are 5 fathoms, and from +this the water deepens on all sides, there being 16 fathoms on the +deepest part of the ledge and an average of 20 fathoms about it. The +rocky bottom is about 1 1/2 miles long, NE. and SW., by about 3/4 mile +wide. The ledge and the hard bottom about it make good gill-netting +grounds for cod in the spring months. On the ledge a considerable amount +of hand-lining fur cod and pollock is carried on in late May and through +June. In the normal seasons of the mackerel fishery this is a good +ground on which to seine these fish in June. July, and August. It is +also a good lobster ground and is a haddock ground in July and August. +Marks: Wallace House in Bald Head Cove on the western edge of Bald +Head; Flag Island and the eastern Brown Cow Into line. + +The Gully: Mark Island Gully. Bring Seguin over Fullers Rock, 6 miles +from Mark Island. This gully lies inside The Elbow. The bottom is sandy +on the shoal parts, where there are 50 fathoms; broken and rocky in the +deep water in 70 fathoms; and muddy on the edges. It is a good lobster +grounds. + +Haddock are taken here in the spring months by trawling; cod are taken +on trawl and in gill nets during February and March and from Augusta to +November. Hake are taken during June, July and August by the sane +methods as are used in catching the other species. + +New Meadows Channel. West from The Gully; E. from Seguin. This is a +spring gill-net ground. Mostly a cod ground. + +Pollock Hub. This ground lies SE. from the lightship 6 to 8 miles and +13 1/2 miles S. from Cushings Island bell buoy. It is a rocky piece of +bottom, having about 29 fathoms over it. It is about 1/2 mile across and +is fished by hand line, trawl, and gill net, but is mostly a summer +hand-line spot. It is a good cod ground in the spring and good for +pollock in their season. Between this and Trinidad (SE. by S. from +Pollock Hub 3 miles) is a fishing ground for haddock in January and +February, on a broken bottom, in depths of from 40 to 60 fathoms. This +is both a small-boat and a vessel ground fished by hand line, trawl, and +gill nets. + +Trinidad. Six miles SE. by S. 1/2 S. from the lightship off Portland. +It is about 2 miles long by 3/4 mile wide, lying in a NNE. and SSW. +direction. In general, the bottom is muddy and depths are from 40 to 50 +fathoms, except for a shoal about 14 mile across on the northeastern end +of the ground, where there is a depth of 32 fathoms over a sharp, rocky +bottom. + +Haddock are present here in good numbers in February and March. Cod are +taken here in gill nets during the summer months, and hake are fairly +abundant in the spring over the deeper parts; a few cusk are taken at +the same season and in the same depths as the hake are found. + +Fire Ground. This ground is E. by S. from the lightship 10 miles. It is +a ridge of rocky and gravelly bottom having depths of 35 to 50 fathoms. +Its length is 2 miles and its width 1 mile. + +Cod and cusk are here the year around, the cod being most abundant in +the spring. Haddock are here in February and March: hake are in the deep +water on the edges in summer. Fishing here is by hand line, trawl, and +gill nets operated by small boats and vessels, the larger craft visiting +this ground mostly in the winter, when offshore grounds may not permit +of the fishing because of weather conditions. Marks: Bradbury Mountain +on Jaquish: Long Reach Mountain (in Quahog Bay) just to westward of +Wooded Mark Island, "the length of an oar." + +Cod Ledges. These are a succession of rocky patches extending 4 1/2 miles +in an ENE. and WSW. direction, with a width of about 1/2 mile. The +southwestern end bears SE. 3/4 S. from Portland Head Light. distant 4 +3/4 miles. The northwestern extremity lies 6 or 7 miles ESE. from +Portland Head light. The shoalest parts have from 14 to 18 feet of water +(Bulwark Shoal: the eastern is Round Shoal). On other parts the depths +vary from 5 to 22 fathoms. The bottom is irregular, of rocks and gravel. +A favorite small-boat ground for fishermen from Portland and neighboring +islands. This is a cod ground the year around and a winter haddock +ground. + +In June and July a few halibut are taken in 14 to 18 fathoms on the +sandy patches between the ledges. We are told "Very many large halibut +are sometimes taken in some seasons in this small area. Sid Doughty. a +local small-boat fisherman, had $300 worth from half his gear for one +day's fishing here, being obliged to leave the rest of his gear until +the next day from his weariness in handling the heavy fish alone." + +Hue and Cry Bottom. This ground lies W. 1/2 mile from the Portland +Lightship. It is about 2 1/2 miles long by 1 1/2 miles wide and extends in +a generally N. and S. direction. The bottom is mainly rocks, though +there is a sandy area lying inside it. Depths are from 4 fathoms, where +is a buoy and where it breaks in heavy weather, to some 35 fathoms over +much of the rest of the ground. Cod and haddock are found here In the +spring, and cod, haddock, and cusk in the fall months. + +The Pasture. It lies ESE. from the lightship 10 miles: south from The +Cow (Small Point) 12 miles. This ground is 4 or 5 miles long by 2 1/2 +miles wide. It has depths of from 45 to 80 fathoms over a bottom of +broken ground, rocks, and mud. It is a cod ground the year around but is +best in spring. Cusk also are here the year around. Haddock usually are +plentiful during January, February, and March. Inside the Pasture (about +10 miles S. from The Cow) lies the Fire Ground, mentioned elsewhere. + +The Klondike. This ground lies 15 miles S. by E. from Bald Head and +is 3 miles long by 2 miles wide. The bottom consists of ridges of +rocks--a "blistery" bottom (abundance of "sea pears", "sea squirts", and +other marine growths of a similar nature). It is a cod and cusk ground +all the year. Haddock are present from January to April and hake from +September to December. Depths are from 75 to 80 fathoms over mud and +rocks. Fishing on this ground is by hand line and trawl by small boats +and sloops, with an occasional trip by larger vessels in winter. + +Sagadahoc. This ground is SE. by E. from Halfway Rock 22 miles and S. +1/2 W. from Seguin 17 miles. It has a broken bottom of rocks "blisters," +and mud, and is 3 1/2 miles long by 2 1/2 miles wide, with depths from +50 to 80 fathoms. It is a cusk ground the year around as well as a year- +around cod ground, also, but this fishing is at its best in the spring. +It is a hake ground on the deeper soundings from September to December. +Fishing here is carried on by trawling, hand-lining, and gill netting. + +Big Ridge, or Doggetts. These names are given to a piece of fishing +ground about 8 miles long by 2 miles wide lying 18 miles SE. by S. 1/2 S. +from the lightship at Portland or 14 miles SE. by E. from the same +point, according to which part it is desired to fish upon. It has from +45 on the shoal in the center to 80 fathoms of water on the deeper parts +over a bottom of rocks and gravel on the shallower portions and of mud +about the edges and in the deeper soundings. + +Cod are abundant here in spring and fall on the shoaler parts of the +bank and are present the year around on the muddy edges and in the deep +water about it; the spring school, however, is the largest. Hake are +found in spring and summer on the edges in deep water. A few haddock may +be taken in the winter and spring, January to April, inclusive. Cusk can +be taken the year around, the best fishing being in spring and winter. +The February cusk school is the largest, and the best catches are made +in the deep water about the edges of the ground. Fishing here is +principally by trawling, but hand-lining and gill netting also are +employed, the latter method in continually increasing volume. + +Lying off Cape Porpoise, between the bearings of SE. and SSE., and at +distances varying from 6 to 8 miles, are a number of small, rocky, or +pebbly bottoms having depths ranging from 18 to 25 fathoms. During +certain seasons these abound in cod and haddock and are visited by the +fishermen of the vicinity. + +Tanta. This ground is S. from Cape Elizabeth, the center being distant +12 miles. It is 2 to 3 miles in diameter and has depths of about 40 +fathoms over a bottom of broken ground of rocks and gravel. This is a +spring and summer fishing ground for cod. Haddock are present here in +winter, the best fishing being in January, With a few in the spring. +Trawls, hand lines, and gill nets are operated here. Outside of Tanta +(S. 3 miles), in 80 and 90 fathoms on muddy and broken bottom (a +"punkin" bottom), hake and cusk are abundant in February and March, the +hake remaining into the summer. Herring and mackerel usually are present +here in those years when their schools arc abundant in this locality. + +Winker Ground. The ground lies in a NE. and SW. direction, about 2 +miles long by 1/4 mile wide. The bottom is broken, of mud, rocks, and +sand, with depths from 35 to 40 fathoms. Outside of the 40-fathom depth +the ground is mostly of mud. This is a cod ground in the early spring. +haddock and hake being here from July 1 to September 1. Haddock are +found here also from March 10 to April 20. This is a small-boat ground, +fishing being done mainly by trawling and a certain amount of gill +netting. Marks: Run 5 miles SW. from the whistling buoy off Cape +Elizabeth. or until Ram Island Winker Light shows out by Cape Elizabeth. + +Long Hill Ground. This lies SSE. from Cape Elizabeth, 9 miles to the +center. Marks: Bring the western light of Cape Elizabeth on the middle +of Johnsons Woods on the high land of the cape, which with the course +given before, will bring to the center. This lies in a SSE. and NNW. +direction and is a rocky bottom, having 60 to 70 fathoms. Haddock are +taken here from October to January 1 and from February 15 to April 1. +Cod also occur at about the same season. + +Outer and Inner Bumbo. These are two small rocky ridges bearing SE. +from The Nubble and extending toward Boon Island. They begin near the +main shore and extend nearly to the island. Depths are from 8 to 20 +fathoms over a broken piece of bottom, except for a mud gully about 3 +miles from the main running NE. and SW. about 3 miles long. In general, +this is a small-boat ground, where good catches of cod and haddock are +made in spring and fall, especially in the latter season, with good +hand-lining for cod in July and August in 8 and 10 fathom depths. These +grounds are fished by trawl, hand line and gill nets. All the grounds +between Cape Porpoise and Boon Island are good lobster grounds. + +Wells Bay. Beside a number of small, rocky patches of fishing ground of +less importance, resorted to chiefly by small-boat fishermen and by gill +netters from Portsmouth, Wood Island, and Cape Porpoise; this ground has +a good cod shoal for spring and winter fishing, which also furnishes +good haddocking from April to October. The depths on this are from 25 to +30 fathoms. These are fished by trawl, hand lines, and gill nets +(perhaps mainly by the latter) operated by the smaller fishing vessels, +chiefly from Portsmouth, Wood island, Cape Porpoise, and Portland. + +Lightons. This ground is SE. by E. 8 miles from Cape Porpoise, 3 miles +long by 2 miles wide, with depths of 25 to 30 fathoms over a generally +gravelly bottom. This is somewhat more productive as a haddock ground +from January 1 to March, but cod and hake are numerous in the same season +also. A small amount of cod may be taken here in the summer. This is a +good lobster ground. + +Tracadie; The Acre. This bears NE. by E. from Boon island, distant 5 +miles. It is 1 mile in diameter and has a depth of 50 fathoms over a +bottom of rocks and gravel. It is a good haddock ground all the year; a +cod ground in August, when these fish are "jigged"; a hake ground from +April to October; and a cusk ground the year around. + +Old Southeast. Extends from the shore soundings at White Island (one +of the isles of Shoals) 7 or 8 miles SE. nearly to Jeffreys in a long, +rather narrow point. It is a piece of broken ground with a hard bottom, +having depths running from 20 fathoms on the inner parts to 50 fathoms +farther out and deepening suddenly on all sides to the mud about it. +Fish and their seasons are as on Blue Clay, haddock being most abundant +on the eastern edge from January through March. This is growing steadily +in importance as a gill-netting ground. + +The Prairie. This name has been given to a flat ground of generally +level bottom, lying E. by N. from Boon Island 7 miles. It has depths of +from 41 to 50 fathoms over mud and gravel, rising out of 60 fathoms +over the muddy ground about it. It extends in a generally ENE. by WSW. +direction, 2 miles long by 1 mile wide. It is a "blistery" ground, the +presence of these growths on a rocky or gravelly bottom usually meaning +good fishing. This is principally a haddock ground, with the best season +from mid March to the 1st of May. This is a small-boat and gill-netting +ground. It is also visited to a considerable extent by the larger +vessels of the Portland fleet in the severer weather of the winter and +early spring because of its accessibility. + +Blue Clay Ground. also called Southeast Ground. This bears S. by E. +from Boon Island. from which it is distant 8 miles. The form of the +ground is roughly square and is from 4 to S miles across. Depths here +range from 30 on the shoalest parts to 60 fathoms, the bottom being of +tough blue clay. The water deepens suddenly on the muddy ground all +about it. It is one of the best winter haddock grounds in this vicinity, +particularly the eastern edge, which is much resorted to by haddock +trawlers from January through March, when this species is most abundant +here. It is a good winter cod ground, also. + +A long, narrow strip of hard bottom, separated from the Blue Clay by a +narrow mud gully of somewhat greater depth, is called the Prong. Depths +here run from 30 fathoms on the inner parts to 70 fathoms offshore. This +piece furnishes a very suitable bottom for operating gill nets and is +much visited by this type of craft. The Prong lies S. by E. from Cape +Porpoise 17 miles. Marks: Bring Acre Hill in line, Notch of Agamenticus +at the distance from Cape Porpoise just given. From the Isle of Shoals +the Prong is distant 10 miles SE. by E. + +Duck Island Ridges. These are two narrow rocky ridges running from +Duck Island (one of the Isles of Shoals) toward Boon Island. reaching +within I mile of the latter. Depths are from 25 to 30 fathoms. These are +good cusk and haddock grounds in the winter and spring, the cusk +remaining on the ground also from April to October. This is a cod ground +in winter and spring, the fish being taken on the "bobber trawl." which +is a trawl of the ordinary type buoyed to "set" 1 fathom or so from the +bottom. It is a hand-line ground in summer for cod and pollock. Both +small boats and vessels, line trawlers, and gillnetters operate here. It +is also a lobster ground. + +Boon Island Rock Ground. This ground begins 1/2 mile eastward of Boon +Island Ledge and runs in an ESE. direction 2 or 3 miles from the ledge. +It has a bottom of sharp rocks and clay and depths from 40 to 60 +fathoms. It is an excellent fishing ground for cod, haddock, and cusk +and is one of the best winter fishing grounds for haddock in this +vicinity. It is fished mainly by line trawlers but is not much used as +yet by gill-netters, being a somewhat difficult piece of bottom for +them. + +Tower Ground. This is a winter haddock ground having depths averaging +50 fathoms over a ridgy and broken bottom. This is about 3 miles long by +2 miles wide and bears about SE. from Boon Island. Marks: Bring Boon +Island Light on the Peak of Mount Agamenticus, running off until the top +of the tower and the top of the mountain are level, perhaps 6 miles from +Boon Island. + +Ten Acre or Nipper Ground. Extends S. 1/2 E. from Boon Island 6 miles +and E. from Isles of Shoals 7 miles. This shoal is about 1/4 mile wide +and has 18 to 20 fathoms over clay and mud, the ground sloping gradually +to 50 or 60 fathoms near the edge. This is a good fishing ground for +cod, haddock, cusk, and pollock in the spring, while on the muddy edges +hake are abundant in September. Marks: White Hills over Boon Island on +center (these cross bearings meet near the center of the ground); also, +the Black Hill W. of Portsmouth over the Star Island of the Isles of +Shoals leads to the small rocky shoal that is in the middle of the +ground. + +Ipswich Bay. This extends from the north side of Cape Ann about to +Portsmouth and is resorted to in winter by large schools of cod coming +here to spawn. Shore soundings deepen here gradually from the land, +reaching 35 to 40 fathoms at 6 or 7 miles out. Within this limit the +bottom is mainly sandy, though rocky patches are numerous between +Newburyport and Cape Ann. Beyond 40 fathoms the bottom is mainly mud. + +The principal cod-fishing grounds of Ipswich Bay lie off the northern +shore, from Newburyport to the entrance of Portsmouth Harbor, 1 1/2 to 5 +miles off the land In 12 to 25 fathoms. Cod are taken abundantly off +Boars Head, also. During 1923 and 1924 the cod fishing in these waters, +especially off Boars Head, was the best for some years. Fishing is done +by trawls and hand-lining, and of late years a large and increasing +gill-netting fleet has operated in these waters, especially from March +to June. + +The muddy ground outside these waters Is a hake ground much frequented +by small boats and vessels from the Isles of Shoals and Cape Ann during +the summer and fall. "Flounder dragging" Is a considerable industry in +these waters, the craft employed being a small type of the otter +trawler, mainly operating out of Newburyport on a piece of shallow mud +bottom extending from NE. by E. to SE. of the Isles of Shoals and on +another ESE. from Thacher Island. Depths are from 4 to 14 fathoms. + +Massachusetts Bay. The larger part of this ground, especially inside +Stellwagens Bank, has a mud bottom, on which large quantities of fish +are rarely taken. On the shore soundings between Boston Harbor and +Plymouth to Sandwich are many rocky ledges, which are favorite feeding +grounds for cod In winter and fall. Off Plymouth, in late March, there +is generally a large school of codfish, from which the gill-netters take +good fares. All over this ground in depths of from 10 to 40 fathoms. +netters from Gloucester and Boston operate in a codfishery In the months +of December, January, and February. There is a considerable hand-line +fishery for pollock in the fall. The gill-netters also take large fares +of this species on these shore grounds as well as about Gloucester, +their fares for a single month often amounting to nearly 4,000,000 +pounds. November and December usually show the largest catches. These +vessels operate mostly between Boston and Gloucester, and their catch +goes principally to "the splitters." since the abundance of the fish +naturally operates to reduce its price. This pollock netting comes to an +abrupt end with the closing days of January, when the fish move +offshore. + +Herring appear about Cape Ann in September in large numbers in most +years, the fishing lasting about two weeks, when the school moves slowly +inward toward the head, and the last catches usually are taken off Minot +Light, Boston. The mackerel, after leaving the coast of Maine in their +autumnal migrations, pass by Cape Ann and enter Massachusetts Bay during +October and November, where they are taken in great number by purse +seiners, netters, and pound nets, of which latter there are many in Cape +Cod Bay, and which take many mackerel and herring in their seasons. + +Near the center of Cape Cod Bay, on a line between Race Point and Cape +Cod Canal, lies a rocky elevation on which cod are taken, known as Eagle +Ledge or Bay Ledge, and by Provincetown fishermen as Red Bank. It has a +depth of 13 fathoms. Cape Cod Bay has a considerable Industry in +flounder dragging, the fish being taken by a small type of otter trawl. +South and southeast of Thacher Island from 5 to 8 miles lies a stretch +of muddy bottom with patches of sand scattered over it, where a +considerable amount of this method of fishing is carried on during most +of the year. + +Old Man's Pasture. This ground is due S. from Thacher Island, SE. from +Eastern Point Light. Cape Ann, and distant 5 miles. It is about 3/4 mile +long, NNE. and SSW. by 1/ mile wide. The bottom is rough and rocky, with +about 24 fathoms average depths. It is a cod ground for the entire year, +which fish are taken by gill-netters principally in November. Pollock +are taken here, also by gill-netters, from October 1 to December. +Apparently there are few haddock here in the fall, but there is good +fishing for these from February to April 1. It is also a lobster ground. + +Harts Ground. This lies S. 1/4 E. from Eastern Point Light. distant +5 1/2 miles. It is 3/4 mile long in an ENE. and WSW. direction by 1/4 +mile wide, and is a small, rocky patch with a depth of 30 fathoms. It is +a summer haddock ground, visited mainly by small boats. There is little +or no gill netting here. + +Eagle Ridge, sometimes called Little Middle Bank. This ridge is 7 2/3 +miles S. by W. from Eastern Point Light, Cape Ann. and 1 mile long, NE. +and SW., by 1/2 mile wide. The average depths are 25 fathoms on a rocky +and uneven bottom. Formerly, with Old Man's Pasture and Browns Ledge. +this was considered the principal winter grounds of the cod, but not so +many have been taken here at that season in recent years. + +Inside this area, at an average distance of 2 1/2 miles from Eastern Point +Light and between bearings S. 1/2 E. and SW.. are a number of small, rocky +patches having depths of from 10 to 25 fathoms--Browns Ledge, Spot of +Rocks, Saturday Night Ledge, and Burnhams Rocks; SW 1/2 W. from Saturday +Night Ledge, 6 miles, lies Old Tillie. Farther in are two shoal spots +bearing nearly west from Eastern Point. one at 3/4 mile and the other at +2 miles distance, each having 11 fathoms. The first is called Eleven +Fathom Ground. the second, Kettle Island Ledge. This latter lies 1/2 mile +SE. of Kettle Island. These are cod grounds in winter and haddock +grounds in summer. Gill-netters operate from Kettle Island to Halfway +Rock and Italian boats trawl at all seasons off The Graves. + +Western Point Ridge. This bears S. by E. 1/2 E. from Eastern Point +Light, distant 9 1/4 miles. Its length NE. and SW. is 1 1/2 miles and its +width is 3/4 mile. The depths average 29 fathoms over a broken and rocky +bottom. Small vessels and boats fish here for cod and haddock in the +summer. Netters take many pollock on all these shore grounds in the fall +runs, October to January furnishing the largest fares. Apparently these +are spawning fish that leave abruptly during January, working offshore +again. + +The Dump. This lies inside the lightship at Boston, extending from +this to and well into Nahant Bay. On these inner grounds soundings are +from 12 to 15 fathoms over sand and gravel. This portion is a cod ground +from March to May. The outer parts of the ground have from 15 to 20 +fathoms of water over a gravelly and muddy bottom, which usually +furnishes haddocking during the early spring. These are mainly gill-net +grounds. + +Inner Bank. This lies SE. from Thacher Island 12 miles to the northern +end, whence it extends in a generally southerly direction for about 10 +miles, having an average width of 2 1/2 miles. Depths here average about +40 fathoms on a hard, gravelly bottom, where haddock usually are taken +in the spring, pollock in the fall, and cod in the winter months. This +piece of ground is much fished by the gill-netting fleet out of +Gloucester. + +A large area of muddy ground lying E. of this and between it and Middle +Bank is much visited by the flounder draggers out of Boston and +Gloucester. Depths here are from 40 to 55 fathoms over a comparatively +smooth bottom. + +A ridge that lies just S. of the Limiter Bank, and which may be a +continuation of it, extends from a point E. by N. from Scituate buoy to +a point SE. by S. from the same about 10 or 11 miles and furnishes cod +fishing in February, beginning at Brewers Spot, on the southern end of +the ground, and working northward with the schools to Si's Spot, at the +northern end of the ridge. The bottom over much of the ridge is of +mussel beds, with from 25 to 30 fathoms of water, but at the northern +end it is rocky and pebbly, with from 30 to 35 fathoms and on the +southern end the bottom is composed of stones, gravel, and pebbles with +20 to 25 fathoms of water over it. This ridge is flanked E. and W. by a +muddy bottom, which furnishes the flounder-dragging fleet with good +fishing during most of the year. + + +[Table 2--Inner Fishing Grounds, showing the principal species taken +upon them.] + + +[Footnote 12: Again, Captain Smith (1614): "At the Ile of Manahigan, in +43 1/2 of Northerly latitude . . . The remarkablest isle, and mountains +for landmarks, a round high isle, with little Monas by its side, betwixt +which is a small harbor, where our ships can lie at anchor." +(Transcriber's note: "Ile" is as spelled in the footnote, despite the +other spellings of it in the footnote as "isle.")] + + + + +OUTER GROUNDS + +Grand Manan Bank. This bank is at the entrance of the Bay of Fundy, SW. +1/2 S. from the southwest head of Grand Manan Island from which the +northern part of the bank is 15 miles distant. From Mount Desert Rock, +E. by S., it is 45 miles distant. The bank is 10 miles long and 5 miles +wide, extending in a NE. and SW. direction. The bottom is mostly stones +and gravel, the depths running from 24 to 45 fathoms. Soundings of 18 +and 21 fathoms are found on the northeast part. + +Cod (especially abundant when the June school is on the ground) and +pollock are the principal fish. Haddock are not usually abundant, +although sometimes they are plentiful in the fall from late September to +December; hake are fairly abundant on the mud between Grand Manan Bank +and the Middle Ground (In The Gully). This is a good halibut bank, the +fish being in 33 to 60 fathoms in June and July; the southwest soundings +and the southeast soundings are most productive always. The best fishing +season is from April to October, when the fish come to this hank to +feed. In the spring the fish, other than halibut, are mostly on the +southwest part, but later (July to October) the best fishing is had on +the northern edge of the ground. The very best herring fishing for large +herring (food fish) occurs on this bank in June and July. In general, +this is a small-vessel ground fished by craft from Cutler, Eastport, +Grand Manan, and, to a less extent, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, with an +occasional visit by craft from Portland and Rockland, chiefly trawlers +of moderate size. + +Tides run NE. in flood and SW. on the ebb and are quite strong, the +flood being the heaviest. Because of these powerful currents, fishing is +somewhat difficult, it being necessary to make sets at the slack of the +tides, getting the gear over and traveling with the finish of the +current, to take it up and come back with the tide's return. + +Middle Ground. This ground is between Grand Manan Bank and Marblehead +Bank; its length from NW. to SE. is 1 1/2 miles, and it is about 1/2 mile +wide. Depths averaging 37 fathoms are found on the southern edge on a +hard, rocky bottom, increasing to over 60 fathoms over much of the +ground. The remainder of the bank has a bottom of sand and gravel. There +is a shoal of 28 fathoms near the center with a bottom of rocks and +stones. The species and seasons of their abundance are much as on Grand +Manan Bank and German Bank, but the Middle Ground is rather better as a +cod ground than as a ground for other species, June, perhaps, being the +best month for the fishing. + +Marblehead Bank. Situated between Grand Manan and German Banks, the +shoal water bearing SSE. from Moosabec Light, distant 32 miles. It is +from 12 to 15 miles long and 7 or 8 miles wide, lying between 44 deg. +00' and 44 deg. 10' north latitude and 66 deg. 58' and 67 deg. 13' west +longitude. There are from 35 to 70 fathoms of water over it; the bottom +is mostly clay and gravel. The principal fishing is for cod, pollock, +and haddock, but there are more or less hake and cusk to be had from +this ground. + +The best fishing season is from early spring through the early part of +the summer, and this ground is of little account after July. The same +type of vessels operate here as on the neighboring banks, with an +occasional larger vessel. The craft are mostly hand-liners from Cutler, +Jonesport, and Rockland, with a few vessels from the trawl fleets of +Portland and others from the Canadian Provinces. Haddock are found in +the shoal water from May to October. Cusk are on the eastern portion in +from 60 to 70 fathoms virtually the year around. Many large hake are +present on the western edge in 80 to 90 fathoms in the summer. The June +and July cod school is the best, but this species is present in smaller +numbers all the year. Halibut are found all over the bank, being +especially abundant in the eastern shoal water in spring and summer +(April to October). It seems necessary to leave the halibut trawls down +for a longer set here than on other grounds in order to make a good +catch. + +German Bank. This is one of the most important banks in the Bay of +Fundy. (We are here referring to the German Bank in the bay and not to +the part of Seal Island ground, so marked on some charts.) It bears SE. +from Bakers Island Light, Mount Desert, from which the northeast part is +about 52 miles distant. Its length is about 15 miles, the width 9 or 10 +miles. It lies between 43 deg. 38' and 43 deg. 53' north latitude and 64 +deg. 58' and 67 deg. 15' west longitude. Depths are from 65 to 100 +fathoms with soundings of 47 fathoms on the northern part. The bottom is +mostly tough red clay with spots of mud, sand, gravel, and pebbles on +some parts. The tides set in and out over this bank to and from the Bay +of Fundy, the ebb SW. and the flood NE., but the currents are not so +strong as might be expected. + +Cod, hake, and cusk are the principal species taken, with pollock and +haddock in lesser amounts. It is a fairly good halibut ground also, +wherever a bottom of black and white gravel is found, though formerly +little regarded as such. The fish (except hake) are most abundant in the +spring. This ground is not much fished of late years, but was formerly +considered a good place for hake fishermen in summer. Probably it is +equally as good now, but the demand for hake has diminished materially +in recent years, and this fishery has suffered in consequence. Mostly +Maine vessels fish this bank, from Cutler, Moosabec, and Rockland, with +a few from Portland and perhaps an occasional visitor from the Yarmouth, +Nova Scotia, fleet. + +Newfound. This ground is 45 miles SE. by S. from Mount Desert Rock and +has depths of 90 to 100 fathoms over a gravelly bottom. It is about 12 +to 15 miles long. ENE. and WSW., by 7 miles wide, lying in the track of +the Yarmouth (Nova Scotia) to Boston steamers. Apparently, this title is +given to some rediscovered old ground and with a new generation of +fishermen displaces the old name. This is not a haddock ground, but cod, +cusk, and hake (large fish) are abundant here in the spring. Perhaps +this is an all-the-year fishing ground, but thus far no further +information about it has been obtainable. It is about 12 to 15 miles +long, ENE aned WSW, by 7 miles wide, lying in the track of the +Yarmouth (Nova Scotia) to Boston steamers. + +Jones Ground. This is an important cod ground though of small size. +The western part bears SE, from Bakers Island Light, distant 32 miles. +The ground is 10 to 12 miles long, NE. and SW. and 5 miles wide. Depths +range from 50 to 100 fathoms. The bottom, which is quite broken, +consists of rocks, gravel, and mud. On the northeast parts, where depths +vary from 50 to 70 fathoms, the bottom is rocky and rough. This part +bears SE. by E. 1/2 E. from Bakers Island Light, distant 35 miles. (Green +Mountain, of Mount Desert, bears NW.) It is a hake ground in 110 +fathoms. The center of the ground furnishes good trawl fishing from May +1 to September. The principal catch is large cod, but a smaller amount +of hake, cusk, and pollock are taken also. + +Bank Comfort. This is a comparatively little known fishing ground +lying SE. by S. from Mount Desert Rock. distant 12 or 13 miles. It is +said to be 5 miles long, SW. and NE., by 3 miles wide. Here are depths +of from 75 to 80 fathoms over a hard gravelly bottom, the shoalest water +being some 65 fathoms. This is an excellent ground but little fished +because its small size makes it somewhat difficult to find. It is a very +good cod ground in spring and summer, hand-liners catching large cod +here from May to August. Hake and cusk are present here in summer also. +It is scarcely fished at any other than the seasons mentioned. + +Clay Bank. This bank lies SW. by W. from Mount Desert Rock, the center +distant 7 miles. It is 4 miles long, WSW. and ENE., by 2 miles wide. +Depths are from 50 to 80 fathoms over a bottom of hard clay. Cod are the +principal catch in spring, hake in summer. There is virtually no winter +fishing. + +Newfound. This ground lies off of the northeast edge of Jeffreys Bank +and is often considered a part of it, but there seems to lie deep water +between. This is one of three grounds of the name in these waters. The +present piece of bottom lies 20 miles SE. by S. from Matinicus block and +S. 1/2 E. from Seal Island (in Penobscot Bay) and has a broken and +irregular bottom with depths from 60 to 100 fathoms over blue mud and +shells and considerable areas of gravelly ground. It is about 7 miles +long, E. by N. and W. by S., and about 4 miles wide. + +Fishing here in the summer months is mostly by hand-lining because of +the presence of schools of dogfish in these waters at that season. In +the spring it is a good ground for cod, and in the fall months cod, +hake, and cusk are taken, all by trawling. Perhaps March is the best +month for cod fishing here, the cusk being most numerous at the same +season, when they are especially abundant in depths of 80 fathoms or +more and are then taken by trawling. In spring and early summer halibut +are often found in depths of 35 to 60 fathoms on the gravelly parts of +the ground. + +A small rocky eminence just off the northern edge of the ground rises +sharply from the 94-fathom depths surrounding it to reach 48 fathoms. On +this are taken market cod (2 1/2 to 10 pounds weight) during the spring +months and very large cod (fish reaching 50, 60, and 70 pounds or more) +during June, July, and August. Its small area makes this spot somewhat +difficult to find. + +Jeffreys Bank. This ground lies east of Cashes Bank and, despite its +considerable size, is of comparatively little importance as a fishing +ground. It is about 20 miles long. SW. and NE., and 10 miles wide. The +northern and southern limits are 43 deg. 30' and 43 deg. 15' north +latitude. The eastern edge is In 68 deg. 25', the western in 68 deg. +45'. west longitude. The bottom is somewhat broken--mud, sand, gravel, +and pebbles, with a great number of small rocky ridges, upon which good +fishing is generally to be had, although these spots are quite difficult +to find and accommodate but little trawl gear. There is virtually no +fishing upon much of the interior parts of the bank between these spots, +where the bottom is mostly of mud. Depths over the bank vary from 35 to +70 fathoms. The Outer Fall and the Inner Fall. generally called Monhegan +Fall, are the only parts of Jeffreys Bank thought to be of much +importance as fishing grounds. Both these formerly furnished excellent +fishing but are not now as much resorted to, although vessels from +Portland and Rockland often fish here and bring in fair catches. + +Cod, haddock, and cusk are the most important species in the fares from +this ground, with a lesser amount of pollock and a few halibut, these +latter usually being taken on the small ridges above mentioned In the +main, this bank is a winter ground; good also in the spring and early +summer before the dogfish strike it. It is fished mostly by the smaller +vessels--trawlers of from 15 to 70 tons. + +The Inner Fall lies SE. 1/2 S. from Monhegan Island, 21 1/2 miles, west of +Newfound 6 miles, and S. by W 1/2 W. from Matinicus Rock 17 miles. The +Outer Fall lies S. 1/2 E. from Matinicus Rock 21 miles. These both have +hard sharp bottoms, which are good cod and cusk grounds in the spring. +The gravelly bottom, both on the Inner Fall and on the Outer Fall, often +holds halibut in the spring and early summer (May 1 to July 15) in +depths of from 35 to 60 fathoms. The fishing ground of the Inner Fall is +somewhat difficult to find, the best portions lying in a narrow strip +about 6 miles long by something less than 1 mile wide along the +northwestern edge of the bank. + +Soundings ranging from 35 to 55 fathoms over the main body of the bank +drop suddenly to 85 and even 94 on the edges. The average depth is about +45 fathoms over a rocky bottom, with good cod fishing in summer and cusk +on the hard bottom of the deeper water. Haddock usually are abundant on +this bank in winter. Along the northern edge of Jeffreys Bank, between +the Inner Fall and the Outer Fall, in an average depth of 40 fathoms, +cod and halibut are taken in spring and summer. The extreme southern +part of the bank is also a fairly good cod ground, while halibut occur +in fair numbers in summer. Depths here are from 38 to 45 fathoms over +rocks and gravel. + +A small circular piece of ground rises about 2 miles W. of the bank, +lying between it and Toothaker Ridge. This is about 2 miles across and +has depths averaging 50 fathoms over a rocky bottom. This spot is a good +summer cod ground. + +Toothaker Ridge. This bank is 26 miles S. 1/2 E. from Monhegan and lies +in an ENE. and WSW. direction. There seem to be two ridges here, the +larger being about 5 or 6 miles long by about 1 1/2 miles wide. This inner +ridge has a shoal of 35 fathoms on the western end, from which it +deepens eastward to about 45 fathoms, which is the general depth +elsewhere on this piece of ground. + +The outer ridge parallels the inner at about 1 1/2 miles distance and there +is a deep, narrow gully between. It apparently has about half the area +of the other. This smaller ridge has a 45-fathom shoal of rocks on the +western end, deepening the water, like the other, to the eastward to 75 +and 80 fathoms over a broken rocky bottom and 90 fathoms on hard mud. +This is an all-the-year cusk ground. A few cod are present all the year. +but this species is most abundant here and on the other ridge in the +spring and through June. Hake occur on the muddy ground in summer and +fall. + +On both shoals are abundant growths of "lemons" and like species of fish +food, and they are good "hand-line spots" over their rocky bottoms. +Fishing on both is said to be at its best in the spring and in June, the +species taken being cod, cusk, pollock, and hake. As before stated, +these are year-around cod and cusk ground, pollock and hake being +present in summer and fall, the latter species over the muddy ground. +These grounds have been thought to lie too rough for trawling. But +occasional good fares are taken on them by this method. + +Cashes Bank. Our older reports state that Cashes Bank was not then an +important fishing ground except for a short time in the spring, although +good fares were often taken there in the fall also. The writer has found +it furnishing at least its quota in recent years and in apparently +increasing volume. It bears E. 1/4 S. from Cape Ann (Thacher Island +Light, from which point most skippers lay their course), from which its +shoaler parts are distant 78 miles, and bears SE. 1/4 S. from Portland +Lightship 69 miles to the buoy upon it, where is a depth of 17 fathoms; +and 74 miles SE. 1/2 S. from Cape Elizabeth eastern light to the buoy. +The bank is about 22 miles long, from 42 deg. 49' to 43 deg. 11' north +latitude, and about 17 miles wide, from 68 deg. 40' to 69 deg. 03' west +longitude. There are three small shoals upon its western part, of which +the southern has a depth of 7 fathoms, the middle one has 4 fathoms, and +the northern one has 11 fathoms. The middle shoal lies in 42 deg. 56' +north latitude and 68 deg. 52' west longitude. From this the south shoal +bears S. by E. and the north shoal NNE., each being 3 1/4 miles distant +from it. The water breaks on these in rough weather and, though of small +extent, they are dangerous to passing vessels bound from Cape Sable to +Massachusetts ports, across whose course they lie directly. Except for +these shoals, the water ranges from 15 to 60 fathoms. The ground is more +or less broken, and the bottom is of sand, pebbles, and rocks. + +The principal fishing on these grounds is for cod, haddock, hake, and +cusk; the cod and cusk are present the year around, the cod being most +abundant in February, March. and April in an average depth of 60 +fathoms. The hake are found on the muddy edges in summer, with a lesser +number present all the year. Haddock are present in considerable numbers +from November to February, and sometimes a good school occurs in +20-fathom depths in April. The arrival of the dogfish usually puts a +temporary ending to the fishing here in the last days of June or early +In July, to be resumed again when these pests have moved inshore. +Formerly halibut were reported as seen rarely, but of late years they +have been found among the kelp in 15 to 18 fathoms on the shoal nearly +the year around, the fish ranging in size from 5 to 40 pounds, rarely +larger. Halibut of larger size are taken occasionally in fairly good +numbers in 30 to 50 fathoms in May and June. Perhaps this species is +more abundant on this and neighboring grounds than is generally +realized. At all events, certain Portland vessels have recently taken +good fares of halibut when fishing for them here in the season named. +Cusk are present in the deep water the year around. As is the case with +most of the detached ridges in this gulf, the cusk is the most abundant +of the fish present about the middle of March. continuing in good +numbers through May. In herring years these fish usually occur in good +numbers on this ground In late May, and a considerable number of these +(food fish or large herring) are taken here by seiners at this season. +Mackerel are generally abundant on these grounds In those years when +these fish occur In normal quantities on this coast. + +Vessels operating on Cashes Bank range in size from 15 to 50 tons, +principally from Maine ports, with a fair number of them from Gloucester +and Boston, especially in winter. Of late years a few gill-netters have +fished here, and these craft are using these grounds in steadily +increasing numbers. + +A comparatively little known and apparently as yet unnamed ridge lies E. +by S. 15 miles from the buoy on Cashes Ledge, which is reported to be +good fishing ground, especially for cod and cusk. With both species +present here the year around, the cod is said to be most abundant in +April and May: and the cusk, as is the rule on these outlying ridges, +appears in largest numbers in March and April. Haddock seem to be +somewhat rare here. + +This ridge lies in a SE. and NW. direction, extending somewhat +indefinitely but for at least 10 miles by about 3 miles in width. On the +ridge the bottom is broken--a hard bottom of black gravel, which +usually means a good fishing spot--the depths here being from 85 to 90 +fathoms. There are numerous muddy spots between these harder pieces of +ground where soundings run to 100 fathoms or slightly more. The +surrounding bottom is mostly of mud, and the depths average from 100 to +125 fathoms. There are a number of pieces of gravelly hard ground in the +vicinity, each of which probably would furnish equally good fishing for +cod and cusk at the same seasons as on the ridge. + +Due E. from the buoy on Ammens Rock about 12 miles lies a ridge that +rises from the 100 to 120 fathom depths about it to a depth of about 80 +fathoms over a bottom of broken ground, mud, and shells. This shoaler +piece is some 3 miles long. N. by E. and S. by NW., by 1 mile wide. It +furnishes good fishing for cod, hake, and cusk in the spring, April +being the best season. + +A ridge lying NW. of Cashes Bank and nearly parallel with the main bank, +only separated by a narrow deep channel, is about 7 miles long by 1 1/2 +miles wide. The species and the seasons are the same here as on Cashes +Bank. + +Big Ridge (near Cashes Bank). This is a broken and rocky piece of +bottom running from the tip of the southeastern part of the ground, at +about 10 miles S. from the buoy on Ammens Rock and about 82 miles SE. 1/2 +S. from the lightship at Portland, to a point about 20 miles S. by E. +from the buoy named. Its length is not to be stated definitely, and it +is probably greater than here shown. The width averages about 1 1/2 to 2 +miles. Depths are from 65 to 80 fathoms and more, increasing gradually +as it goes away from the main bank. The species and their seasons of +abundance here are as on Cashes Bank. Perhaps this is more of a cod and +cusk ground than is the main part of Cashes Bank, the cusk being +particularly abundant during March and April. Halibut also are found +here in May and June in from 50 to 60 fathoms of water. A considerable +amount of the fish shown in the table of the catch from the area +included in Cashes Bank may very well have come from this piece of +ground. + +Another big ridge, paralleling the 100-fathom curve of Georges Bank at +about 20 miles N. of it, lies SE by S from the buoy on Cashes Ledge, +forty miles to its center; SE by S 110 miles from Portland Lightship; +ESE 92 miles from Cape Ann to its western end, and E. by S. 1/2 S. from +the ship at Boston 100 miles. This ridge also is of somewhat indefinite +area, being perhaps 20 miles long in an ESE by WNW direction by 1 1/2 to +three miles wide. Apparently depths are fairly uniform from 85 to 95 +fathoms, the bottom of the ridge being of coarse black sand and having +blue mud in the deeper area around it. This is said to be a good cod and +cusk ground the year round. + +John Dyers Ridge. This lies 14 miles S. by E. from Toothakers Ridge, 40 +miles S. by E. from Monhegan Island, and 7 miles NE. from Cashes Bank. +It is about 5 miles long by 2 miles wide, lying in an ENE. and WSW. +direction. The water is shoalest on the western edge, where are from 45 +to 50 fathoms over a sharp, pebbly bottom; thence the ground slopes to +the NE. into 75 and 80 fathoms over a hard, gravelly, and muddy bottom, +in all other directions falling off sharply to 90 and 100 fathom +soundings over a muddy bottom. + +This is essentially a cod ground for the entire year, the species being +most abundant from May 1 to November. It is a cusk ground all the year +on the hard bottom of the deeper parts, March and April showing the +largest schools. Hake also are abundant in 70 fathoms and deeper on the +mud in summer and fall. + +Fifty-five Fathom Bunch. West of Cashes Bank is a rocky ridge +extending ENE. and WSW. about 4 miles and having a width of about 1 +mile. This is mainly a cod ground, the seasons for the species being as +on Cashes Bank. + +Fippenies Bank. This consists of two shoals averaging 80 fathoms in +depth with a channel of 90 fathoms between them. These run NE. and SW., +the eastern shoal about 8 miles long by 1 mile wide, the western about +half as large. Fippenies bears E. 1/4 S. from Thacher Island, distant 61 +miles; from Portland Lightship, SE. by S. 1/2 S, 57 miles to the western +point of the northern shoal in 35 fathoms. The bank is nearly 10 miles +long NE. and SW. and averages 4 1/2 miles wide. The bottom is of gravel, +pebbles, and clay, having depths over much of the shoal of about 30 +fathoms but also from 36 to 60 fathoms. It is fished by the shore fleet +in the spring and early summer. The fish and seasons are as on Cashes +Bank. Formerly twice as many haddock were taken here as on Cashes or on +Platts Bank, but this has changed in recent years. Halibut are taken +here in fair numbers in 45 to 55 fathom depths in June, July, and August +on the "black gravel" of the southern and western edge. The "white +gravel" on the north shoal is of little account as a fishing ground, +since it is composed mostly of the shells of dead scallops. + +The Ridge (on the southern part of Fippenies). This is SSE. from the +light-ship at Portland 75 miles and has a bottom of yellow mud and +pebbles and depths of 75 to 95 fathoms. Cod are present here in December +and January; cusk the year around, but most numerous in February and +March; haddock in December and January; hake in September and October. +The length of this bank is from 4 to 5 miles and the width somewhat less +than 2 miles. It lies in an ENE. and WSW. direction. + +Maurice Lubee's Ground. This lies outside of New Ledge (Platts Bank) 47 +miles SSE. from the lightship at Portland. Extending in an ENE. and WSW. +direction, its boundaries are somewhat indefinite. It is perhaps 8 miles +long by 3 miles wide and has depths from 95 to 110 fathoms over a bottom +consisting mostly of mud. + +Cusk are plentiful here in the spring, with a few in the fall. Cod are +taken all the year around, the Spring school being the largest. Hake are +most numerous In the spring and fall months, and haddock are not common +but are most numerous in winter. + +Apparently the abundance of cod on this ground is due to the great +quantity of shrimps and soft-shelled crabs found on the muddy bottom and +on the rocks that compose this ground. There seem to be many of these +deep-water grounds between and about the shoaler grounds, as near +Cashes, Fippenies, and Jeffreys, which apparently serve as fairways over +which the schools of hake, cod, and cusk, move from Georges Bank into +the Gulf of Maine in the spring of the year. + +Harvey Blacks Ridge. This is SE. 1/2 S. from the lightship off +Portland, distant 42 miles, and SE. from New Ledge, distant 8 miles. +From Glovers Rock, off Small Point, Me. this ridge lies SE. by S. 1/2 S. +41 miles. It extends in an ENE. and WSW. direction about 4 miles long by +I mile wide. Depths average 70 to 100 fathoms over a bottom of yellow +clay and gravel. Cod are taken here all the year. Haddock are found in +the deep water in the spring: cusk all the year in deep water, together +with hake in summer, also on the muddy bottom in deep water. Pollock and +other surface-schooling fish are found here in their proper season. + +The Cod Ridge (formerly Outer Harris Ground). This lies NE. from the +Northeast Peak of New Ledge, distant 7 miles. It extends in an ENE. and +WSW. direction, the ground narrowing and the water deepening to the +eastward, the shoal ground having 45 fathoms on a bottom of small +pebbles and fine black gravel and sand, depths increasing in all other +directions to 100 fathoms on the mud and sloping off somewhat steeply, +especially on the southeast side, where the drop is very sharp. The +length of the ground is about 5 miles, the width 1 mile. This is an +all-the-year cod ground, the season of greatest abundance being from May +1 to November. The haddock are usually In their greatest numbers here +from January 1 to April. Apparently no large number of cusk or hake are +taken here on the ridge, perhaps because the water is not deep enough +for the former, except for the small fish, which are of little value to +the fishermen; and the ground is not muddy enough for the latter +species. Both species, however, are found about the edges in the deep +water, the cusk on the sharpest, hardest part of the bottom (perhaps +most common in February and March), the hake, as usual, on the muddy +parts about it. + +Three-Dory Ridge. Outside of New Ledge and about midway between it and +Harvey Blacks Ridge is a small ridge about 3 miles long, running NE. and +SW., and about 1/2 mile wide. This lies SE. by S. from the Portland +Lightship. 38 miles to the shoal of 55 fathoms, which is near its +center. From this the ground slopes away on all sides to 63 and 65 +fathom depths over which area the bottom is made up of sand, gravel, +mud, and rocks. At these lower depths are found "pipes" (clay +cylinders), where the fishing ends abruptly. All about the ridge are +depths of 80 to 100 fathoms on a bottom of mud. This is almost entirely +a cod ground, good from May to August. + +Platt's Bank or New Ledge. This bears E. by N. 1/2 N. from Thacher +Island, from which the shoal portion of the ledge is distant 53 miles. +From Portland Lightship it is 30 miles SSE. to the center of the ground. +The bank is about 12 miles long, NE. and SW.. and about 8 miles wide. +The western shoal, which is of small extent and rocky and which has a +considerable amount of dead shells upon it, is situated near the center, +its depth being 29 fathoms. From this shoal to the Southwest Peak is +about 11 miles SW. by S. Another shoal lies E. 3 miles, having about 30 +fathoms over sand and gravel, which is a good fall ground for haddock. +East-northeast from the western shoal 3 miles brings us to a rocky +ridge, with spots of hard mud and pebbles between, in 65-fathom depth, +which is a fine winter cusk ground, these fish remaining here until +April. Over much of the bank the depths range from 30 to 35 fathoms with +a bottom of rocks and gravel. From the edge of the shoaler area the +bottom slopes gradually to 50 or 60 fathoms, beyond which it drops +suddenly to 80 or 90 fathoms over a muddy bottom. + +This was considered one of the very best fishing grounds for cod and +haddock in the Gulf of Maine, but the haddock catch here has fallen off +recently. Hake also are very abundant during the summer months and often +during October on the muddy bottom near the edge. Inside 100 fathoms, on +a "punkin" bottom of rocks and gravel, near the mud, haddock are found +from December to March. Cod, pollock, and cusk occur from May to +October, the former on the rocky and gravelly portions, the latter on +the deep soundings, with the Northeast Peak the best summer ground. This +is also an especially good fall and winter ground for haddock. Halibut +are often found in 35 fathoms (small fish) from September through +November; also In spring and early summer. This ground is fished by +vessels from Cape Cod, Mass., to Cutler, Me., mainly by trawling, some +hand-lining, but no gill netting of importance as yet. + +Jeffreys Ledge. Jeffreys Ledge may be considered one of the best +fishing grounds in the Gulf of Maine, although of comparatively small +size. It appears to be an extension of the shoal ground that makes off +in an easterly direction from Cape Ann, it is about 20 miles long in a +NE. and SW. direction and about 4 miles wide. Its southern limits is 42 +deg. 54' and its northern limit 43 deg. north latitude; its eastern and +western boundaries may be placed at 69 deg. 58' and 70 deg. 18' west +longitude. The bottom is rocky on the shoaler parts, with gravel and +pebbles on the edges. Depths on the bank are from 27 to 35 fathoms, +falling off to 40 or 50 on the edges. The shoalest water lies from 4 to +5 miles N. by E. from the buoy, where there is 22 fathoms. Ordinarily +there is little or no tide, with an occasional current SW. There are, +however, strong westerly currents with the heavy easterly winds, and +often after a period of mild weather with no strong tides there will +suddenly develop a heavy SW. flow, indicating the approach of a strong +northwester. This seems a general rule in the Gulf of Maine and is, +perhaps, prevalent over much of our North Atlantic coast. + +Jeffreys Ledge bears S. 1/2 W. from the lightship off Portland, 19 miles +to the northern edge and 22 miles S. from the buoy on the Hue and Cry to +the edge of the shoal. + +A small cove makes for a short distance into the western side of +Jeffreys Ledge at about 20 miles from Boon Island in a SE. by S. 1/2 S. +direction. The bottom in the cove is broken and muddy, with depths of +about 60 fathoms. Thence, the ground slopes away to the mouth, where the +edges about the entrance are rocky and have 70 and 75 fathom depths. +These rocky areas are cusk grounds in January, February, and March, +during which months the cove itself usually furnishes good haddock +fishing. Outside these depths the water deepens westward over a muddy +bottom, where are from 80 to 90 and even 100 fathoms of water. Fishing +here is mainly by trawl and gill nets. + +Lying about SE. by S. 1/2 5. from the Isle of Shoals 20 miles, 13 miles S. +by W. from the whistling buoy on Jeffreys, and 43 miles S. by W. from +Cape Elizabeth is a broken piece of bottom having from 75 to 85 fathoms +of water over it, which is a haddock ground from January to April and a +cusk and hake ground all the year. + +A small shoal in the western part of the Cove of Jeffreys, having 50 +fathoms over a bottom of blue clay and rocks and rising from the 60 and +70 fathom soundings about it, is about 1 1/2 miles long by about 3/4 mile +wide. This shoal is SSE. from Boon Island 15 miles. It is a winter +ground for cod and haddock. + +Clay Ridge. At various points about the edges of Jeffreys Ledge are +small detached ridges, which in their season are good fishing grounds. +The present piece of ground lies 26 miles S. by W. from the lightship at +Portland, which course and distance bring us to the northern edge. There +is a 50-fathom shoal of small size upon it, but elsewhere soundings +average from 65 to 70 fathoms over a bottom of hard clay. The length of +the ground is about 4 miles NNE. and SSW., and the breadth about 1 mile. +This furnishes good haddocking in January, February. and March. the +latter month showing the best fishing. + +Jerry Yorks Ridge. This lies just inside and paralleling Jeffreys +Ledge WNW. from its shoal water and about 5 miles distant from the ledge +and about 18 miles SE. by S. 1/2 S. from Cape Porpoise. This ground has +from 45 to 48 fathoms of water on a rocky broken bottom. It is about 5 +miles long, NNE. and SSW., and averages 1 1/2 miles wide. This is a good +cod and haddock ground In the fall and up to January, these fish +returning here in the spring months. + +Howard Nunans Ridge. Of similar nature to the last, this rises 4 miles +inside of and parallel to it, lying 14 miles from Cape Porpoise on the +same bearings (SE. by S. 1/2 S.). This appears to be made up of two +shoals, the northern rising to 50 fathoms of water over a rocky, broken +bottom about 3 miles long by 1 mile wide, deepening southwesterly to a +narrow, muddy gully, where are 80 fathoms, and rising again to 60 +fathoms over rocks and broken ground. The whole ground is about 8 miles +long with average widths of from 1 to 1 1/2 miles. This ground furnishes +good cod fishing and haddocking in the fall and early winter and again +in the spring months. + +Southeast Jeffreys. Off the southeast edge of Jeffreys, about 24 miles +SE. from Boon Island, lies a piece of fishing ground having a hard +bottom of sand, gravel, and rocks, where depths slope away gradually +from the 50-fathom soundings near the main body of the bank to the +90-fathom mark farther out. This area is a good ground for cod and +haddock in the winter and spring and a hake ground in March. This +fishing spot is about 3 or 4 miles square and is bounded on all but the +western side by muddy bottom, which is of little value as a fishing +ground. Usually there is good haddocking in March on the outside of +Jeffreys, on its southeastern edge and in the cove between it and +Tillies in 60 and 70 fathom depths on a broken and muddy bottom. This +spot lies SE 1/2 from the Isle of Shoals, 27 miles to the center. + +Eastern Shoal Water of Cape Ann. This is generally considered a part of +Jeffreys and is often spoken of as West Jeffreys by the fishermen. It +extends In an ENE. direction from Cape Ann for a distance of from 15 to +18 miles. It is, in fact, a southwest continuation of Jeffreys Ledge, +the two forming a nearly continuous ridge running NE. from Cape Ann a +distance of about 42 miles. Depths on the so-called Eastern Shoal Water +vary from 20 to 45 fathoms, the bottom being of rocks, pebbles, and +coarse gravel over most of its extent. Sand and mud occur on the edges. +The eastern part of the ground is resorted to by the haddock fleet +during the fall and early winter, and other parts are visited more or +less during the entire year for cod, haddock, and pollock by vessels and +boats from Cape Ann and by craft of various types from Boston and +Portland-line trawlers, gill-netters, and a few of the new type of small +otter trawlers, this latter fleet of craft constantly growing in number. + +On the ledge cod, haddock, and cusk are taken in the full winter and +spring, winter, perhaps, furnishing the best fishing. There are also +more or less pollock, and hake constitute an important part of the +catch. In those seasons when herring make their appearance in these +waters the seiners make good catches here, mostly of food fish, as the +large herring are termed by the trade. The mackerel, also, appear on +these grounds and on the smaller grounds nearer to shore to northward +and westward in good-sized schools, usually from July 1 through +September. For many years the haddock catch from this bank has been of +considerable importance, and this statement remains true for recent +years as well. + +Formerly this fishery was almost entirely carried on by trawlers and +hand-liners, but the gill-net fishery on these grounds is of great and +steadily growing importance. Of late the larger part of the haddock +catch has been taken by the "otter-trawl" method, this gear being +operated by steamers of considerable size and upon the more distant +grounds, such as Georges Bank, the South Channel, and the Western Bank. +The same change to fishing grounds farther offshore has to a great +extent taken place in the fleet of larger sailing vessels, thus leaving +Jeffreys and other inshore banks to the smaller craft; except that, with +the high prices of haddock and cod in the winter months, it is often +profitable for these larger vessels to run off to near-by banks for one +set and return to port the same day. + +On the inner parts of this ground, particularly, the gill-net fleet +operates extensively, mainly in the full and spring, on northwest +Jeffreys 8 to 12 miles E. and SE. from Thacher Island, where the bottom +is sand and rocks. Other gill-netting grounds are 8 to 15 miles NE. by +E. from Thacher Island in 22 fathoms on a hard bottom of mud and mixed +material of sand and gravel. The Cove of Jeffreys, NE. by E. 12 to 15 +miles from Thacher Island, is a favorite haddock ground in the spring +(April 20 to May 15) in 45 to 70 or even 80 fathoms, although gill nets +are not often fished in more than 50 fathoms because of the, weight of +the nets in the deeper water. In the spring (in April and May), the +haddock come in on Scantum, 10 miles NNE. from Thacher Island between +Jeffreys Ledge and the Isle of Shoals, on a broken bottom of rocks and +blue clay in 55 to 70 fathoms. + +Off Newburyport and N. and SW. of the Isle of Shoals are gill-netting +grounds that are much used. Trawling and netting are carried on, +beginning in 40 fathoms in February and March and working off to 70 +fathoms off Salisbury Bench in May. Cod are on this ground about two +weeks in October and in February and March are found in abundance off +Boars Head. Hake are present here all the fall and are found all along +the southeast side of these grounds in depths of 45 to 60 fathoms. A +certain amount of halibut may be taken in most years at various points +on a bottom of hard gravel in spring and early summer in 35 to 65 +fathoms. In most years a large amount of mackerel is taken on Jeffreys, +notably so in 1925. Herring, also, are usually abundant here in "herring +years". + +The Shoal Ground, stretching easterly from Thacher Island, has depths +from 20 to 30 fathoms over a bottom of sand and gravel. This area is +about 15 miles long by 5 miles wide and is an important pollock ground +in their spawning time as well as a good fall cod-fishing ground. It is +about 12 miles E. by N. from Thacher Island to its center and 21 miles +SE. by S. from the Isle of Shoals. Flounder draggers also operate here +on the shoal ground and all around Thacher Island but mostly to eastward +& southeastward. + +Tillies Bank. [13] This bears E & S from Eastern Point Light just +dropping Thacher Island Light, then 3 miles farther for best fishing: +and E. by S. 1/2 S. from Thacher Island, Cape Ann, from which the shoal on +the center of the ground is distant 18 miles. This is a small rocky spot +with depths of from 25 to 28 fathoms, outside of which the water deepens +to 40 fathoms over a considerable area. The length of the entire ground +is about 10 miles in an E. and W. direction and the width about 5 miles. +At the edge it falls off rapidly to depths of 50 to 60 fathoms before +reaching the mud at still greater depths but an area of shoal water +connects this ground with West Jeffreys. The bottom is rocky and rough +over the greater part of the bank. Tillies was formerly regarded as one +of the best fishing grounds off Cape Ann and is still resorted to for +cod and haddock in the spring and fall; for hake in the spring, summer, +and fall, and for pollock in the spring and fall. The fishing is mainly +by trawling, with the gillnetters operating on the shoal grounds in less +than 50 fathoms. + +Stellwagen Bank also called Middle Bank. This separates Massachusetts +Bay from the open water of the Gulf of Maine and extends from near Cape +Ann nearly to Cape Cod. The center of this ground bears S by E 1/2 E from +Thacher Island and N by W 1/2 W from Highland Light, Cape Cod. The +Southern Part of the Bank is distant 5 1/2 miles from Race Point Cape +Cod, and its northwest prong reaches to within 12 or 15 miles of Eastern +Point Cape Cod. The shoaler portion, with depths from 9 1/2 to 19 +fathoms, is 17 1/2 miles long in a N by W and S by E direction and has a +width of 4 miles. This part is sandy but the eastern slope, in depths of +from 25 to 55 fathoms, consists of coarse sand gravel and pebbles. On +this gravelly slope cod and haddock have been taken plentifully over a +long term of years, the cod in the fall and spring and the haddock in +the winter months. On the southern end of the bank and between this and +Race Point cod abound in fall and winter. The whole bank is also a +mackerel ground when the fish are in these waters, the best in the +season averaging to be from July 15 through September. + +This bank is now mainly an Italian boat ground and is used by small +craft from Boston and Gloucester. Gill-netting here is especially +extensive in November and December, mostly for pollock. Netters operate +about 22 miles SSE. from Eastern Point in 22 to 25 fathoms on a hard +bottom. Good pollock catches are made in 25 to 40 fathoms on the eastern +and southeastern slopes in the latter part of November and early +December. Haddock are here from November 1 to March 1 and from April 20 +to May 15. Cod are present all the year, the largest school occurring +during August, September and October. It is a cusk ground from November +to March in the deeper water. What seems a somewhat unusual occurrence +in these later years was the appearance of a considerable school of +halibut on the northern slope of Stellwagen during the last half of +April 1926, several small craft getting from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds in +their fares. + +Wild Cat Ridge. Very heavy tides sweep over this ground, making it +difficult to haul gear in fishing upon it, whence, it is said, comes the +name. It lies NNE from Highland Light, Cape Cod, 18 miles to its +southern edge; SE 1/2 S from Thacher Island 31 miles; and is about 7 1/2 +miles long in a north and south direction by about 3 1/2 miles wide. The +bottom is hard, of broken shells and sand, and depths are from 45 to 60 +fathoms. There are 100 fathom depths inside of the ground and from 100 +to 110 fathoms outside of it. Apparently, this is an all the year +ground for cod, cusk, and haddock, although but little fished at any +time other than the winter seasons. + + +[Table 3--Outer Fishing Grounds, showing the principle species taken +upon them.] + + +[Footnote 13: There has been some speculation as to the origin of the +somewhat unusual name of this bank. The writer would note that there was +an Edward Tillie in the Company of Captain John Smith when he explored +this region in 1614 and a Tilly (perhaps the same person) who operated a +fishing station at Cape Ann during the years 1624 and 1625.] + + + + +GEORGES AREA + +East side of Cape Cod. The sea bottom off the east side of Cape Cod is +mainly sandy and slopes off gradually from the beach, reaching depths of +30 to 40 fathoms at 5 to 7 miles from land. Below Chatham the slope is +even more gradual. Within these limits good catches of cod are taken +occasionally, and to a less extent the same is true of haddock. Farther +from the shore, in from 40 to 80 fathoms and from a point 8 or 10 miles +off the Highlands of Cape Cod to another point lying 20 miles or more +SSE. from Chatham Lights, is a continuous stretch of excellent haddock +grounds for winter fishing. The deep water off Chatham furnishes +excellent hake fishing in summer and fall. + +This shore furnishes excellent mackerel fishing during most of the +season when these fish are in northern waters. Virtually no gill-netters +operate here, the distance to market being great and the chance of rough +weather and the lack of safe harbor making it dangerous for small craft. +From this stretch of shore (mostly from off Chatham) there were landed +at Boston in the year 1923, 66 fares with a total of 1,797,826 pounds +valued at $76,875. + +Tobins. A name given to a piece of ground about 20 miles square lying +S. by E. from the Highland Light. It runs from about 40 miles to about +60 miles offshore, the depths gradually increasing as the bottom slopes +away evenly from the shore from 75 to 95 fathoms over a bottom of clay, +sand, and pebbles. Cod are taken here in the spring, summer, and fall, +and haddock in February, March, and April. A few hake are taken here in +summer, but, as compared with the grounds off Chatham, this is not to be +considered a hake ground. + +Morris Ledge. This lies eastward of Chatham and is a favorite ground +for certain cod fishermen during spring and early summer. Schooners and +small craft operate here. + +Outer Crab Ledge. The center lies about 14 miles ESE from Chatham +Lights. It extends about 5 or 6 miles in a N. and S. direction and is +about 1 mile wide. Depths run from 19 to 23 fathoms; the bottom is +rocky. The fishing is principally for cod in the fall, winter and +spring. Vessel fishing here is principally in the spring. + +Nantucket Shoals. This stretch of bars and deeper waters between, +roughly triangular in form with its apex at the north, lies along the +western edge of the South Channel, extending S. and SE. from the +southern end of Cape Cod and Nantucket Island. From Monomoy Point to +Rogers Fishing Ground, on the eastern edge of Phelps Bank, it is SSE. 80 +miles. Its width from Southeast Rips to the western edge of New South +Shoal is 40 miles. The area includes a number of "fishing spots" and +shoals, among which the following are the most important: Pollock Rip +Ground, Rose and Crown Shoal, Great Rip, Davis Bank, Fishing Rip, Old +and New South Shoal, and Phelps Bank. + +On and about all these shoals the sail fleet makes good catches, mainly +consisting of cod but with a fair proportion of pollock, also, and in +the deeper water close to them, in spring and summer, a considerable +amount of haddock. An occasional large halibut is taken, and even good +catches have been reported. There were noted in the daily report of the +Boston Fish Bureau between May 15 and August 15, 1920, 10 trips made by +the smaller vessels of the halibut fleet that landed fares of from 2,000 +to 10,000 pounds of this species from this area. Perhaps more would be +taken if the halibut fishery were to be followed here as in other areas. +"Rip fishing," as conducted here, is done "at a drift," moving over the +shoals and, as they move off from them, sailing back to repeat the +process. The fish are taken by hand-lining with "cockle" bait or by +"jigging" the fish with a shiny piece of metal representing a herring or +similar fish, below which are set twin hooks, the fish being struck when +it is felt investigating the lure. This fishery generally is carried on +during May, June, July, and August. In the mackerel and herring seasons +these grounds usually furnish good fishing for these species, the fish +usually striking here from May 15 to July 15. + +Pollock Rip Grounds. These lie between Pollock Rip Lightship and +Shovelful Lightship and extend northward to Pollock Rip Shoal. These +grounds are 3 miles long, E. and W., by 2 miles N. and S. The depths +range from 4 to 12 fathoms. These are fished from Monomoy and in stormy +weather from Chatham instead of going to the Crab Ledge. Late in the +spring and early in the fall the cod move inshore. In winter the cod +leave Pollock Rip for the deeper water. + +Rose and Crown Shoal. This is a small piece of ground 7 miles ESE. +from Sankaty Head. The fishing area lies between the Round Shoal and +Rose and Crown buoys, making a stretch perhaps 6 miles long by 1 1/2 +miles wide. Sometimes good fishing may be had from 6 to 12 mile, from +Great Round Shoal buoy. As elsewhere on and about these shoals, the cod +is the principal species caught, pollock being next in importance, and a +few haddock. + +Nantucket Shoals, Madisons Spot. SSE. 13 miles front Round Shoal buoy, +has 9 fathoms over a smooth hard bottom of sand. It is about 3 miles +long, from SE. to NW. by 1 1/2 miles wide. This is a flounder ground for +the greater part of the year and a good cod ground in October and +November. As is the rule elsewhere in this neighborhood, tides are heavy +over this ground. + +Nantucket Shoal--Great Rip. Lies 13 miles E. by S. 1/2 S. from +Sankaty Head Light. Nantucket. It is 5 miles long from N, to S. and 3 +miles broad. Over this area the depths are from 9 to 18 feet, but the +fishing is done mainly around the edges in 6 to 12 fathoms where the +bottom is gravel and shells covered with sponges and kelp. Here, as on +all these shoals, the greater part of the fishing is done by that method +known as "rip fishing." Cod are taken chiefly by hand-lining in May. +June, July, and August. + +Nantucket Shoals; Davis Bank; Crab Bank. This is an irregular piece of +bottom lying in a generally ENE. and WSW direction at about 20 miles +distance ESE from Sankaty Head. It is perhaps 14 miles long by 5 miles +wide at its broadest. Depths upon it are from 4 to 9 fathoms, with +soundings of 12 to 18 about it, over a bottom of sand and broken shells. + +Nantucket Shoals Fishing Rip is an elongate bank lying 29 miles SE. from +Sankaty Head Light. It is 10 miles long in a NE and SW direction and +Southeast Rip (Nantucket Shoals) lies SE. from Sankaty Head 35 miles. It +has depths from 8 to 10 fathoms over an area about 10 miles long by 2 +miles wide, with from 22 to 30 fathoms over the sandy bottom around it. + +Phelps Bank. This bank lies 38 miles SE, 1/2 S. from Sankaty Head Light +and agrees more or less in size, shape, trend, and character of the +bottom with Fishing Rip. Depths are from 10 to 17 fathoms. On the +southeast edge of this lies Rogers Fishing Ground, with 24 to 40 fathoms +over fine gray sand. It is perhaps mainly a haddock ground. + +Nantucket Shoals (South Shoal). This name is applied to the fishing +ground about Nantucket Lightship, which marks the Old South Shoal and +the New South Shoal, the two making a continuous reef of irregular form +some 10 to 12 miles in length and from 1 to 3 miles wide. The northern +end of this lies about 12 miles S. by E. from Sankaty Head (the Old +South Shoal), and the southern extremity of the New South Shoal reaches +to about 20 miles S. 1/2 E. from the same point. The fishing ground lies +mostly to the S. of these shoals and about the lightship, where otter +trawling is carried on in all directions from the ship except from N. to +NE., where lie the vessels sunk by the German submarine in the late war. +This fishery is also carried on WNW. from the ship for a distance of 40 +miles, even into 7 fathom depths near Muskeget Inlet. + +Elsewhere depths average from 13 to 18 fathoms on the inner parts of the +grounds, whence they slope away gradually from the shore soundings into +50, 80, or even more on the outer edge, where the ground falls away +rapidly into the deeps. For the most part this area has a bottom of +sand, but there are small stretches of coarse gravel, broken shells, +pebbles, and a few muddy spots. + +Within comparatively recent years this ground has been much used by the +otter trawlers, which type of craft has developed a productive fishery +here, which is being operated in steadily increasing volume and takes a +catch that is predominantly of haddock. + +The proportion of cod taken here by these vessels is very small, even +smaller than that from other grounds fished by the otter-trawl method. +Pollock and hake, too, make a small item in the fares from the +neighborhood of the South Shoal. In the average otter-trawl fare haddock +makes up the greater part of the catch because, as a rule, this type of +gear is operated mostly on the smooth, sandy bottom which this species +prefers. The otter-trawl fishery here is at its best from early May +through June, July, and the first halt of August. Few trips are reported +from this ground at other seasons. Perhaps the haddock leaves the shoal +grounds here earlier than when it moves out of the same depths in The +Channel. + +The early fishing for the swordfish generally takes place in this +vicinity, and in normal seasons mackerel are found here in abundance +from May 15 to August, and, as is the custom with this uncertain fish, +it may appear here again in the late fall. + +The Channel. [14] The Channel marks the western edge of Georges Bank. Its +boundaries are somewhat indefinite, but the old Eldridge chart states +that for the fishermen the 30 fathom curve running southerly from Race +Point. Cape Cod, limits its western edge. This ground is much visited by +the Boston fleet, both sail and steam, line trawlers and otter trawlers, +the fleet of Gloucester, and the otter-trawl fleet that has developed in +New York in recent years. This area is all good fishing ground in the +proper season, but perhaps the most important is that part lying 25 +miles E. 1/2 S. from Sankaty Head, Nantucket. Here is a level, sandy +bottom, where, during May, June, July, and August, the otter trawlers +operate successfully in 18 to 30 fathoms of water, making a catch that +consists principally of haddock, with a considerable proportion of cod, +especially in June and July, and with a fair amount also of pollock, +cusk, and hake. Small halibut are fairly abundant here, also, these fish +being of from 5 to R pounds, rarely larger. Flounders are abundant, with +a good number of "lemon soles" and "gray soles," which are very popular +with the trade. + +The sail fleet operates here also, but, as a rule, more of these vessels +are found on the ground lying some 10 miles farther eastward, on the +edge of Georges in somewhat deeper water (30 to 50 fathoms) on a rougher +and rockier bottom, where there is a greater proportion of cod in the +catch than on the western area. + +The Sankaty Head ground is about 20 miles long by about 8 miles wide, +stretching from 55 miles SE. from Highland Light to 78 miles SE. by S +1/2 S. from the same point (the bottom of the Channel), and is bounded +on all sides by pieces of bottom less favorable to the operation of the +otter trawl because of the presence of rocks, sponges, or other +obstacles, which interfere with the free passage of the net over the +bottom but offer less trouble to the line-trawl fishermen. A good spring +haddock ground lies ESE. 65 miles from the Highlands in 70 fathoms. +best in March and April. As the cold weather advances the fish move away +in great part from these grounds, going into the deeper water, the +catches of the fall and winter months being taken mainly In depths of +from 60 to 100 fathoms. At this season and in these depths the vicinity +of the Corner of the Channel, Clarks Side. and the area N and W of the +Cultivator usually have a good winter school of haddock. This has been +particularly large during the past three year. (1923 to 1925). Thus, it +may be seen that the Channel is an important ground during most of the +year. + +The figures of the catch from Clarks Bank have been shown together with +those of Georges Bank. of which, in fact, this area is a part. + +The larger part of the sail fleet is found fishing on the grounds of +the eastern side of the Channel and of the western edge of Georges +Bank, in part to escape the damage that the otter trawlers cause to them +in dragging away their gear. It is often impossible for these steamers +to avoid some damage of this kind: especially is this the case in the +thick weather so prevalent oil Georges. In the summer months of the +"mackerel years" a large catch of this species is taken from the waters +of the Channel. + +St. Georges Bank, more generally known as Georges Bank. [15] This is by +far the largest and most important fishing ground near the coast of the +United States and is second to none in the western Atlantic except the +Grand Bank of Newfoundland. It lies eastward of Cape Cod and Nantucket +Shoals and is apparently an extension of the latter, since the water is +no deeper between the southern part of the shoals and the western part +of the bank than in many places upon it. Its southern limit, as shown on +the chart, is 40 deg. 40' north latitude, though the 50-fathom line +extends 7 miles farther south. The southern limit, therefore, may be +considered to be about 40 deg. 30' and the northern as 42 deg. 08' north +latitude. The eastern part is in about 66 deg. and the western in about +69 deg. west longitude. The greatest length from the northeastern to the +southwestern extremity is about 150 miles; the greatest width, N. and +S., about 98 miles, according to the charts of the Coast Survey. + +Depths range from 2 to 50 fathoms. On the western part, between the +parallels of 41 deg. 10' and 41 deg. 53' north latitude and the +meridians of 87 deg. 20' and 68 deg. 37' west longitude are a number of +shoals, known as the East Shoal, North Shoal, Southwest Shoal. +Cultivator, etc. The Southwest Shoal is the largest, being 15 miles long +SSW and NNE., with an average width of 2 1/2 miles. The position of the +center of this shoal is 41 deg. 39' north latitude and 67 deg. 48' west +longitude. There are from 2 to 15 fathoms of water on the shoals and +between them are depths of from 12 to 30 fathoms. The tide sweeps over +these with great force, causing strong rips, and during rough weather +the sea breaks heavily on them, rendering approach to their vicinity +extremely hazardous. + +Over most of the bank the bottom is sand, although patches of rough +ground (gravel, pebbles, and rocks) of greater or less extent are found +in some localities. Its position between the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf +Stream cause the tide to run swifter than on other banks and to swirl +around instead of passing directly over, back and forth. The writer has +seen two men have difficulty in holding an empty dory against the +current. + +The Report on the Fishery Industry of the United States, in 1887, says +that the first attempt at fishing here (of which there is any record) +was made in 1821 by three Gloucester vessels. The cod and halibut +industry, according to the same authority, began in 1830, although not +fully established as a permanent industry until 1835. + +The area of the whole bank is approximately 8,050 square miles, all of +which, except for the shoals, is available in summer for the taking of +cod, haddock, cusk, halibut, and hake, with a considerable amount of +mackereling and swordfishing, as well as the taking of other species. + +During February, March, and April large schools of cod make their +appearance on the bank. At this season these are found most abundantly +on the "Winter Fishing Ground"; a part of Georges lying eastward and +southeastward of the North Shoal between the parallels of 41 deg. 30' +and 42 deg. 00' north latitude and 66 deg. 38' and 67 deg. 30' west +longitude. The area of this Winter Fishing Ground is about 1,100 square +miles. This part of the bank seems entirely given over to the codfish, +since it is too broken, sharp, and rocky to please the haddock. Depths +here are from 30 to 40 fathoms, deepening away from the North Shoal. +This area is essentially a spawning ground for the cod, which appear to +come on the hank from the SE., as they almost invariably, after reaching +the ground, move slowly to the N. and W. as spring approaches. This is +in the direction of the shoals. As soon as the spawning season is over +the schools of cod break up, but more or less fish are caught on +different parts of the ground at all times of the year, though rarely +are they found so plentiful as when the winter school is on the ground. +Cod are found along the Northern Edge virtually the year around, though +many of the winter school move on to the inner waters of the gulf and +others go over to Browns Bank, where the early comers seem to appear in +the first days of April. + +In its production Georges Bank itself is rather evenly divided between +haddock and cod, the cod showing a slightly larger proportion. The South +Channel, on the western edge of Georges, shows predominantly as a +haddock ground, and the haddock from The Channel is considered a better +fish than that from Georges. Georges Bank itself is also an important +haddock ground in the spring and early summer, when this species abounds +about the Cultivator Shoal (SE. by S. 88 miles from Highland Light. Cape +Cod) in depths from 18 to 30 fathoms; and at the same season along the +Northern Edge (140 to 200 miles E. by S. 1/2 S. from Boston Lightship in +about 41 deg. to 42 deg. N. lat. and 66 deg. to 88 deg. W. long.) in 45 +to 80 fathoms in summer, the fish moving off into the deeper water (90 +to 100 fathoms) in the neighborhood of the Corner of the Channel as the +winter comes on. Many are found in March, when they return from the deep +water, when fishing is carried on 65 miles SE. from Highland in 70 +fathoms; then they come into the 40-fathom depths from the North Shoal +westward to the Corner of The Channel along the Northern Edge. In April +the Cultivator Cove is good ground even into 20-fathom depths. + +The Southwest Part. (120 miles SSE. from Highland Light, Cape Cod, +with 45 to 80 fathom depths) is a good ground for haddock from the +beginning of the fall up to about Christmas, after which the best winter +fishing for this species is found on the Southeast Part (reached by +steaming 145 miles ESE. from Boston Lightship in order to clear the +shoals, then SSE. 40 to 50 miles, depending upon what part of the ground +it is desired to fish). January is perhaps the best fishing month upon +this portion of Georges. + +While not considered a halibut ground, as compared with some of the +other offshore banks, Georges can show a very considerable catch of this +species. Because of its nearness to the markets it is more intensely +fished than any other ground of equal area and by a far greater variety +of crafts, most of which take a greater or less amount of halibut. The +otter-trawl fleet, both here and in The Channel, takes a large amount of +this species when its total catch is considered; and these fish are +mainly small, of from 4 to 10 pounds in weight, with only rarely a +larger one. The salt fishers, also, and the rest of the market fleet +combine to make an imposing total of the poundage of halibut from +Georges and its vicinity. The Georges halibut is esteemed by the trade +above the halibut from other grounds. Perhaps its flesh may be superior, +though for what reason it is difficult to say, unless because, since the +trips to this ground average fewer days in length, the fish are received +in the markets in a fresher condition than are those from more distant +banks. + +The principal halibut grounds on Georges for the spring and summer +months (April to July) lie between the Cultivator Shoal and the North +Shoal in depths from 10 to 18 fathoms, and E., S., and SW. from the +North Shoal in the same soundings. This area is sometimes called Little +Georges. There are also a number of mussel grounds on the southwest part +of Georges, having depths averaging 20 fathoms, all of which furnish +good feeding grounds and a substantial catch of halibut in the seasons +when these fish are in the shoal water. + +During July and August the halibut are found along the Northern Edge, +over a stretch of ground about 65 miles long in 60 to 100 fathoms; and +from this time until the hard weather of the winter begins the fishing +goes on about the Northeast Peak (about 42 deg. 00' N. and 66 deg. 00' +W.) over the narrow area on the edge of the suddenly deepening water, +beginning in from 60 to 70 fathoms, then out to 200 and even 300 +fathoms. The winter fishing on Georges is very difficult and somewhat +hazardous, so that the halibut fishery in these waters is rarely carried +on or, at best, by very few vessels after November or before March. + +Mackerel are usually quite abundant on Georges in their season, +generally being large or medium fish. Herring also are found there in +good number but are somewhat distant from market as fresh fish. + + +[Table 4--Fishing grounds of the Georges Area, showing the principal +species taken upon them.] + + +By far the largest percentage of the swordfish catch landed in the ports +of Boston, Gloucester, and Portland comes from Georges Bank. A +considerable portion of the fish listed from this ground under the +heading "Miscellaneous" is made up of this species. + +The swordfish arrive on Georges on the Southwest Part and on the +Southern Edge about June 5, and the traveling schools pass over the +bank, northward bound, up to August 10. In fact, all through the season +when they are present in northern waters, even up to November, they may +be found on Georges. Probably the best area of the bank for this species +is on the parallel of 41 deg. N., where the shoal rises steeply out of +"blue water." + + +[Footnote 14: Capt. John Smith wrote of this region: "Toward the South +and Southwest of this Cape (Cape Cod) is found a long and dangerous +shoal of sands and rocks. But so far as I incircled it, I found thirtie +fadom water aboard the shore, and a strong current; which makes mee +thinke there is a Channell about the shoales; where is the best and +greatest fish to be had, Winter and Summer in all that Countree. But the +Savages say there is no Channell; but that the shoales begin from the +main at Pawmet, to the Ile of Nausit; and so extends beyond their +knowledge into the sea." That the captain's reputation for far-visioned +wisdom may not be held too lightly, let these figures speak, taken as +they are from the bureau's records of the landings at the three ports of +Boston, Gloucester. and Portland for the year 1927, when the fares from +his "Channell" numbered 2,036, with a poundage of 121,688,693 and a +value of $3,607,358.] + +[Footnote 15. "The earliest record of this name (Saint Georges Shoal) +that the writer has found appears upon a map discovered in the library +of Simancas, in Spain, where a chart said to have been made by a +surveyor sent out to Virginia by James I of England, in 1610, was found +in 1885 or 1888, after having long before disappeared from England. This +chart is thought to embody, besides the work of Champlain and other +foreigners, the information contained in the English charts of White, +Gosnold, Pring, and probably of Waymouth's Perfect Geographical Map. It +is thought to have been drawn by Robert Tyndall or Captain Powell." +_Genesis of the United States_. Alexander Brown.] + + + + +OFFSHORE BANKS + +Browns Bank. This bank lies in a northeastern direction from Georges and +is separated from it by a gully 15 miles wide, in which the depths range +from 100 to 450 fathoms. Its area is about 2,275 square miles. The +greatest length, from SE to NW, is 63 miles and the greatest width +is 43 miles. It is situated between 64 deg. 52" and 68 deg. 29" west +longitude, and 41 deg. 50" and 43 deg. 02" north latitude. There is a +small rocky shoal on the northern part, on which, it is said, there is +not 9 to 15 fathoms. The bank slopes away from the shoal, S. and E. to +depths of 55 to 75 fathoms, but at a distance of 12 or 15 miles off, it +again rises to 30 to 50 fathoms. This area of shoal water, within the 50 +fathom limit, is 50 miles long and has an average width of 15 miles. +North of the shoal the water deepens suddenly to 70 and 80 fathoms. The +bottom is largely coarse sand, gravel, pebbles, and rocks and is rich in +animal life. The area of the bank is approximately 1,370 square +geographical miles. + +Tides here are quite as strong as on the eastern side of Georges Bank, +the ebb having an average strength of 1 1/3 miles an hour and the flood +is somewhat stronger. The greatest strength of the flood tide sets W. +the ebb in nearly an opposite direction. + +Haddock, cod, cusk, halibut, pollock and hake are the principal food +fishes procured from this bank, ranking in volume in the order named. In +value, however, halibut takes third place in the list. Cod are plentiful +here in winter, though fewer vessels fish here than on Georges Bank, at +that season. At other seasons the codfishery on Browns Bank compares +favorably with that of other banks in the vicinity. Cod are present the +year around, in May and June feeding in depths of about 40 fathoms, +going into 80 fathoms in August, and into depths of about 100 fathoms in +cold weather. + +Haddock, also, are present all the year, the period of greatest +abundance being usually January and February. In March and April they +are most abundant in 27 to 30 fathoms; at other seasons they are in 50 +fathoms and deeper, especially in winter, when generally they can be +found in 80 to 100 fathoms. Cusk are present in the deep water all the +year. + +Older reports say (1880-81): "Halibut were formerly found here in +abundance, but at present the fishery is limited to an occasional trip +off the southern and western edge." It will be noted that a fair amount +of halibut was taken here during 1923, when this bank ranked third in +volume of halibut taken, which seems a good showing when the +comparatively small size of the ground is considered. Fairly good +catches have been made SW from the Northwest Peak of Browns, about 66 deg. +50' west longitude and 42 deg. 40' north latitude, along the 100-fathom +curve and following eastward to the southward of La Have and beyond, +perhaps to 63 deg. west longitude. The Southeast Peak is perhaps the most +productive of the halibut grounds here, "setting" off from the shoaler +parts into the narrow deep-water channel between this and Georges +perhaps 20 miles distant. + +A considerable part of the fish listed under the heading "Miscellaneous" + are swordfish, which come upon this bank during their summer +wanderings. + +It will be noted that the number of otter-trawl fares from this ground +is small. It is only in recent years that this method of fishing has +been employed here, the bottom having been thought to be too rough for +the successful operation of gear of this type upon it. + +Seal Island Ground. This is called also on the charts in its northwest +part, the German Bank and lies off the western part of Nova Scotia. Very +few charts show it, as it is somewhat difficult to define its exact +limits. It is a direct continuation of the shore soundings, which slope +gradually from the land to the S. and W. and continue in a northerly +direction beyond what might be considered the bounds of the grounds. To +the S. it extends nearly to Browns Bank, from which it is separated by a +narrow gully 70 to 80 fathoms deep. To the N. it reaches 38 miles beyond +Seal Island and to the NW. about 35 miles from the same island. The +southern limit of the ground is in 43 deg. and the northern 43 deg. 45' +north latitude, while the western boundary may be placed at 66 deg. 40' +west longitude. The entire ground outside the 3 mile limit covers an +area of 1,250 miles. + +There is a small shoal called Pollock Rip, with a depth of 7 fathoms, +bearing SW from Seal Island, distant 9 1/2 miles; but otherwise the ground +slopes quite gradually, the depths being from 15 to 70 fathoms. The +bottom is mainly coarse gravel and pebbles with occasional rocky spots +of greater or less extent. The tides sweep over this ground with +considerable force out from and in toward the Bay of Fundy. the flood +running strongest. + +In general, the species of fish found here and the seasons of their +greatest abundance are much as on Browns Bank. The principal fishes +taken are haddock, cod, cusk, halibut, and hake, and a very small amount +of pollock. Except for the haddocking, the best fishing season is from +March to October. Halibut are said to have been very plenty here in the +past but are said to have been comparatively rare in recent years, +although occasional good fares are brought from these grounds, perhaps +more commonly in the spring and early summer and a few at other seasons. +In April they are found most commonly in 80 fathom depths; in May in 30 +to 40 fathoms, in June the best halibuting is had in 25-fathom depths or +even in shoaler water. (The halibut catch shown for the year chosen +(1927) is unusually small, most years yielding a fair amount of this +species from this ground. Apparently no member of the American halibut +fleet visited this ground for the year.) + +Cod are present here the year around, perhaps the best fishing taking +place in May and June, when the fish are found in about 40 fathoms They +go into deeper water, about 60 fathoms, in August and into 100 fathoms as +the cold weather advances. This Seal Island ground may be considered +essentially as a feeding ground for the cod, which seem to appear here +after the spawning season is over, to fatten upon the crabs and mollusks +living on the bottom and on the herring and other small fish that swim +back and forth In the tide rips. + +Haddock are also present all the year, the schools being most abundant +and the number greatest in January and February, when the fish are in +about 50 to 60 fathoms. Apparently they come into depths of from 27 to +30 fathoms in March and April for spawning. + +Cusk are present here during most of the year in 80 fathoms on the hard +bottom. Pollock are few on this ground at any time of the year. This +species, together with herring and mackerel, are abundant on the "shore +soundings" of Seal Island Ground, whence, following the abundant food +furnished by the smaller fish, they range a short distance in to the Bay +of Fundy. Many mackerel are taken in the traps in the vicinity of +Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, which seems to mark the limit of their +penetration in any considerable schools on the western shore of Nova +Scotia. + +What is apparently a gradually deepening extension of Seal Island Ground +is found about 65 miles SSE. from Mount Desert Rock and 60 miles W. from +Seal Island. There seems to be no distinguishing name for this area. + +The depths here are from 70 to 100 fathoms over a broken bottom of mud, +gravel, and in places fine sand. The ground falls off rapidly on all +sides except toward Seal Island and the Nova Scotia coast, leaving an +area at its end of somewhat indeterminate length, perhaps 18 or 20, +miles, and having a distance across of about 8 miles at its widest part. + +Apparently there is no reason why this should not be an all-the-year +fishing ground, but it seems not to be visited much in the winter. It +furnishes, however, a very good summer handline fishery for cod at +dogfish time, and in the spring months it abounds in cod, cusk, and +hake, all fish of large size. + +Roseway Bank. This bank lies N. of the western part of La Have and SE. +of Shelbourne Light, Nova Scotia: 31 miles SSE. from the whistling buoy +off Lockport, Nova Scotia, to the southeastern edge. It is oblong in +shape and of small extent--about 270 square geographical miles. Its +greatest length is 21 miles and its greatest breadth 15 miles. It +extends from 43 deg. 12' to 43 deg. 33' north latitude, and from 64 deg. +25' to 64 deg. 52' west longitude and at the northwest corner is +connected with the shore limit of 60 fathoms by a narrow neck. Depths +are from 33 to 48 fathoms. The bottom is of sand, gravel, and rocks; on +the Northeast Peak the bottom is of yellow mud and gravel. + +Currents in this region are not nearly so strong as about Cape Sable and +Browns Bank, their general direction being WSW. and ENE the westerly +much the stronger, though the force and direction of both are much +influenced by the winds. + +The principal fish taken here are cod, haddock, and cusk, but hake, +pollock and halibut occur, the best fishing months being from May to +October, when the bank is resorted to by craft from western Nova Scotia. +A few New England craft also fish here. + +La Have Bank. Situated eastward of Browns Bank and S. and E. of +Roseway Bank. It extends from 42 deg. 34' to 43 deg. 26' north latitude a +distance of 52 miles, and from 63 deg. 50' to 65 deg. 07' west longitude a +distance of about 54 miles. The bank is nearly divided into two +portions, of which the eastern (La Have Bank proper) extends N and S. 39 +miles and the western portion nearly E. and W. about 35 miles. The total +area of the bank is about 1,200 miles. + +The bottom is largely coarse gravel, pebbles, and rock, with smaller +areas of sand distributed here and there. Depths run from 40 to 50 +fathoms. The general set of the currents is to the westward, but this is +much influenced by the force and direction of the wind and is generally +quite strong during easterly blows. + +The principal fishing upon this bank in the past has been for cod and +haddock: and while former reports, (1881) speak of this as having once +been a favorite fishing ground for halibut and state that it was not at +time of much importance in that fishery, the figures for this ground for +the year 1923 show the halibut catch to have been third in volume and +first in value of the species taken there. In fact, the catch of halibut +here makes quite an imposing figure when the comparatively small size of +the ground is considered. + +Little La Have and the La Have Ridges are simply continuations of this +back toward the Western Bank for a distance of about 45 miles. This +places the eastern limit in about 62 deg. 50' west longitude, the northern +and southern boundaries being about as those of La Have Bank. The area +of the ridges is about 1,575 miles. The bottom here is a succession of +ridges of pebbles and gravel with occasional patches of rocks. Depths +are from 53 to 80 fathoms. The current, occasionally strong, is weaker +here than farther W. on the bank and, except during easterly winds, is +but little noticed. The general set is westerly. + +"The Ridges" says the report before mentioned, "were for a number of +years one of the favorite resorts for halibut catchers in winter, and +many good catches of cod were taken here at that season. At present but +few halibut are caught except in the deep water along the southern edge +of the ground, where they sometimes have been found quite plentiful +during nearly the entire year." Apparently there has not been much +change in these conditions since the writer's time; fish seem to be +present here In about the same quantities as in former years. + +One piece of bottom, having depths of 25 to 50 fathoms over red clay, +lying approximately in 43 deg. 08' to 43 deg. 10' north latitude and +about 81 deg. to 83 deg. west longitude, seems a good spring and early +summer ground. Apparently red-clay bottom indicates a good halibut +ground, as this species is usually present where such a bottom is found. + +Hake are found in good numbers in the deep water about the edges of the +ground and even on the Ridges. + +These waters are quite heavily fished from Canadian ports, and a fair +number of American vessels visit them each year, most of them hailing +from Boston or Gloucester. + +Scandinavian Bank. Eighteen miles SSW. from Shelbourne Light. Nova +Scotia. It is about 3 miles long in an E. and W. direction by about 1/2 +mile wide. In general, the bottom is level, with depths from 50 to 70 +fathoms; the shoal parts are sharp and rocky, the bottom over the deeper +portions being composed mostly of small black and yellow pebbles. + +This is a summer halibut ground (July and August) in depths from 45 to +60 fathoms, and halibut occur in October in the deeper waters about it. +It is also a fair summer cod ground, and cusk are present in the deep +water about the edges during most of the year. In general, species and +seasons are much as on Roseway. + +Western Bank. This is one of the most important fishing grounds of the +western Atlantic, whether as regards size or the abundance of its +product. It lies S. of Cape Breton Island and the eastern part of Nova +Scotia between the parallels of 42 deg. 55' and 44 deg. 46' north +latitude and the meridians of 59 deg.04' and 62 deg. 35' west longitude. +It has a length of 156 miles and a width, including the Middle Ground, +of 76 miles. It is about 420 miles E. 1/2 S. from Boston to the +southwestern edge, which means about 48 hours' steaming for the +otter-trawl fleet. + +The general contour of the bank within the 65-fathom line, as laid down +on the Admiralty chart, approaches somewhat a very elongated ellipse, +the longer axis running NE. by E. and SW. by W.; but over a broad area +to eastward of the center of the bank, soundings of less than 50 fathoms +connect it directly with the Middle Ground, which we have here included +in the some bank. The total extent of the bank thus defined is about +7,000 square geographical miles. Off its eastern end lies Banquereau +(the Quereau of the fishermen) with The Gully between, and a short +distance of the western edge are the La Have Ridges. + +The depths off the southern edge of the bank increase rapidly from 80 to +700, 1,200, and even 1,400 fathoms. At the eastern end is Sable Island, +[16] "graveyard of ships", a long, narrow, crescent-shaped elevation +seemingly lessening in area each year, formed entirely of sand that has +been blown Into innumerable hummocks and dunes. Off both ends of the +island are long and dangerous sand bars. The length of the island is 20 +miles; its greatest width is about 1 1/2 miles. It is said that the +Northwest Light has been moved three times due to the fact that the +western end of the island has been literally blown away. It lies in an +E. and W. direction, and the depth of water over the bars for a distance +of 7 to 10 miles out does not exceed 2 fathoms, and even 10 miles +farther out the depths do not exceed 10 to 11 fathoms. Within recent +years fishermen have reported the appearance of a sand shoal about 5 or +6 miles SE. from the Northeast Light. This is said to appear at low +water. + +In general, the bank slopes S. and W. from the island, depths ranging +from 18 to 60 fathoms. The bottom is mostly sandy with patches of gravel +and pebbles. Currents are sometimes very strong about Sable Island and +are somewhat irregular; apparently they are much influenced by the +winds. On the other parts of the bank usually there is but little +current, whatever there is usually tending toward the west. + +Formerly the cod and halibut were the food fishes most taken here, but +with the changed methods in the fishery (as the growth of the +otter-trawl fleet) and a changed taste in our public the haddock catch +has become the second most important in the receipts of fish from these +waters. The halibut fishery stands third in the list. Other bottom +feeders occur in less numbers, the pollock and the cusk perhaps being +next in order of importance, with hake and a considerable amount of the +various flatfishes in the otter trawls. These latter are marketed as +sole. + +Noting the small amount of haddock in the fares taken from these waters +in former years, the writer asked a number of old-time fishermen as to +its abundance in the old days. The reply was usually "Oh, yes, there +were always haddock there; sometimes they bothered us a lot." Then, +noting my surprise at so putting it, "You know, the haddock isn't much +as a salt fish." + +It will be noted that in 1923 the haddock catch here was a very good +second to the cod catch in poundage, though not so valuable +proportionately. In the otter-trawl catch from this ground it will be +noted that the positions of the two species are reversed. As a rule, +these steamers certainly take more than 2 pounds of haddock to 1 of cod +on other offshore grounds--perhaps the result of operating in the +shoaler waters and on the smoother bottom because of the difficulty of +dragging over the rocky and kelp-covered ground, which the cod seems to +prefer. But the bottom on the Western Bank is of such nature as to offer +little obstruction to the passage of the net, so that virtually all +parts of it may be fished by this method; and this, added to the known +movements of the cod schools makes it possible at certain seasons of the +year to catch a larger proportion of this species if it is so desired. + +Haddock are found about the bars at both ends of the island in March and +from that time to about June 1 in from 15 to 22 fathoms. They are also +abundant 18 miles W. from the Northwest Light at the same seasons and +at the same depths. During April, May, and June they come in close to +the island in from 10 to 17 fathoms--even to 1 fathom. Through the +rest of the year (except for the colder months, when they have moved off +into deeper water) they may be found all over the bank on sandy bottom +in 28 to 30 fathoms, where most of the beam trawl fishing is carried on. + +There is a good cod school each year on the comparatively level bottom +along the western and southwestern edges of the ground in 70 fathoms and +more from February 1 to May 1, and in most years a certain amount of +this species is taken on this area. In May this school seems to have +moved on to a piece of bottom about 20 miles long lying SW. from the +Northwest Light and having depths averaging 27 fathoms. With fair +fishing for cod on the Western Bank during most of the year, they seem +to be most abundant from the first of March to June. The winter school +here appears to be smaller than that on Georges, but apparently this +species visits this ground in considerable numbers during the spawning +season. In winter the cod are mainly found upon the western part of the +bank, moving into the shoaler waters toward Sable Island as the spring +advances (during March and April), the "Bend" of the island and the +neighborhood of the bars in 2 to 4 fathoms, where they can be seen +taking the hook or can be "jigged." being favorite grounds. The ground +lying W. from the Northwest Light, on and about the Northwest Bar (18 +miles W, from the light), is a favorite cod ground in May and June. The +shoal water over the rocky bottom WNW from the Northwest Light furnishes +good cod fishing from June 10 to July 1. This piece begins just outside +the 3-mile stretch of breakers running out from the land and extends +offshore in a generally westerly direction to 24 fathoms. Much +hand-lining is done here. + +In the shoal water, in April and May, the fish seem to be feeding on the +"lant," (Ammodytes americanus). It is said that the fish taken on the +bottom close to the island are smaller than those found farther west. +The shoal water of the northern shore of the island is said to have good +cod grounds and favorite spots for "dory hand-lining." The cod schools +seem to arrive on the Northern Peak (SE. from the Northeast Light 40 +miles to SE 1/2 S. from same point 28 miles) in late March and the first +of April, moving N. and W. to the island. The cod of Sable Island are +said to be fine, firm fish, perhaps due to the abundance of the "red +clams" (bank clams) on these grounds. + +The cod and haddock fishery is carried on by American and Canadian +sailing vessels and otter trawlers, an increasing number of English and +French vessels of the latter class engaging in the fishery of this +ground each year. + +Halibut are found on the Western Bank virtually all the year at depths +varying with the seasons. As a halibut bank, this, with The Gully and +Quereau--in fact, all one piece of ground--ranks second only to the Grand +Bank Itself. The best fishing here for halibut is found from January to +October. There are numerous places on and about the bank that the +halibut seems to prefer, as the Peak of Pike, 85 miles W. by S. from the +Northwest Light of Sable Island; S. and SW. of Sable Island from 12 to +38 miles; SW. 20 miles in 60 fathoms in May; thence out into 100 and 150 +fathoms in June; in fact, following the 100--fathom curve along the +edge of this bank, past the Northeast Peak (40 miles SE. from the +Northeast Light), into the Gully and around the Southern Prong of +Quereau to the Middle Prong. Apparently they leave this piece of bottom +in July. Often the fish are close to the island in the spring, where the +water is so shoal that they can be seen taking the bait or playing with +the hook before taking. In April, May, and June a good halibut ground is +in 18 fathoms 24 miles WNW. from Sable Island. + +The Western Bank seems to be a good feeding ground for both cod and +halibut as it abounds in shellfish and crustaceans, and at certain +periods there are many smaller species of fish upon it, such as the lant +and herring, on which these species and the haddock, also, especially +prey. A considerable amount of swordfish is taken here in August and +September, mainly by American vessels. + +Banquereau. Separated from the Western Bank by The Gully, this has a +very irregular form--the main bank roughly rectangular, with a narrow +westerly extension of comparatively regular form. Its length, E. and W., +is about 120 miles, its greatest width about 47 miles, and its total +area about 2,800 miles. + +The main portion of the bank lies between 44 deg. 04' and 45 deg. 01' north +latitude and 67 deg. 10' and 59 deg. 00' west longitude, and the western +prolongation lies between 44 deg. 24' and 44 deg. 42' north latitude and +69 deg. 00' and 80 deg. 05' west longitude. North of Banquereau lies +Artimon, distant 3 miles, and Misaine, distant from 2 to 15 miles +according to the places from which measurements are taken. The currents +here are of varying force, much influenced by the wind, so that several +days of strong tides may be followed by intervals when there is little +if any current. + +On the eastern part of Quereau is an area of shoal ground called the +Rocky Bottom, having a depth of about 18 fathoms; elsewhere depths run +from 18 to 50 fathoms. For the most part the bottom is rocky, but there +are scattered patches of sand and gravel. + +Cod and halibut are the principal food fishes taken, hake, haddock, and +cusk being taken in small numbers. The Rocky Bottom, a shoal ground of +20 to 25 fathom depths on the eastern part, was much resorted to by dory +handliners in summer. The cod are most plentiful on the eastern part of +the bank, though occasional good fares are taken toward the west. The +best cod fishing on this bank is from May until September, when the +schools gather to feed upon the lant, squid, crustaceans, and shellfish, +then very abundant. + +Halibut are found here all the year off the edges in 100 to 400 fathoms. +Apparently these are feeding and breeding grounds for this species, and +it is not unusual for a school to remain for weeks and even months in +one locality, though some of these may be fish in migration northward. + +The principal halibut grounds are along the southern and eastern borders +of the bank--the Southwest Prong and the Southwest Cove (in about 44 +deg. N. lat. and between 58 deg. 30' and 58 deg. 55' W. long), the +Middle Prong (44 deg. 14' N. lat. and 58 deg. W. long.), and the Eastern +Slope (44 deg. 28' to 45 deg. 00' N. lat.)--in depths of 150 to 400 +fathoms. These deep-water areas are rocky and support a very rich growth +of gorgonians, corals, sea anemones, etc. The Eastern Slope has an +abundance of bank clams in depths of 25 fathoms. These beds are good +hand-line grounds for cod. The halibut, too, feeds to a considerable +extent upon these red clams. + +The Stone Fence off the eastern slope of Quereau is a very rocky piece +of ground full of "trees" (corals) in 250 fathoms. This is a good +halibut ground although it is almost impossible to haul the gear by hand +and the use of the "gurdy" (a roller turned by a crank and fastened to +the dory's bow for winding up the trawl) becomes necessary. Occasional +fares of halibut are taken on and about the Rocky Bottom in 20 to 25 +fathoms from July 1 to August 1. + +The Gully. This is the deep waterway between Banquereau and Sable +Island or Western Bank. It extends in an WNW. and an ESE. direction +north of Sable Island, turning somewhat abruptly S. at its eastern end +and continuing down between the eastern end of Western Bank and the +Southwest Prong of Banquereau. The entire length is about 80 miles, the +greatest width about 20 miles. Depths range from 68 to 145 fathoms over +a bottom of rocks, gravel, sand, and mud. The rocky and gravelly +portions form several ridges separated by areas of finer materials, +except in the eastern section, where the intervals between are mostly +covered by pebbles and sharp rocks. Ocean currents are generally +westerly, of varying strength, much affected by the easterly winds. + +The Gully is a very important halibut ground. The halibut are not found +in great numbers all over the ground, perhaps the best of the fishing +being on the rocky and gravelly ridges and slopes included between the +meridians of 69 deg. and 80 deg. west longitude. This rocky bottom is +rich in food, and the lant and herring are usually plentiful here in +their season. In the spring the halibut seem to be especially numerous +in the northern and northwestern parts of the bank, later, in June and +July, moving farther out. Some, are found here in winter. While the cod +is sometimes found in The Gully in 60 to 90 fathoms, it does not seem to +be of regular occurrence; and apparently there are almost no haddock +here, probably because of the depth of the water and the nature of the +bottom. + +Artimon Bank. Has an area of some 120 square miles with a bottom of +gravel and rocks and depths of 38 to 50 fathoms. It is but little known +because of the tendency of the fishermen to use the larger grounds close +at hand. Cod are known to be present here, however. The bank lies N. of +the eastern part of Quereau, separated from it by a narrow, deep-water +channel. + +Misaine Bank. Lies N. of the western two-thirds of Quereau, at one +place very near, but in general the banks are separated by some 20 miles +of deep water. Its greatest length is 80 miles and its greatest width 40 +miles. Depths are from 40 to 60 fathoms over a bottom broken and rocky. +It is not of much importance as a fishing ground, although a few halibut +trips are landed from it in most years. + +Canso Bank. A long, narrow extension of Misaine Bank, lying in an E, +and W. direction; its length is 45 miles and its greatest width 13 +miles, its area being about 425 square miles. Depths range from 30 to 65 +fathoms over a bottom of sand, with spots of gravel and pebbles. It is +not of much importance as a fishing ground, especially as judged by the +use of it by the American fleet, though more fished by vessels from Nova +Scotia; perhaps it is overshadowed by the presence of its larger +neighbors, Western and Quereau Banks, with which grounds it forms +virtually one piece of bottom, only narrow, deep-water channels +separating them. These larger grounds are heavily fished both by +American vessels and by those from Nova Scotia ports as well as by +French and English otter trawlers. + +The statistics given here and elsewhere in this report are taken from +the published bulletins of the United States Bureau of Fisheries, and +include only the landings of vessels of 5 tons net, or over, at the +ports of Boston and Glouscester, Mass., and Portland, Me. + + +[Table 5--Fishing grounds of the offshore North Atlantic, showing +the principal species taken upon them] + + +[Footnote 16: "Pedro Reinel, a Portuguese pilot of much fame" (Herrera) +made a map in 1505 showing Sable Island, feared and dreaded by all +fishermen even in those days, where he called it "Santa Cruz." Jacamo +Gastaldi, an Italian cartographer, in 1548 shows it "Isolla de Arena." +Sir Humphrey Gilbert or his historian, says that the Portuguese had +made an interesting settlement here for shipwrecked mariners. This, +"Upon intelligence we had of a Portugal who was himself present when +the Portugals, above thirty years past (thus before 1551) did put upon +the island neat and swine to breed, which were since exceedingly +multiplied."] + + + + +TABLES OF CATCH + + +[Table 6--Distance from Boston or Gloucester, Mass., to the center +of certain of the more important offshore banks] + + +[Table 7--Distance from Portland, Me., to the center of certain of the +more important offshore banks] + + +[Table 8--Landings by fishing vessels at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., +and Portland, Me., from inner or shore grounds, 1927] + + +[Table 9--Landings by fishing vessels at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., +and Portland, Me., from the outer grounds of the Gulf of Maine, 1927] + + +[Table 10--Landings by fishing vessels at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., +and Portland, Me., from the fishing grounds of the Georges Bank area, +1927] + + +[Table 11--Landings by the otter-trawl fleet at Boston and Gloucester, +Mass., and Portland, Me., from the fishing grounds of the Georges Bank +area, 1927] + + +[Table 12--Landings by fishing vessels at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., +and Portland, Me., from the offshore grounds adjacent to the Gulf of +Maine, 1927] + + +[Table 13--Landings by fishing vessels at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., +and Portland, Me., from all grounds, 1927] + + +[Table 14--Landings by fishing vessels from the various fishing grounds +at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me., 1927] + + +[Table 15--Landings by fishing vessels from all grounds at Boston and +Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me., 1916 to 1927] + + + + +MAPS + + +[Map--Coastal Banks and Inshore Grounds of the Gulf of Maine: Bay of +Fundy] + + +[Map--Coastal Banks and Inshore Grounds of the Gulf of Maine: Monhegan +to Petit Manan] + + +[Map--Coastal Banks and Inshore Grounds of the Gulf of Maine: Monhegan +to Cape Cod] + + +[Map--Coastal Banks and Inshore Grounds of the Gulf of Maine: Petit +Manan to Seal Island] + + +[Map--Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine: The Georges Area] + + + + +INDEX TO GROUNDS + +Abner Ground +Acre, The +Allens Shoal +Andrews Shoal +Apron The +Artimon Bank + +Baker's Island Ridge +Bald Ridges +Bank Comfort +Banks Ground +Banquereau +Bantam +Barley Hill Ground +Barnum Head Ground +Bay of Fundy +Beaver Harbor +Ben's Ground +Big Ridge Doggetts +Big Ridge (Cashes) +Black Island Ground +Black Ledges Ground +Blue Clay +Blue Ground +Blue Hill Ground +Boar Head Ground +Boon Island Rock Ground +Bounties, The +Boutens, Inner and Outer +Brewers Spot +Broken Ground +Broken Ground +Broken Ridges +Browns Bank +Bulkhead Rips +Bumbo, Outer and Inner +Burnt Island Inner Ridge +Burnt Island Outer Ridge +Bull Ground + +Campobello +Canso +Cape Porpoise Peaks +Cards Reef +Cashes Bank +Cashes Ridge, East +Cashes NW Ridge +Cashes Big Ridge +Channel +Clarks Ground +Clay Bank +Clay Ridge +Coast Nova Scotia +Cod Ledges +Cod Ridge +Cove (S.E. Jeffreys) +Cove (W. Jeffreys) +Cow Ground +Crab Bank +Crie Ridges +Cusk Ridge + +Davis Bank +Deckers Shoal +Doggetts Ridge +Drunken Ledge (Drunkers) +Duck Island Ridges +Dump, The + +Eagle Island Ground +Eagle Ridge +Eastern Shoal Water, Cape Ann +East Side Cape Cod +Egg Rock Broken Ground +Elbow, The +Enochs Shoal + +Fifty-five Fathom +Fippenies +Fire Ground +Fishing Rip +Flat Ground +Flat Ledge +Forty-five Fathom +Franklin Ground +Freemans Ground + +Gannet Rock +Garden, The +Georges Bank +German Bank +Gilkey Ground +Grand Manan +Grand Manan Bank +Gravel Bottom +Gravelley +Great Ledge +Great Rip +Green Ground +Green Island Ridge +Grumpy +Gully, The + +Haddock Nubble +Hake Ground +Handspike Ground +Harris Ground +Harts Ground +Harvey Blacks Ridge +Hatchell Ground +Head and Horns +Henry Gallants Ridge +Henry Marshalls +Henrys Rock +Hill Ground +Howard Nunans Ridge +Hue and Cry + +Ingalls Shoal +Inner Bank +Inner and Outer Boutens +Inner Breaker +Inner and Outer Bumbo +Inner Fall +Inner Grounds +Inner Horse Reef +Inner Kettle +Inner Sandy Cove +Inner Schoodic Ridge +Ipswich Bay +Isle au Haute (Ca) + +Jeffreys Bank +Jeffreys Ledge +Jerry Yorks Ridge +Joe Ray Ground +John Dyers Ridge +Johns Head Ground +Jones Ground + +Kettle Bottom, Outer +Kettle Bottom, Inner +Klondike + +Laisdells Ground +Lambo +La Have +La Have Ridges +Lightons +Little Hill Ground +Little Georges +Little Jeffrey +Little La Have +Long Hill Ground +Lukes Rock +Lurcher Shoal + +Machias Seal Island +Madisons Spot +Marblehead Bank +Martins Ground +Massachusetts Bay +Matinic Bank +Matinic Ooze +Matinicus SSW +Maurice Lubees Ridge +McIntire Reef +Middle Bank +Middle Ground +Middle Ridge +Middle Shoal +Minerva Hub +Misaine Bank +Mistaken Ground +Monhegan Inner SSE +Monhegan Outer SSE +Monhegan Southeast +Monhegan Inner SSW +Monhegan Outer SSW +Monhegan Western Ground +Morris Ledge +Mosers Ledge +Mount Desert Inner Ridge +Mount Desert Outer Ridge +Mud Hake Grounds +Murray Hole +Murre Hub +Mussel Shoal + +Nantucket Shoals +Newfound Ground (Fundy) +Newfound Ground (MDI) +New Ledge +New Meadows Channel +Nipper Ground +North Shore of Nova Scotia +Northwest Ledge + +Old Egg Rock +Old Jeffrey +Old Mans Pasture +Old Orchard Ground +Old Ripper +Old Southeast +Ornes Ground +Otter Island Reef +Outer Bumbo +Outer Boutens +Outer Crab Ledge +Outer Ground +Outer Horse Reef +Outer Kettle +Outer Schoodic Ridge +Outer Shoal + +Passamaquoddy Bay +Pasture +Peters Bank +Petersons Ground +Phelps Bank +Pigeon Ground +Platts Bank +Pollock Hub +Pollock Rip +Potato Patch +Prairie + +Quaco Ledges +Quereau + +Ridge, The Big +Ridge, East Cashes +Ridge, North Georges +Ridge, Northwest Cashes +Ridge, South Fippenies +Ridge, Three-dory +Ripplings +Rock Cod Ledge +Rose and Crown +Roseway + +Saddleback Reef +Sagadahoc +Salmon Netting Ground +Sand Shoal +Sandy Cove +Scandinavian Bank +Scantum +Seal Island Ground +Seguin Ground +Seguin Hub +Seguin Ridge +Seguin SSW +Shoal Ground +Shell Ground +Si's Spot +Skate Bank +Snipper Shin +Soundings +Southeast +Southeast Ground +Southeast Jeffreys +Southeast Ledge +Southeast Rip +Southeast Rock +Southern Head Reef +South Shoal +Southwest Ground +Southwest Rock +Southwest Ledges +Spencer Island +Steamboat Ground +Stellwagen Bank +Stone Fence +Summer Hake Ground + +Tag Ground +Tanta +Temple Ledge +Ten Acre +Three-dory Ridge +Tibbett's Ledge +Tillies Bank +Tobins Bank +Toothaker Ridge +Tower Ground +Towhead Ground +Tracadie +Trinidad +Trinity Shoal + +Wells Bay +Western Bank +Western Egg Rock +Western Point Ridge +Western Reef +Western Ridge +White Head Grounds +White Island Ground +Wildcat Ridge +WNW Rips +Wolves +Wolves Bank +Wood Island Ground +Winker Ground + + +GEOGRAPHIC LIST OF GULF OF MAINE FISHING GROUNDS + +BAY OF FUNDY AREA +Description of Fundy Area +North Shore and Nova Scotia coast +Lurcher Shoal +Trinity Shoal +Northwest Ledges +West-Northwest Rips & the Flat Ground +Boars Head Ground +Outer Ground Head and Horns +Sandy Cove Grounds +Inner Sandy Cove Grounds +Spencer Island Grounds +Isle au Haute Ground +Quaco Ledges +Salmon Netting Ground +Ingalls Shoal +Mussel Shoal Ground The Wolves +The Wolves Bank +Campobello +Passamaquoddy Bay +Mud Hake Ground +Beaver Harbor +Grand Manan +Clarks Bank +Southern Head Reef +Gravelly +Soundings +Bulkhead, Ripplings +Cards Reef +Gannet Rock +Southeast Ground +Machias Seal Island + +INNER GULF OF MAINE AREA +Lukes Rock +Newfound Ground +Henrys Rock +Handspike Ground +Western Egg Rock +Old Egg Rock +Middle Ridge +Broken Ground +Tibbetts Ledge +Bens Ground +Southeast Rock +Broken Ridges. +Black Ledges Ground +Bakers Island Ridge +Martins Ground; Hillards Reef +Egg Rock Broken Ground +Inner Schoodic Ridge +Outer Schoodic Ridge +Mount Desert Inner Ridge +Mount Desert Outer Ridge +Flat Ground +Enochs Shoal +Banks Ground +Shell Ground +Abner Ground +Grumpy +Hatchell Ground +Blue Hill Ground +Hake Ground (Inner and Outer) Horse Reef +Southwest Ground +Barley Hill Ground +Gilkey Ground +Rock Cod Ledge +Southeast Gravel Bottom +Laisdells Ground +Saddleback Reef +Otter Island Reef +Old Ripper +Crie Ridges +Bald Ridges +Henry Marshalls Ground +The Bounties +Summer Hake Ground +Minerva Hub +Haddock Nubble +Skate Bank +Matinicus Sou'Sou'West +Inner Breaker +Towhead Grounds +Western or Green Island Ridge & Pigeon Ground +Matinic Bank +Matinic Ooze +Freemans Ground +Middle Shoal, Allens Shoal, Black Island Ground +Franklin Ground +White Head Grounds +Burnt Island, Inner Ground +Burnt Island, Outer Ground +Ornes Ground +Outer Shoal +Monhegan Inner Sou'Southeast +Monhegan Outer +Sou'Southeast Blue Ground +Monhegan Southeast Ground +Hill Ground +Monhegan Inner Sou'Sou'West +Old Jeffrey +Little Jeffrey +Monhegan Western Ground +Broken Ground +Great Ledge +Barnum Head Ground +Peterson's Ground +Cusk Ridge +Potato Patch +The Apron +Henry Gallants Ridge +Middle Ground; Mosers +Johns Head Ground +White Island Ground +Steamboat Ground +Inner and Outer Boutens +Hill Ground +Seguin Sou' Sou' West +Seguin Ridge +Seguin Ground +McIntire Reef +Seguin Hub +Cow Ground +Murre Hub +Mistaken Ground +Tag Ground +Kettle Bottom, Outer +Murray Hole +Inner Kettle +Bantam +White Head Ground +Green Ground +Lambo +The Bull Ground +The Garden +Sand Shoal +The Elbow +Old Orchard; Wood Island Ground +Drunken Ledge + +OUTER GULF OF MAINE AREA +Grand Manan Bank +Middle Ground +Marblehead Bank +Newfound +Jones Ground +Bank Comfort +Clay Bank +Newfound +Jeffreys Bank +Inner Fall +Toothaker Ridge +Cashes Bank +Ridge east of Cashes +Ridge northwest of Cashes +Big Ridge +Ridge north of Georges +John Dyers Ridge +Fifty-five Fathom Bunch +Fippenies Bank +Ridge south of Fippenie +Maurice Luhees Ground +Harvey Blacks Ridge +Cod Ridge +Three-Dory Ridge +Platts Bank +Jeffreys Ledge +Cove of Jeffreys +Clay Ridge +Jerry Yorks Ridge +Howard Howard Nunans Ridge +Southeast Jeffreys +Southeast Cove +Eastern Shoal Water of Cape Ann +Tillies Bank +Stellwagen or Middle Bank +Wild Cat Ridge + +GEORGES BANK AREA +East Side of Cape Cod +Tobins Bank +Morris Ledge +Outer Crab Ledge +Nantucket Shoals +South Shoal +Pollock Rip Grounds +Rose & Crown +Nantucket Shoals--Madisons Spot +Nantucket Shoals--Great Rip +Nantucket Shoals--Davis Bank; Crab Bank +Nantucket Shoals--Fishing Rip +Nantucket Shoals--Southeast Rip +Phelps Bank +The Channel +Sankaty Head +Georges Bank + +OFFSHORE BANKS +Browns Bank +Seal Island Ground +Roseway Bank +La Have Bank +Little La Have & the La Have Ridges +Scandinavian Bank +Western Bank +Banquereau +Stone Fence +The Gully +Artimon Bank +Misaine Bank +Canso Bank + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FISHING GROUNDS OF THE GULF OF +MAINE*** + + +******* This file should be named 15035.txt or 15035.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/0/3/15035 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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