Fishing Grounds of the Gulf 1 10

It seems not to be stopped at much during the cold months, though seemingly there is no reasons
why this must not be an all-the-season minn kota pieces ground. It furnishes, even so, a very good
summer time 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 is situated N. of your western part of La Have and SE. of Shelbourne
Light, Nova Scotia: 31 miles SSE. from the whistling buoy off of Lockport, Nova Scotia, to the
southeastern side. It is oblong in shape and of small level--about 270 square geographical miles. Its
greatest length is 21 miles as well as its greatest breadth 15 a long way. It expands from 43? 12' to
43? 33' north latitude, and from 64? 25' to 64? 52' west longitude and at the north west corner is
connected with the shore reduce of 60 fathoms by way of a narrow throat. Depths are from 33 to 48
fathoms. The bottom is ofyellow sand and gravel, and rocks; in the Northeast Top the bottom is of
yellow gravel and soil.
Currents in this region are not virtually so powerful as about Cape Browns and Sable Bank, their
general direction being WSW. and ENE the westerly much the more powerful, though the push and
direction of both of them are much influenced by the wind.
The principal fish taken allow me to sharecod and haddock, and cusk, but hake, pollock and halibut
occur, the ideal fishing months simply being from Might to October, when the bank is resorted to by
craft from western Nova Scotia. A number of New England craft also minn kota pieces here.
Los angeles Have Financial institution. Situated eastward of Browns Bank and S. and E. of Roseway
Bank. It extends from 42? 34' to 43? 26' northern latitude a distance of 52 a long way, and from 63?
50' to 65? 07' western longitude a distance around 54 mls. The bank is nearly divided into two
portions, which the eastern (La Have Bank appropriate) extends N and S. 39 mls and the american
portion almost E. and W. about 35 miles. The total portion of the bank is about 1,200 miles.
The bottom is largely coarsegravel and pebbles, and rock and roll, with smaller areas of fine sand
distributed in some places. Depths manage from 40 to 50 fathoms. This is certainly much influenced
by the force and course of the breeze and is typically quite strong during easterly blows, although
the general set of the currents is to the westward.
The main fishing upon this bank before has been for haddock and cod: and while former reports,
(1881) speak of this as having once been a favorite fishing soil for halibut and state that it was not at
time of much importance in this fishery, the figures just for this ground for your year 1923 show the
halibut find to have been third in volume and first in value of the species undertaken there. In
reality, the catch of halibut here makes quite an imposing physique when the somewhat small
dimensions of the ground is recognized as.
Little Los angeles Have and the La Have Ridges are simply continuations with this back towards the
Traditional western Bank for any distance around 45 mls. This areas the eastern limit within 62? 50'
west longitude, the northern and southern boundaries simply being about as those of La Have
Banking institution. The part of the ridges is all about 1,575 miles. The base here is a succession of
ridges of pebbles and pea gravel with occasional patches of stones. Depths come from 53 to 80
fathoms. The current, at times strong, is weaker on this page than a greater distance W. around the
bank and, except in the course of easterly winds, is but little noticed. The general set up is westerly.
"The Ridges" says the report just before mentioned, "were for a number of years one of several
favorite resort hotels for halibut catchers during winter, and many good catches of cod were actually
taken here at that year. At present but few halibut are trapped except in the deep water along the
the southern area of edge of the floor, where they sometimes have been discovered quite plentiful
during virtually the entire season." Evidently there is not much alteration of these circumstances
since the writer's time; minn kota parts are most often present here In about the same volumes as in
former years.
1 piece of underside, having depths of 25 to 50 fathoms over red clay, lying roughly in 43? 08' to 43?
10' north latitude and about 81? to 83? west longitude, seems a good spring and early summer
ground. Evidently red-clay bottom part indicates a good halibut floor, as this types is usually present
where such a bottom is available.
Hake are found in excellent numbers in the deep h2o about the sides of the terrain and even around
the Ridges.
These waters are quite heavily fished from Canadian ports, plus a fair amount of American vessels
visit them each year, many of them hailing from Boston or Gloucester.
Scandinavian Bank. 18 miles SSW. from Shelbourne Light. Nova Scotia. It is actually about 3 miles
extended in an E. and W. direction by about ? mile wide. Generally speaking, the bottom is level,
with depths from 50 to 70 fathoms; the shoal parts are rocky and razor-sharp, the bottom within the
deeper parts being made up mostly of small black color and yellow pebbles.
This can be a summer halibut ground (August and July) in depths from 45 to 60 fathoms, and halibut
occur in October in the further waters about it. It is also a fair summer cod ground, and cusk exist in
the deeply water about the edges during most of the year. In types, general and seasons tend to be
as on Roseway.
American Bank. This is one of the most critical fishing grounds from the western Atlantic, whether
as regards dimension or the large quantity of its product or service. It lies S. of Cape Breton Island
and the eastern element of Nova Scotia between the parallels of 42? 44 and 55'? 46' north latitude
and the meridians of 59? 04' and 62? 35' west longitude. It has a time period of 156 miles and a size,
including the Midsection Ground, of 76 a long way. It is about 420 mls E. ? S. from Boston to the
southwestern edge, which implies about 48 hours' steaming for the otter-trawl fleet.
The normal contour in the bank inside the 65-fathom range, as placed down on the Admiralty graph,
approaches considerably a very elongated ellipse, the longer axis working NE. by E. and SW. by W.;
but over a extensive area to eastward of the center of your budget, soundings of less than 50
fathoms hook it up directly together with the Middle Ground, which we have here included in the
some bank. The total extent of the bank thus described is about 7,000 rectangular geographical
kilometers. Off its eastern conclusion lies Banquereau (the Quereau of the fishermen) with The Gully
between, along with a short length of the american edge will be the La Have Ridges.
The depths from the southern edge of the bank boost rapidly from 80 to700 and 1,200, and in many
cases 1,400 fathoms. At the eastern finish is Sable Island, [16] "graveyard of vessels", along and
narrow, crescent-shaped elevation seemingly lessening in area each year, shaped entirely of sand
which has been blown Into innumerable hummocks and dunes. Off both stops of the tropical island
are long and dangerous yellow sand bars. The duration of the island is 20 a long way; its greatest
width is around 1? mls. It is said how the Northwest Light-weight has been moved three times due to
the fact that the western end in the island has been literally blown away. It lies in an E. and W.
direction, along with the depth water over the pubs for a distance of 7 to 10 miles out does not go
over 2 fathoms, and even 10 miles further out the depths do not exceed 10 to 11 fathoms. Within the
past few years fishermen have reported the appearance of a fine sand shoal about 5 or 6 mls SE.
from the Northeast Gentle. This is thought to appear at low drinking water.
In general, the bank slopes S. and W. from the tropical isle, depths including 18 to 60 fathoms. The
bottom is usually sandy with patches of pebbles and gravel. Currents are occasionally very strong
about Sable Tropical isle and are somewhat irregular; seemingly they are very much influenced by
the winds. Around the other parts from the bank usually there is but little existing, whatever there
exists usually tending toward the west.
Earlier the cod and halibut were the food fishes most taken on this page, but with the changed
methods in the fishery (as the growth of the otter-trawl fleet) and a changed taste in our open public
the haddock catch is considered the second most essential in the invoices of sea food from all of
these waters. The halibut fishery stands next in the checklist. Other base feeders happen in less
figures, the pollock and the cusk perhaps becoming next to be able of relevance, with hake and a
great deal of the various flatfishes in the otter trawls. These latter are marketed as sole.
Mentioning the tiny amount of haddock within the fares obtained from these oceans in previous
years, the writer asked a number of old-time fishermen as to its abundance in the old days. The reply
was generally Oh and yes, there have been always haddock there; sometimes they worried us a lot."
Then, noting my surprise at so adding it, "You know, the haddock isn't much being a salt seafood."
It will be observed that in 1923 the haddock find here was a very good 2nd to the cod catch in
poundage, though not so valuable proportionately. In the otter-trawl catch out of this ground it will
be noted how the positions of these two species are reversed. These steamers certainly consider
more than 2 pounds of haddock to 1 of cod on other overseas grounds--maybe the result of working
in the shoaler waters and on the smoother bottom due to difficulty of dragging on the rocky and
kelp-covered floor, which the cod seems to choose, as a rule. But the bottom in the Western
Financial institution is of the nature with regards to offer tiny obstruction on the passage of your
net, to ensure that virtually all areas of it may be fished by this strategy; and this, included in the
acknowledged movements from the cod schools makes it achievable at certain seasons of the year to
catch a larger proportion of this species when it is so desired.
Haddock are found about the bars at both comes to an end of the tropical island in Mar and from
that time to around June 1 in from 15 to 22 fathoms. They are also plentiful 18 miles W. from the
Northwest Gentle at the same seasons as well as at the same depths. DuringApr and May, and June
they come in next to the island in from 10 to 17 fathoms--even to 1 fathom. Through all of those
other year (except for the cooler months, when they have moved away from into much deeper water)
they may be found everywhere in the bank on sandy bottom in 28 to 30 fathoms, exactly where most
of the beam trawl angling is carried on.
You will find a good cod school every year on the fairly level bottom along the southwestern and
western sides of the ground in 70 fathoms and a lot more from February 1 to May 1, and in most
years a certain amount of this species is adopted this area. In May this school may have moved on to
a piece of base about 20 miles lengthy lying SW. from the North west Light and achieving depths
averaging 27 fathoms. With fair fishing for cod on the American Bank in the course of most of the 12
months, they seem to be most abundant in the first of March to June. The wintertime school in this
article appears to be small compared to that on Georges, but apparently this species sessions this
terrain in significant numbers through the spawning period. In the winter months the cod are mainly
found upon the western section of the bank, getting into the shoaler waters to Sable Isle as the
spring advances (in the course of March and April), the "Bend" of the island and the neighborhood of
the bars in 2 to 4 fathoms, where they are often seen taking the hook or can be "jigged." being
preferred grounds. The floor lying W. from the North west about, on and Light the North west Bar
(18 miles W, from the lighting), is a preferred cod floor in May and June. The shoal water within the
rocky base WNW from your Northwest Lighting furnishes excellent cod minn kota parts from June
10 to July 1. This piece begins just beyond the 3-mile extend of breakers running out of the land and
extends offshore in a normally westerly route to 24 fathoms. A lot hand-lining is carried out here.
In the shoal h2o, in April and May, the fish seem to be providing on the "lant," (Ammodytes
americanus). It is said that this fish taken at the base close to the isle are small compared to those
located farther to the west. The shoal water in the northern shoreline of the tropical island is said to
have good cod grounds and favorite spots for "dory fingers-coating." The cod educational institutions
seem to arrive on the Northern Peak (SE. from the Northeast Light 40 miles to SE ? S. from exact
same point 28 miles) at the end of March as well as the first of April, shifting N. and W. on the
island. The cod of Sable Tropical isle are said to be fine, business fish, perhaps because of the
abundance of your "reddish colored clams" (bank clams) on these grounds.
The haddock and cod fishery is carried on by American and Canadian cruising vessels and otter
trawlers, a lot more English and French vessels of the latter class participating in the fishery of this
soil each year.
Halibut are found on the Western Financial institution virtually all the year at depths varying
together with the seasons. Being a halibut financial institution, this, together with the Gully and
Quereau--in reality, all one piece of terrain--ranks secondly only to the Grand Banking institution
Itself. The best fishing here for halibut is found from January to October. There are many places
about and on the bank that the halibut seems to choose, as the Optimum of Pike, 85 miles W. by S.
from the Northwest Light of Sable Island; S. and SW. of Sable Island from 12 to 38 mls; SW. 20
miles in 60 fathoms in May possibly; thence out into 150 and 100 fathoms in June; in fact, using the
100--fathom curve along the edge of this bank, past the Northeast Maximum (40 kilometers SE. from
the Northeast Gentle), into the Gully and around the The southern area of Prong of Quereau on the
Middle Prong. Apparently they leave this piece of bottom part in July. Often the fish are close to the
tropical isle in the spring, where the water is indeed shoal that they can be seen taking the bait or
playing with the hook before taking. InMay possibly and April, and June a good halibut ground is in
18 fathoms 24 kilometers WNW. from Sable Island.
The Western Bank appears to be a good providing ground for both cod and halibut as it abounds in
shellfish and crustaceans, as well as certain time periods there are many smaller species of species
of fish upon it, for example the lant and herring, which these kinds and the haddock, also,
particularly prey. Plenty of swordfish is taken within Sept . and August, mainly by American vessels.
Banquereau. Segregated from the Western Bank with the Gully, it has a very unusual form--the
primary bank close to rectangular, having a narrow westerly extension of comparatively regular
form. Its length, E. and W., is about 120 miles, its greatest thickness about 47 miles, as well as its
total region about 2,800 miles.
The principle portion of the lender lies between 44? 45 and 04'? 01' north latitude and 67? 10' and
59? 00' to the west longitude, as well as the western prolongation lies between 44? 44 and 24'? 42'
north latitude and 69? 80 and 00'? 05' west longitude. To the north of Banquereau lies Artimon,
distant 3 miles, and Misaine, faraway from 2 to 15 miles according to the places from which
measurements are taken. The currents allow me to share of diverse force, much influenced by the
wind, so that several days of strong tides may be accompanied by intervals if you have little if any
existing.
About the eastern part of Quereau is undoubtedly an area of shoal ground known as the Rocky Base,
having a degree of about 18 fathoms; elsewhere depths work from 18 to 50 fathoms. You can find
scattered sections of beach sand and gravel, even though in most cases the bottom is rocky.
Cod and halibut are the primary food fishes taken, haddock and hake and cusk being taken in small
numbers. The Rocky Bottom, a shoal floor of 20 to 25 fathom depths on the eastern part, was much
resorted to by dory handliners in summer time. Occasional good fares are taken to the west, even
though the cod are most plentiful about the eastern portion of the bank. The very best cod fishing for
this bank is produced by May until finally September, once the schools get to feed on the lant, squid,
crustaceans, and shellfish, then quite abundant.
Halibut are found on this page all the season off the sides in 100 to 400 fathoms. Apparently these
are feeding and reproduction reasons for this kinds, and it is not unusual for any school to remain
for several weeks and even several weeks in one area, though a few of these may be minn kota parts
in migration northward.
The primary halibut grounds are over the eastern and the southern part of borders of your bank--the
Southwest Prong and the South west Cove (within 44? N. lat. and between 58? 30' and 58? 55' W.
long), the center Prong (44? 14' N. lat. and 58? W. long.), and also the Eastern Slope (44? 28' to 45?
00' N. lat.)--in depths of 150 to 400 fathoms. These serious-h2o areas are rocky and support an
incredibly rich development ofcorals and gorgonians, sea anemones, etc. The Eastern Slope has a
great deal of bank clams in depths of 25 fathoms. These beds are perfect hand-line grounds for cod.
The halibut, too, rss feeds to a significant extent on these red-colored clams.
The Stone Fencing off the eastern slope of Quereau is a very rocky component of ground packed
with "bushes" (corals) in 250 fathoms. This is an excellent halibut soil although it is almost
impossible to haul the gear manually and the application of the "gurdy" (a curler turned with a
fastened and crank to the dory's bow for winding the trawl) gets to be necessary. The occasional
fares of halibut are taken about and on the Rocky Base in 20 to 25 fathoms from July 1 to August 1.
The Gully. This is actually the deep waterway between Banquereau and Sable Island or Western
Financial institution. It expands in an WNW. and an ESE. direction north of Sable Island, switching
somewhat abruptly S. at its eastern end and continuing straight down between the eastern end of
Western Financial institution and the South west Prong of Banquereau. The whole length is about 80
a long way, the greatest thickness about 20 miles. Depths range from 68 to 145 fathoms across a
bottom of rocks, sand and gravel and soil. The difficult and gravelly portions form several ridges
separated by areas of finer materials, other than in the eastern section, in which the intervals among
are mostly included in pebbles and sharp stones. Ocean currents are generally westerly, of various
strength, a lot affected by the easterly winds.
The Gully is a very important halibut soil. The halibut are not seen in great numbers all over the
floor, perhaps the best of the minn kota parts simply being on the difficult and gravelly ridges and
slopes included between your meridians of 69? and 80? western side longitude. This rocky bottom is
loaded with food, as well as the lant and herring are generally plentiful here in their season. In the
spring the halibut appear to be especially several in the northwestern and northern elements of the
bank, afterwards, in June and July, moving farther out. Some, are found within winter. While the cod
may also be found in The Gully in 60 to 90 fathoms, it can do not seem to be of regular occurrence;
and apparently you can find almost no haddock here, probably because of the degree of the h2o and
the mother nature of the bottom part.
Artimon Bank. Posseses an area of some 120 rectangular miles using a bottom of gravel and
rocksdepths and rocks of 38 to 50 fathoms. It is actually but unknown because of the tendency of the
anglers to use the greater grounds near at hand. Cod are known to be present right here, however.
The bank lies N. of the eastern part of Quereau, separated from it by a slim, deep-water station.
Misaine Banking institution. In general banking institutions are separated by some 20 a long way of
deep water, despite the fact that lies N. of the western two-thirds of Quereau, at one position very in
close proximity to. Its very best length is 80 a long way and its finest width 40 miles. Depths are
from 40 to 60 fathoms over a bottom cracked and difficult. It is not of great importance and
importance like a fishing ground, even though a few halibut trips are landed as a result in most yrs.
Canso Bank. A long, narrow extension of Misaine Lender, lying within an E, and W. direction; its
length is 45 miles and its greatest width 13 a long way, its location being about 425 rectangular
miles. Depths range from 30 to 65 fathoms more than a bottom of sand, with spots of gravel and
pebbles. More fished by vessels from Nova Scotia; maybe it is overshadowed by the presence of its
greater neighbors, American and Quereau Banks, which grounds it forms virtually one part of
bottom, only narrow, deep-water channels breaking up them, though it is not of great importance
and importance as a minn kota components ground, specially as evaluated by the use of it by the Us
fleet. These larger grounds are heavily fished each by American vessels and also by those from Nova
Scotia ports along with by French and English otter trawlers.
The statistics given elsewhere and here with this report are taken from the published bulletins of the
United States Bureau of Fisheries, and include just the landings of vessels of 5 loads net, or higher,
at the ports of Boston and Glouscester, Mass., and Portland, Me.
[Desk 5--Sportfishing grounds of the offshore Northern Atlantic, demonstrating the principal types
taken after them]
[Footnote 16: "Pedro Reinel, a Portuguese pilot of great importance and fame" (Herrera) crafted a
map in 1505 showing Sable Island, dreadful 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
World." Sir Humphrey Gilbert or his historian, states that the Portuguese had created an interesting
arrangement here for shipwrecked mariners. This, "Upon intelligence we had of the Portugal who
had been himself present when the Portugals, above 35 years prior (thus well before 1551) did put
after the island tidy and swine to breed of dog, which were since exceedingly multiplied."]
TABLES OF CATCH
[Table 6--Distance from Boston or Gloucester, Size., to the core of certain of your more important
offshore banks]
[Desk 7--Range from Portland, Me., to the center of a number of of the more valuable offshore
financial institutions]
[Table 8--Landings by fishing vessels at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me., from
inside or shoreline grounds, 1927]
[Table 9--Landings by fishing vessels at Gloucester and Boston, Mass., and Portland, Me., from the
outside grounds in the Gulf of Maine, 1927]
[Table 10--Landings by fishing vessels at Gloucester and Boston, Mass., and Portland, Me., from the
minn kota parts reasons of the Georges Bank area, 1927]
[Desk 11--Landings by the otter-trawl fleet at Boston and Gloucester, Mass., and Portland, Me., from
the sportfishing grounds of the Georges Bank area, 1927]