Chapter 10

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° 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° 08' to 43° 10' north latitude and about 81° to 83° 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 ½ 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° 55' and 44° 46' north latitude and the meridians of 59°04' and 62° 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. ½ 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 1½ 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 ½ 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° 04' and 45° 01' north latitude and 67° 10' and 59° 00' west longitude, and the western prolongation lies between 44° 24' and 44° 42' north latitude and 69° 00' and 80° 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° N. lat. and between 58° 30' and 58° 55' W. long), the Middle Prong (44° 14' N. lat. and 58° W. long.), and the Eastern Slope (44° 28' to 45° 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° and 80° 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