Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of MaineRich, Walter H. (Walter Herbert)
History
Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine
Rich, Walter H. (Walter Herbert)
Fisheries -- Maine, Gulf of
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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