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
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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