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
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account