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
Three-Dory Ridge. Outside of New Ledge and about midway between it and
Harvey Blacks Ridge is a small ridge about 3 miles long, running NE. and
SW., and about 1/2 mile wide. This lies SE. by S. from the Portland
Lightship. 38 miles to the shoal of 55 fathoms, which is near its
center. From this the ground slopes away on all sides to 63 and 65
fathom depths over which area the bottom is made up of sand, gravel,
mud, and rocks. At these lower depths are found "pipes" (clay
cylinders), where the fishing ends abruptly. All about the ridge are
depths of 80 to 100 fathoms on a bottom of mud. This is almost entirely
a cod ground, good from May to August.
Platt's Bank or New Ledge. This bears E. by N. 1/2 N. from Thacher
Island, from which the shoal portion of the ledge is distant 53 miles.
From Portland Lightship it is 30 miles SSE. to the center of the ground.
The bank is about 12 miles long, NE. and SW.. and about 8 miles wide.
The western shoal, which is of small extent and rocky and which has a
considerable amount of dead shells upon it, is situated near the center,
its depth being 29 fathoms. From this shoal to the Southwest Peak is
about 11 miles SW. by S. Another shoal lies E. 3 miles, having about 30
fathoms over sand and gravel, which is a good fall ground for haddock.
East-northeast from the western shoal 3 miles brings us to a rocky
ridge, with spots of hard mud and pebbles between, in 65-fathom depth,
which is a fine winter cusk ground, these fish remaining here until
April. Over much of the bank the depths range from 30 to 35 fathoms with
a bottom of rocks and gravel. From the edge of the shoaler area the
bottom slopes gradually to 50 or 60 fathoms, beyond which it drops
suddenly to 80 or 90 fathoms over a muddy bottom.
This was considered one of the very best fishing grounds for cod and
haddock in the Gulf of Maine, but the haddock catch here has fallen off
recently. Hake also are very abundant during the summer months and often
during October on the muddy bottom near the edge. Inside 100 fathoms, on
a "punkin" bottom of rocks and gravel, near the mud, haddock are found
from December to March. Cod, pollock, and cusk occur from May to
October, the former on the rocky and gravelly portions, the latter on
the deep soundings, with the Northeast Peak the best summer ground. This
is also an especially good fall and winter ground for haddock. Halibut
are often found in 35 fathoms (small fish) from September through
November; also In spring and early summer. This ground is fished by
vessels from Cape Cod, Mass., to Cutler, Me., mainly by trawling, some
hand-lining, but no gill netting of importance as yet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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