LIST AND EXPLANATION OF THE CHARTS REPRESENTING THE SEA FISHING GROUNDS 

 OF THE EASTERN COAST OF NORTH AMERICA. 



1. List of Charts. 



Page. " 



CnAiiT Jso. 1.— The i'isbiiig Gi'i>uik1s uf Uavis Straits •''' 



Chaut No. 2.— TUe Flemish Cap ''1 



Chart No. 3.— The Banks of Newfounillaud *j'- 



Chart No. 4. — The Banks off the coast of Nova Scotia <'" 



Chart No. 5.— The Fishiug Gioimds of the Gulf of Saint La-nrence Ki 



Chart No. G. — Fishing Grounds iu the vicinity of East port, Maine -4 



Chart No. 7.— Fishing Grounds from Nova Scotia to Penobscot Bay, Maine ii*) 



Chart No. 8. — Fishing Grounds from Penobscot Bay, Maine, to Cape Ann, Massachusetts i'f) 



Chart No. 9. — Fishing Grounds near Monhegan Islaud, Maine 33 



Chart No. 10. — Fishing Grounds from Cape Ann to Buzzard's Bay, Massacliusetts 30, 4."> 



Chart No. 11. — George's Bank '1 



Chart No. 12. — Fishing Groimds from Gay Heqd, Massachusetts, to Cape Henlopcu, Delaware 47 



Chart No. 13. — Fishing Grounds from Capo May, New Jersey, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina fd 



Chart No. 14. — Fishing Grounds from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Cape Komaiu, South Carolina y>i 



Chart No. 15.— Fishing Grounds from Cape Eomain, South Carolina, to Saint Augustine, Florida ■'i:'> 



Chart No. 16.— Fishing Grounds of the Gulf Coast of the United States. Prepared by Mr. Silas Stearns So 



Chart No. 17. — Sponging Grounds of the Coast of Florida. Prepared by Mr. Silas Stearns ■'>!?' 



2. Explanations of Charts 3, 4, and 5. 



The following notes are based on data mainly obtained previous to 1880, but, unfortunately, not available at 

 that time for insertion in the body of the test, to which they now serve as an appendix. They have reference, for the 

 most part, to the extensive halibut and cod fisheries of the important banks lying off the coasts of the British mari- 

 time Provinces, and arc intended more especially to call attention to certain localities in which good iishing had been 

 obtained down to the close of 1879, or the early part of 1860, the year in which the investigations respecting tbcni 

 were mostly made. A few facts of more recent date have also been added. The years in which good fares were 

 obtained are generally mentioned, and these explanations, iu connection with the charts to which they relate, furnish, 

 therefore, imjiortant data of historical interest, as well as regarding the relative value of different parts of the several 

 fl^hing grounds in past years. 



Changes are constantly takiug place in the abundance of fish on all the lai-ge fishing banks. In many instances 

 these changes are of only a temporary nature, and if fish are scarce one year, Ihcy may be abundant agaiu the next. 

 The halibut apparcntl.y furnish an exception to this rule, and good grounds, once depleted, have seldom been known 

 to regain their former status. A few instances are, however, on record, where old and seemingly worn-out grounds 

 have again afforded a good halibut fishery, but such cases are said to be rare, and the facts are regarded as favoring 



* Refer to the pages of the text where the grounds are described. 



