LE HAVE BANK— LE HAVE EIDGES. 71 



Liive iu times past furnished a lew good trips of halibut, but they are uot uow considered of any 

 importance to that fishery. They are, however, more or less resorted to for cod by American 

 vessels. 



SAMBKO BANK. 



8ambro Bank lies between the i)arallels of 43° 30' and 43° 47' north, and the meridians of 02° 

 40' and 02° 55' west, the greatest length, northeast by north and southwest by south, being twelve 

 miles and the greatest width seven miles. The area of the bank is about seventy square miles. It 

 has a depth of fifty-four to sixty fothoms, with depths of one hundred and ten to one hundred and 

 thirty-three fathoms a short distance oft' its northeastern edge. The bottom consists mostly of 

 sand, gravel, and pebbles. Sambro Bank, from its small size, is seldom visited by fishing-vessels, 

 and has, therefore, never attained any importance as a fishing-gronnd. 



LE HAVE EAJJK. 



Le Have Bank is situated to the eastward of Brown's Bank, and south uud east of Eoseway 

 Bank. It extends from 42° 34' to 43° 26' north, latitude, a distance of fifty-two miles, and from 

 63° 50' to C50 07' west longitude, a distance of about fifty four miles. The bank is nearly divided 

 into two portions, of which the eastern portion (Le Have Bank i)roper) extends north and south 

 thirty-nine miles, and the western portion nearly east and west about thirty-five miles. The 

 total area of the bank is about twelve hundred and forty square miles. The bottom is largely 

 composed of coarse gravel, pebbles, and rocks, Mith smaller areas of sand distributed here 

 and there. The depths of water range from forty to fifty fathoms. The general set of the 

 current is to the westward, but this, however, is influenced very much by the direction and 

 force of the wind, generally running quite strong during easterly winds. The principal fisli 

 taken on this bank are cod and haddock, although other species of bottom feeders are more 

 or less plentiful. Cod are found at all seasons of the year, but are, perhaps, more abundant 

 during the early winter than at any other period, and good trips are frequently obtained by the 

 Gloucester vessels, which are the only ones that go there at that season. The Gloucester 

 winter haddock-catchers, which carry their catch fresh to the Boston market, have extended their 

 trips from George's and Brown's Banks to Le Have, and daring the present winter (18S0-'S1) liave 

 made some remarkably good fares, several of them being the largest on record. Most of the 

 lower forms of animal life found on the Western Bank and Le Have Eidges also occur on Le 

 Have Bank. Le Have was at one time (1855 to 18C5) quite a favorite fishing-ground for halibut, 

 and considerable quantities are occasionally taken now by the hand-line cod fishermen in winter, 

 though they do not occur in sufiQcient numbers to warrant trawlers going there. 



LE HAVE EIDGES. 



The fishing-ground known as Le Have Eidges is simply a continuation of Le Have Bank to 

 the eastward, iu the direction of the Western Bank, a distance of about forty-five miles. This 

 places the eastern limit in 62° 50' west longitude, while the northern and southern boundaries are 

 about the same as those of Le Have Bank. The extent of the ridges is about fifteen hundred 

 and seventy-five square miles. The bottom is a succession of ridges of gravel and pebbles, 

 with occasional patches of rocks, the depths varying from fifty-five to eighty-five fathoms. The 

 current, though occasionally strong, is weaker here than farther west on the bank, and, excepting 

 during easterly winds, is but little noticed. The general set is westerly. The Eidges were for 

 a number of years one of the favorite places of resort for the halibut catchers iu the winter, and 

 many good trips of cod have also been taken th'ere at that season. At present, but few halibut 



