74 FISHING-GKOUNDS OF NOETH AMEKICA. 



locality for vessels from the coast of Maiue, but since the almost universal adoption of trawl- 

 fishing, only a few American vessels beyond Georgcsmeu (haud-liuers) go there. The New 

 London halibut schooners occasionally visit it in summer. The fleet resorting there now is 

 principally composed of vessels belonging to the western part of Nova Scotia, which generally 

 " fish at a drift," moving back and fortli over the ground with the wind and currents. 



geokge's bank. 



George's Bank is by far the largest and most important fishing-ground near the coast of the 

 United States, and is second to none in the Western Atlantic except the Grand Bank of 

 Newfoundland. It lies to the eastward of Cape Cod and Nantucket Shoals, and is apparently an 

 extension of the latter, since the water is no deeper between the southern part of the shoals and 

 the western part of the bank than in many places upon it. As laid down on the charts, the 

 southern limit is in 40° 40' north latitude, although the fifty-fathom line extends seven miles 

 farther south ; the southern boundary may, therefore, be regarded as in about 40° 30' and the 

 northern as 42° OS' north latitude. The eastern part is in about 00° ;iud the western iu 09° west 

 longitude. The greatest length from the northeastern to the southwestern extremity is about one 

 hundred and fifty miles, and the greatest width north and south ninety-eight miles, according to 

 the charts of the United States Coast Survey. The depths range from two to fifty fathoms. On 

 the western part, between the parallels of 41° 10' and 41° 53' north latitude and the meridians 

 of 67° 20' and 68° 37' west longitude, are a number of shoals, known as the East Shoal, the North 

 Shoal, the Southwest Shoal, Cultivator Shoal, etc. The Southwest Shoal is the largest, being 

 fifteen miles in length south-southwest and north-northeast, with an average width of two and 

 one-half miles. The position of the center of this shoal is 41° 39' north latitude and 07° 48' west 

 longitude. There are from two to fifteen fathoms of water on the shoals, and between them from 

 twelve to thirty fathoms. The tides sweep over these with great force, causing strong rips, and, 

 during rough weather, the sea breaks heavily on them, rendering approach to their vicinity 

 extremely hazardous. The bottom is chiefly sand, although patches of rough ground — gravel, 

 pebbles, and rocks — of greater or less extent, are found in some localities. Its position between 

 the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf Stream causes the tides to run swifter than on the other banks, 

 and to swirl around instead of passing directly back and forth. They sweep around the compass, 

 from left to right, attaining the greatest velocity when flowing southeast and northwest and the 

 least velocity when moving southwest and northeast. The first attempt at fishing on this bank, 

 of which there is any record, was made in 1821 by three Gloucester vessels. The George's cod 

 and halibut fishery of later date did not become fully established as a permanent industry until 

 about 1835, although vessels went there for halibut in 1830. At first the catches consisted mostly 

 of halibut, but since 1850 they have been chiefly of codfish, although more or less halibut are taken 

 with them. During the months of February, March, and April large schools of cod make their 

 appearance on the bank. They are generally found on the "winter fishing-ground," a part of 

 the bank lying to the eastward of the shoals, between 41° 30' and 42° north latitude and 06° 

 38' and 07° 30' west longitude. This is essentially a spawning-ground for the cod, which appear 

 to come on the bank from the southeast, as they almost invariably, after reaching the ground, 

 move slowly to the north and west as spring approaches. This is in the direction of the shoals, 

 a.ud, as the pursuit of the fish brings the vessels near the latter, great loss of life and property 

 sometimes occurs during heavy easterly gales. As soon as the spawning season is over the schools 

 of cod break up, but more or less fish are caught on different parts of the bank during the entire 

 year, though rarely, if ever, are they found so plentiful as when the winter school is on the 

 ground. 



