FRESH HALIBUT FISHERY. (J3 



the halibut came from some uiuliscovered baTik to the eastward and passed across the Grand Bank 

 on their way north and west toward Newfoundland, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Labrador, &c., 

 was, I think, the general belief of the fishermen, at least of snch as took the trouble to formulate 

 nny theory. The discovery of halibut along the east side of the Grand Bank seemingly settles this 

 question, and it is undoubtedly a fact that the great schools of this species which for many years 

 hove been known to migrate northwesterly in the spring make their winter residence on the eastern 

 slope, in depths varying from 100 to probably 400 fathoms. 



Fortunately, halibut were discovered in remarkable abundance in the early summer of 1882 on 

 another and well-known fishing ground, thus rendering it unnecessary for the fishermen to be 

 longer exposed to so many losses and perils as they had experienced on the east side of the Grand 

 Bank. 



On the deeply-submerged plateau which extends in a northwesterly direction from the north- 

 west prong of the Grand Bank to Saint Peter's Bank, forming a sort of border to the southern ei;d 

 of Green Bank by which name this area of bottom is usually called by the fishermen in depths 

 varying from 112 to 250 fathoms, halibut of the finest quality and in extraordinary numbers were 

 found. This locality has been famous for the abundance of halibut in the spring of the year since 

 the discovery of the deep-water fishery in 1875. Since then, however, notwithstanding the fact 

 that large schools of this species have been found off Green Bank almost every spring, it has 

 appeared from the movements of the fish that they were migrating to more northern regions, and 

 that they were only passing over these grounds, pausing slightly, perhaps, in their course, or, at least, 

 moving slowly. On several occasions the movements of these fish have been pretty definitely traced 

 along the southwestern side of Saint Peter's Bank, and into the deep water between this Bank and 

 the shores of Newfoundland. 



For a period of four to six weeks, generally in March and April, large fares were obtained 

 between the northwest prong of the Grand Bank and Saint Peter's Bank. After that interval, 

 however, the fish became scarce, and rarely did it happen that they were sufficiently plenty during 

 the summer for vessels to obtain good fares there. In this connection it may be well to mention 

 that in the summer of 1878 the schooner Gwendolen found a new fishing ground some twenty miles 

 in tin- southwest of Saint Peter's Bank in a depth of about 200 fathoms, where no soundings are laid 

 down on the charts. She succeeded iu taking several large fares, but other schooners learning of 

 her good fortune resorted in such numbers to the same grounds that in September of that year the 

 school had been broken up, nor was any large catch of halibut made on that ground afterward. 

 Allusion is made to this fact because the locality is not far from that region off Green Bank 

 now under discussion, and also because, with this exception, halibut were rarely found abundant 

 in the summer in its immediate vicinity from 1875 until 1882. That year was, however, a marked 

 exception to the general rule, and the fact of halibut being abundant at that point is all the more 

 remarkable, inasmuch as when the schools have been broken up on other fishing grounds, or the fish 

 forced to leave their favorite resorts during a portion of the year, they rarely return to stay in such 

 plentifulness. From early in June until late in October of 1882 the species occurred in almost 

 unprecedented numbers off the southern part of Green Bank in depths ranging from 100 to 250 

 fathoms; whereas, in former years, even when halibut have been most plentiful, a dearth has 

 usually occurred on all the fishing grounds in the latter part of September and in October and 

 November. During those months, however, of 1882, wonderful catches were made, several fares 

 of from 40,000 to 75,000 pounds having arrived at Gloucester. The following are a few of the many 

 instances of large captures made on Green Bank during that season. One of the first fares to 

 arrive from that locality possibly the first was brought in by the schooner Isaac A. Chapman, 



