SALT HALIBUT FISHEKY. 1)5 



2. FISHING GROUNDS. 

 DAVIS' STRAIT. 



(a) LOCATION AND CHARACTER. The fishing banks are 15 to 40 miles from the coast, and, if 

 we can rely upon the Danish charts, extend from Disko Bay to within 3 of Cape Farewell; for 

 these charts give soundings all along the coast between these two points. Extensive as the banks 

 may be, only a small part of them, the part about Holsteiuborg and Cape Amalia, has been tried 

 by American fishermen. That the fish are to be found throughout their whole extent is more than 

 probable, for the species is identical with that taken on the Grand Bank, and we would naturally 

 iufer it would be found in all favorable situations within the limits of its distribution. It is also 

 reported that Capt. Rasmus Madsen, commonly known as "Captain Hamilton," who has been to 

 Greenland several times, set his trawls for these fish farther to the south (probably off of Godthaab) 

 and found them very abundant, but was unable to secure many on account of the numerous ground 

 sharks playing the mischief with his trawls. 



At (/ape Amalia are the favorite fishing grounds of the natives, and a few of the Gloucester 

 vessels have visited them, but, as the fishing there is mostly by anchoring in the harbor and send- 

 ing the dories a distance of 2 or 3 miles, this place does not offer many inducements to our fisher- 

 men. The best luck has attended the vessels fishing off and to the south of Holsteiuborg. 



Previous to 1872 the fishing grounds were 4 or 5 miles off Holsteinborg. That year, however, 

 some of the fleet went 30 miles off this settlement, and since that time most of the fishing has been 

 done on this latter ground. 



In 1879 the fishing in July was on this ground, but in August better fishing was secured on a 

 new ground 20 miles south of this. In 1881 the best fishing was found in the vicinity of Victori 

 Island, some 15 miles from shore, in water from 14 to 28 fathoms deep. 



Between the old ground off Holsteinborg and Victori ground there is a gully over 150 fathoms 

 deep and 15 or 20 miles wide, and there is probably another gully south of Victori ground. 



The depth of water on the banks is from 15 to 90 fathoms, and, on this account, the fishing is 

 much easier than in the deep water of the Grand Bank. At the inner edge the banks have a 

 sudden slope, leaving a long submarine valley, the depth of which I did not ascertain, between 

 them aud the mainland. The surface of the banks is varied, though generally rocky, with here 

 and there sandy and clayey spots. 



The character of the fauna varies considerably, and often abruptly, in places a little distance 

 apart, as the following extract from my diary of the 25th of July will show: "The fish caught 

 to-day and two preceding days have not been taken on all sides of the vessel, but in one particular 

 spot, where the bottom is more attractive than elsewhere. This spot is covered by tunicata, called 

 'sea-lemons' and 'sea pumpkins.' The moment the trawls strike the bottom covered by the stems 

 of Jrydrozoa, by the crew called 'trees,' the fish are no longer found in any quantity." 



It will readily be seen from the preceding remarks that a careful survey of the banks, with the 

 view of determining their limits, character, and fauna, could not fail to be of great value to the 

 fishing interest, to say nothing o'f its immense" importance from a natural history and geological 

 point of view. 



(b) Climate. The climate on the banks for July and August is, ou the whole, very favorable 

 for fishing. In the tables which follow I have omitted observations made in harbors, in order to 

 avoid confusing the two climates together, for there is considerable difference. The climate on the 

 banks is more constant in temperature and absence of rain, but more variable in respect to wind. 



