NORTH ATLANTIC FISHING GROUNDS 15 



meridians of 48 and 54, giving it an area of 37,000 

 square miles, or more than that of the state of Indiana. 

 A channel separates the bank from Cape Race, which is 

 35 miles distant. The polar current sweeps across the 

 bank from the north to the southwest, bearing icebergs 

 to the northern and eastern parts of the bank, causing 

 dense fogs, preventing fishing much of the season each 

 year, and imperiling, not only fishermen, but trans-At- 

 lantic liners as well. In summer, the Gulf Stream sweeps 

 over the southern part of the bank; in winter, it flows 

 past a few miles to the south. 



Shoals are found at Virgin Rocks and Eastern Shoals, 

 located in the northern part of the bank. The Virgin 

 Rocks consist of a group of small rocky shoals, the more 

 important being Main Ledge, with three to 19 fathoms* 

 depth, Briar Shoal, Southwest Rock, and Bucksport 

 Shoal with a depth of 4% to 11 fathoms. The Eastern 

 Shoals lie 15 miles eastward of the Virgin Rocks, and 

 have a range in depth from 7 to 27 fathoms. The average 

 depth of the bank as a whole is between 35 and 45 fathoms. 



The southern part of the bank has a bottom of fine 

 sand of varying color; a middle section consists of 

 sand, gravel and pebbles over certain areas; the northern 

 part is of gravel, pebbles and rocks. The eastern edge of 

 the bank descends rapidly into deep water. The south- 

 west edge of the bank is the best region for halibut. Cod 

 are found principally on the southern half of the bank and 

 on the central and northern part. Other fish that are 

 caught are bank quahogs, bank clams, clams, periwinkles, 

 sea anemones, sea pumpkins, sea lemons, crabs, shrimp, 

 starfish, specimens of octopus, squid and capelin. 



The fishing season lasts from April to October. Early 

 in the season the fishing is carried on at the southern 

 part of the bank. As the season advances the fleet moves 

 northward to the vicinity of the Virgin Rocks. In June 



