BULLETIN OE THE UNITED STATES FlSH COMMISSION. 29? 
considered one vast fishing bank, though there are various areas of 
greater or less exteut iu this part of the North Sea that are specially 
noted trawling grounds, and to which specific names have been given. 
A bottom of mud or sand, in a moderate depth of water, is the most 
favorable ground for the use of a beam trawl, providing, of course, fish 
can be taken thereon ; but it often happens that fish are much more 
abundant on rocky grounds, known by the name of “ roughs’ 7 among 
the North Sea fishermeu. Therefore, though there is always a great 
risk of losing the trawl when working on rough bottom, the hope of ob- 
taining a large catch is often sufficient inducement for the fishermen to 
make the venture. 
The most noted of the North Sea fishing grounds is the Dogger 
Bank (divided into several sections, which are distinguished by local 
names) : the Off Ground, the Great Silver Pits, Botuey Ground, Brown 
Bank, the Coast, Leman Ground, and the Great Fisher Bank. Besides 
these, mention may be made of the Horn Beef, Jutland Beef, Flam- 
borough Head Ground, Scarborough Ground, Hartlepool Ground, Sun- 
derland Ground, Fladen Ground, the Cemetery, Flat or Well Bank, 
Sole Pit or Northeast Hole, Smith’s Knowl, Cromer Knowl or Dows- 
ing Ground, the South Ground, North Foreland Ground, .Kentish 
Knock Ground, Margate Ground, the New Bank or Sandiethe, the Falls 
Ground, Bidge and Yarn Banks, and Bye Bay. 
“The fishing grounds most frequented by vessels from the Humber 
[Hull and Grimsby]” writes Mr. Ansell, “are the shoal of the Dogger, 
the southwest and northwest spit of the Dogger, Clay Deeps, the 
northeast part of the Dogger (called the L Cemetery,’ from the rough, 
stony nature of the bottom compared to grave stones), the Fisher 
Bank and beyond the Fisher Bank, Jutland Beefs, the Long Forties, 
t lie Horn Beefs, the Sylt, the Amrarn Bank, Heligoland, off the en- 
trance of the Weser and Elbe, Nordeney, Borkum, Terchelling, Texel, 
etc., besides other grounds south of the Humber, such as the Wells 
Bank, etc. * * * 
“ Plaice are to be found only in the spring and fall on the shoal of the 
Dogger, and in summer on the Horn Beef and Borkum. In winter, 
below the Dogger and off the Flamborough Head. 
“Haddocks are found in abundance on the southwest spit of the 
Dogger about October; in September and October they work along 
the pit edge of the Dogger, and when taken they are found to have 
plenty of herring and spawn in them. 
“ Soles are caught on hard, sandy ground in warm weather, taking 
to deep water, such as the pits, where the bottom is muddy and soft, 
in winter, for warmth.” 
The Dogger Bank , which is a very extensive ground, is situated nearly 
in the middle of the North Sea; its southwest prong is about 70 miles 
in an east-northeast direction from Spurn Point, at the mouth of the 
Humber. From there it extends northeastwardly a distance of 150 
