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Page 41
Over most of the bank the bottom is 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 cause the tide to run swifter than on other banks and to swirl
around instead of passing directly over, back and forth. The writer has
seen two men have difficulty in holding an empty dory against the
current.
The Report on the Fishery Industry of the United States, in 1887, says
that the first attempt at fishing here (of which there is any record)
was made in 1821 by three Gloucester vessels. The cod and halibut
industry, according to the same authority, began in 1830, although not
fully established as a permanent industry until 1835.
The area of the whole bank is approximately 8,050 square miles, all of
which, except for the shoals, is available in summer for the taking of
cod, haddock, cusk, halibut, and hake, with a considerable amount of
mackereling and swordfishing, as well as the taking of other species.
During February, March, and April large schools of cod make their
appearance on the bank. At this season these are found most abundantly
on the "Winter Fishing Ground"; a part of Georges lying eastward and
southeastward of the North Shoal between the parallels of 41� 30' and
42� 00' north latitude and 66� 38' and 67� 30' west longitude. The area
of this Winter Fishing Ground is about 1,100 square miles. This part of
the bank seems entirely given over to the codfish, since it is too
broken, sharp, and rocky to please the haddock. Depths here are from 30
to 40 fathoms, deepening away from the North Shoal. This area is
essentially a spawning ground for the cod, which appear to come on the
hank from the SE., as they almost invariably, after reaching the ground,
move slowly to the N. and W. as spring approaches. This is in the
direction of the shoals. 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 ground at all times of the year, though rarely are they
found so plentiful as when the winter school is on the ground. Cod are
found along the Northern Edge virtually the year around, though many of
the winter school move on to the inner waters of the gulf and others go
over to Browns Bank, where the early comers seem to appear in the first
days of April.
In its production Georges Bank itself is rather evenly divided between
haddock and cod, the cod showing a slightly larger proportion. The South
Channel, on the western edge of Georges, shows predominantly as a
haddock ground, and the haddock from The Channel is considered a better
fish than that from Georges. Georges Bank itself is also an important
haddock ground in the spring and early summer, when this species abounds
about the Cultivator Shoal (SE. by S. 88 miles from Highland Light. Cape
Cod) in depths from 18 to 30 fathoms; and at the same season along the
Northern Edge (140 to 200 miles E. by S. � S. from Boston Lightship in
about 41� to 42� N. lat. and 66� to 88� W. long.) in 45 to 80 fathoms in
summer, the fish moving off into the deeper water (90 to 100 fathoms) in
the neighborhood of the Corner of the Channel as the winter comes on.
Many are found in March, when they return from the deep water, when
fishing is carried on 65 miles SE. from Highland in 70 fathoms; then
they come into the 40-fathom depths from the North Shoal westward to the
Corner of The Channel along the Northern Edge. In April the Cultivator
Cove is good ground even into 20-fathom depths.
The Southwest Part. (120 miles SSE. from Highland Light, Cape Cod,
with 45 to 80 fathom depths) is a good ground for haddock from the
beginning of the fall up to about Christmas, after which the best winter
fishing for this species is found on the Southeast Part (reached by
steaming 145 miles ESE. from Boston Lightship in order to clear the
shoals, then SSE. 40 to 50 miles, depending upon what part of the ground
it is desired to fish). January is perhaps the best fishing month upon
this portion of Georges.
While not considered a halibut ground, as compared with some of the
other offshore banks, Georges can show a very considerable catch of this
species. Because of its nearness to the markets it is more intensely
fished than any other ground of equal area and by a far greater variety
of crafts, most of which take a greater or less amount of halibut. The
otter-trawl fleet, both here and in The Channel, takes a large amount of
this species when its total catch is considered; and these fish are
mainly small, of from 4 to 10 pounds in weight, with only rarely a
larger one. The salt fishers, also, and the rest of the market fleet
combine to make an imposing total of the poundage of halibut from
Georges and its vicinity. The Georges halibut is esteemed by the trade
above the halibut from other grounds. Perhaps its flesh may be superior,
though for what reason it is difficult to say, unless because, since the
trips to this ground average fewer days in length, the fish are received
in the markets in a fresher condition than are those from more distant
banks.
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