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Page 46
Formerly the cod and halibut were the food fishes most taken here, but
with the changed methods in the fishery (as the growth of the
otter-trawl fleet) and a changed taste in our public the haddock catch
has become the second most important in the receipts of fish from these
waters. The halibut fishery stands third in the list. Other bottom
feeders occur in less numbers, the pollock and the cusk perhaps being
next in order of importance, with hake and a considerable amount of the
various flatfishes in the otter trawls. These latter are marketed as
sole.
Noting the small amount of haddock in the fares taken from these waters
in former years, the writer asked a number of old-time fishermen as to
its abundance in the old days. The reply was usually "Oh, yes, there
were always haddock there; sometimes they bothered us a lot." Then,
noting my surprise at so putting it, "You know, the haddock isn't much
as a salt fish."
It will be noted that in 1923 the haddock catch here was a very good
second to the cod catch in poundage, though not so valuable
proportionately. In the otter-trawl catch from this ground it will be
noted that the positions of the two species are reversed. As a rule,
these steamers certainly take more than 2 pounds of haddock to 1 of cod
on other offshore grounds--perhaps the result of operating in the
shoaler waters and on the smoother bottom because of the difficulty of
dragging over the rocky and kelp-covered ground, which the cod seems to
prefer. But the bottom on the Western Bank is of such nature as to offer
little obstruction to the passage of the net, so that virtually all
parts of it may be fished by this method; and this, added to the known
movements of the cod schools makes it possible at certain seasons of the
year to catch a larger proportion of this species if it is so desired.
Haddock are found about the bars at both ends of the island in March and
from that time to about June 1 in from 15 to 22 fathoms. They are also
abundant 18 miles W. from the Northwest Light at the same seasons and
at the same depths. During April, May, and June they come in close to
the island in from 10 to 17 fathoms--even to 1 fathom. Through the
rest of the year (except for the colder months, when they have moved off
into deeper water) they may be found all over the bank on sandy bottom
in 28 to 30 fathoms, where most of the beam trawl fishing is carried on.
There is a good cod school each year on the comparatively level bottom
along the western and southwestern edges of the ground in 70 fathoms and
more from February 1 to May 1, and in most years a certain amount of
this species is taken on this area. In May this school seems to have
moved on to a piece of bottom about 20 miles long lying SW. from the
Northwest Light and having depths averaging 27 fathoms. With fair
fishing for cod on the Western Bank during most of the year, they seem
to be most abundant from the first of March to June. The winter school
here appears to be smaller than that on Georges, but apparently this
species visits this ground in considerable numbers during the spawning
season. In winter the cod are mainly found upon the western part of the
bank, moving into the shoaler waters toward Sable Island as the spring
advances (during March and April), the "Bend" of the island and the
neighborhood of the bars in 2 to 4 fathoms, where they can be seen
taking the hook or can be "jigged." being favorite grounds. The ground
lying W. from the Northwest Light, on and about the Northwest Bar (18
miles W, from the light), is a favorite cod ground in May and June. The
shoal water over the rocky bottom WNW from the Northwest Light furnishes
good cod fishing from June 10 to July 1. This piece begins just outside
the 3-mile stretch of breakers running out from the land and extends
offshore in a generally westerly direction to 24 fathoms. Much
hand-lining is done here.
In the shoal water, in April and May, the fish seem to be feeding on the
"lant," (Ammodytes americanus). It is said that the fish taken on the
bottom close to the island are smaller than those found farther west.
The shoal water of the northern shore of the island is said to have good
cod grounds and favorite spots for "dory hand-lining." The cod schools
seem to arrive on the Northern Peak (SE. from the Northeast Light 40
miles to SE � S. from same point 28 miles) in late March and the first
of April, moving N. and W. to the island. The cod of Sable Island are
said to be fine, firm fish, perhaps due to the abundance of the "red
clams" (bank clams) on these grounds.
The cod and haddock fishery is carried on by American and Canadian
sailing vessels and otter trawlers, an increasing number of English and
French vessels of the latter class engaging in the fishery of this
ground each year.
Halibut are found on the Western Bank virtually all the year at depths
varying with the seasons. As a halibut bank, this, with The Gully and
Quereau--in fact, all one piece of ground--ranks second only to the Grand
Bank Itself. The best fishing here for halibut is found from January to
October. There are numerous places on and about the bank that the
halibut seems to prefer, as the Peak of Pike, 85 miles W. by S. from the
Northwest Light of Sable Island; S. and SW. of Sable Island from 12 to
38 miles; SW. 20 miles in 60 fathoms in May; thence out into 100 and 150
fathoms in June; in fact, following the 100--fathom curve along the
edge of this bank, past the Northeast Peak (40 miles SE. from the
Northeast Light), into the Gully and around the Southern Prong of
Quereau to the Middle Prong. Apparently they leave this piece of bottom
in July. Often the fish are close to the island in the spring, where the
water is so shoal that they can be seen taking the bait or playing with
the hook before taking. In April, May, and June a good halibut ground is
in 18 fathoms 24 miles WNW. from Sable Island.
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