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Page 47
The Western Bank seems to be a good feeding ground for both cod and
halibut as it abounds in shellfish and crustaceans, and at certain
periods there are many smaller species of fish upon it, such as the lant
and herring, on which these species and the haddock, also, especially
prey. A considerable amount of swordfish is taken here in August and
September, mainly by American vessels.
Banquereau. Separated from the Western Bank by The Gully, this has a
very irregular form--the main bank roughly rectangular, with a narrow
westerly extension of comparatively regular form. Its length, E. and W.,
is about 120 miles, its greatest width about 47 miles, and its total
area about 2,800 miles.
The main portion of the bank lies between 44� 04' and 45� 01' north
latitude and 67� 10' and 59� 00' west longitude, and the western
prolongation lies between 44� 24' and 44� 42' north latitude and 69� 00'
and 80� 05' west longitude. North of Banquereau lies Artimon, distant
3 miles, and Misaine, distant from 2 to 15 miles according to the places
from which measurements are taken. The currents here are of varying
force, much influenced by the wind, so that several days of strong tides
may be followed by intervals when there is little if any current.
On the eastern part of Quereau is an area of shoal ground called the
Rocky Bottom, having a depth of about 18 fathoms; elsewhere depths run
from 18 to 50 fathoms. For the most part the bottom is rocky, but there
are scattered patches of sand and gravel.
Cod and halibut are the principal food fishes taken, hake, haddock, and
cusk being taken in small numbers. The Rocky Bottom, a shoal ground of
20 to 25 fathom depths on the eastern part, was much resorted to by dory
handliners in summer. The cod are most plentiful on the eastern part of
the bank, though occasional good fares are taken toward the west. The
best cod fishing on this bank is from May until September, when the
schools gather to feed upon the lant, squid, crustaceans, and shellfish,
then very abundant.
Halibut are found here all the year off the edges in 100 to 400 fathoms.
Apparently these are feeding and breeding grounds for this species, and
it is not unusual for a school to remain for weeks and even months in
one locality, though some of these may be fish in migration northward.
The principal halibut grounds are along the southern and eastern borders
of the bank--the Southwest Prong and the Southwest Cove (in about 44�
N. lat. and between 58� 30' and 58� 55' W. long), the Middle Prong (44�
14' N. lat. and 58� W. long.), and the Eastern Slope (44� 28' to 45� 00'
N. lat.)--in depths of 150 to 400 fathoms. These deep-water areas are
rocky and support a very rich growth of gorgonians, corals, sea
anemones, etc. The Eastern Slope has an abundance of bank clams in
depths of 25 fathoms. These beds are good hand-line grounds for cod. The
halibut, too, feeds to a considerable extent upon these red clams.
The Stone Fence off the eastern slope of Quereau is a very rocky piece
of ground full of "trees" (corals) in 250 fathoms. This is a good
halibut ground although it is almost impossible to haul the gear by hand
and the use of the "gurdy" (a roller turned by a crank and fastened to
the dory's bow for winding up the trawl) becomes necessary. Occasional
fares of halibut are taken on and about the Rocky Bottom in 20 to 25
fathoms from July 1 to August 1.
The Gully. This is the deep waterway between Banquereau and Sable
Island or Western Bank. It extends in an WNW. and an ESE. direction
north of Sable Island, turning somewhat abruptly S. at its eastern end
and continuing down between the eastern end of Western Bank and the
Southwest Prong of Banquereau. The entire length is about 80 miles, the
greatest width about 20 miles. Depths range from 68 to 145 fathoms over
a bottom of rocks, gravel, sand, and mud. The rocky and gravelly
portions form several ridges separated by areas of finer materials,
except in the eastern section, where the intervals between are mostly
covered by pebbles and sharp rocks. Ocean currents are generally
westerly, of varying strength, much affected by the easterly winds.
The Gully is a very important halibut ground. The halibut are not found
in great numbers all over the ground, perhaps the best of the fishing
being on the rocky and gravelly ridges and slopes included between the
meridians of 69� and 80� west longitude. This rocky bottom is rich in
food, and the lant and herring are usually plentiful here in their
season. In the spring the halibut seem to be especially numerous in the
northern and northwestern parts of the bank, later, in June and July,
moving farther out. Some, are found here in winter. While the cod is
sometimes found in The Gully in 60 to 90 fathoms, it does not seem to be
of regular occurrence; and apparently there are almost no haddock here,
probably because of the depth of the water and the nature of the bottom.
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