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Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine

Big Ridge (of Cashes Bank) This is a broken and rocky piece of bottom running from the tip of the southeastern part of the ground, at about 10 miles S. from the buoy on Ammens Rock and about 82 miles SE. ½ S. from the lightship at Portland, to a point about 20 miles S. by E. from the buoy named.

Its length is not to be stated definitely, and It is probably greater than here shown. The width averages about 1½ to 2 miles. Depths are from 65 to 80 fathoms and more, increasing gradually as It goes away from the main bank.

The species and their seasons of abundance here are as on Cashes Bank. Perhaps this is more of a cod and cusk ground than is the main part of Cashes Bank, the cusk being particularly abundant during March and April. Halibut also are found here in May and June in from 50 to 60 fathoms of water. A considerable amount of the fish shown in the table of the catch from the area included in Cashes Bank may very well have come from this piece of ground.

Another big ridge, paralleling the 100-fathom curve of Georges Bank at about 20 miles N. of it, lies SE. by S. from the buoy on Cashes Ledge, 40 miles to its center; SE. by S. 110 miles from Portland Lightship; ESE. 92 miles from Cape Ann to its western end; and E. by S. ½ S. from the ship at Boston 100 miles.

This ridge also Is of somewhat indefinite area, being perhaps 20 miles long in an ESE. and WNW. direction by 1 1/2 to 3 miles wide. Apparently depths are fairly uniform from 85 to 95 fathoms, the bottom on the ridge being of coarse black sand and having blue mud on the deeper area around It.

This is said to be a good cod and cusk ground the year around.

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