Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine

Marblehead Bank.-Situated between Grand Manan and German Banks, the shoal water bearing SSE. from Moosabec Light, distant 32 miles. It Is from 12 to 15 miles long and 7 or 8 miles wide, lying between 44 00' and 44' 10' north latitude and 66' 58' and 67' 13' west longitude. There are from 35 to 70 fathoms of water over it; the bottom is mostly clay and gravel.

The principal fishing is for cod, pollock, and haddock, but there are more or less hake and cusk to be had from this ground. The best fishing season is from early spring through the early part of the summer, and this ground is of little account after July.

The same type of vessels operate here as on the neighboring banks, with an occasional larger vessel. The craft are mostly hand-liners from Cutler, Jonesport, and Rockland, with a few vessels from the trawl fleets of Portland and others from the Canadian Provinces.

Haddock are found in the shoal water from May to October. Cusk are on the eastern portion in from 60 to 70 fathoms virtually the year around. Many large hake are present on the western edge in 80 to 90 fathoms in the summer. The June and July cod school is the best, but this species is present in smaller numbers all the year. Halibut are found all over the bank, being especially abundant in the eastern shoal water in spring and summer (April to October). It seems necessary to leave the halibut trawls down for a longer set here than on other grounds in order to make a good catch.