As to the charts, it has been the writer's endeavor, by consulting a
large number of fishing captains of long experience upon these grounds,
to reduce the margin of inaccuracy as much as possible. In case of
conflict of their opinion, the greatest agreement as to the facts has
been accepted.
The grounds as drawn are not meant to include any definite depth curve
but are meant to show certain fishing areas. It is known of course, that
most species frequent the shallows and the deep water at the various
seasons: also, that certain other species are found on the deeper
soundings during virtually all the year. Thus, if a given area appears
as a larger ground than is shown upon other charts made for navigating
purposes, often this is because we have included in it a cusk ground or
a hake bottom lying adjacent to the shoal as charted.
A large number of these grounds have been described before by G. Browne
Goode and others, and where possible their work has been used as a basis
for the present paper, with any further information or the noting of any
changed condition of the grounds or difference in fishing methods
employed upon them that was obtainable.
Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made to the many captains who
furnished information that, made the drawing of the charts possible and
for the facts used in the descriptions of the fishing grounds.
With the offshore banks, particularly with the Georges area and Browns
Bank and to a certain extent, also, the western portion of the Inner
Grounds, the writer has had a considerable personal acquaintance from
which to draw.
For the geographical and historical data the writer has quoted freely
from various modern authors, who, in their turn, have drawn their facts
from older records. Among those quoted are Holmes's American Annals;
Parkman's Pioneers of France in the New World; Southgates History of
Scarburo; Abbott and Elwell's History of Maine; Willis's History of
Maine; Sabine's Report on the Principal Fisheries of the American Seas;
A History of the Discovery of the East Coast of North America, by Dr.
John G. Kohl, of Bremen, Germany; various chapters of Hakluyt's Voyages;
the Journal of John Jocelyn, Gent.; and New England Trials of the famous
Captain John Smith.