Old Southeast.  Extends from the shore soundings at White Island (one of the isles of Shoals) 7 or 8 miles Se. nearly to Jeffreys in a long, rather narrow point.  It is a piece of broken ground with a hard bottom, having depths running from 20 fathoms on the inner parts to 50 fathoms farther out and deepening suddenly on all sides to the mud about it.  Fish and their seasons are as on Blue Clay, haddock being most abundant on the eastern edge from January through March.  This is growing steadily in importance as a gill-netting ground.

The Prairie.  This name has been given to a flat ground of generally level bottom, lying E. by N. from Boon Island 7 miles.  It has depths of from 41 to 50 fathoms over mud and gravel, rising out of 60 fathoms over the muddy ground about it.  It extends in a generally ENE. by WSW. direction, 2 miles long by 1 mile wide.  It is a “blistery” ground, the presence of these growths on a rocky or gravelly bottom usually meaning good fishing.  This is principally a haddock ground, with the best season from mid March to the 1st of May.  This is a small-boat and gill-netting ground.  It is also visited to a considerable extent by the larger vessels of the Portland fleet in the severer weather of the winter and early spring because of its accessibility.

Blue Clay Ground. also called Southeast Ground.  This bears S. by E. from Boon Island. from which it is distant 8 miles.  The form of the ground is roughly square and is from 4 to S miles across.  Depths here range from 30 on the shoalest parts to 60 fathoms, the bottom being of tough blue clay.  The water deepens suddenly on the muddy ground all about it.  It is one of the best winter haddock grounds in this vicinity, particularly the eastern edge, which is much resorted to by haddock trawlers from January through March, when this species is most abundant here.  It is a good winter cod ground, also.

A long, narrow strip of hard bottom, separated from the Blue Clay by a narrow mud gully of somewhat greater depth, is called the Prong.  Depths here run from 30 fathoms on the inner parts to 70 fathoms offshore.  This piece furnishes a very suitable bottom for operating gill nets and is much visited by this type of craft.  The Prong lies S. by E. from Cape Porpoise 17 miles.  Marks:  Bring Acre Hill in line, Notch of Agamenticus at the distance from Cape Porpoise just given.  From the Isle of Shoals the Prong is distant 10 miles Se. by E.

Duck Island Ridges.  These are two narrow rocky ridges running from Duck Island (one of the Isles of Shoals) toward Boon Island. reaching within I mile of the latter.  Depths are from 25 to 30 fathoms.  These are good cusk and haddock grounds in the winter and spring, the cusk remaining on the ground also from April to October.  This is a cod ground in winter and spring, the fish being taken on the “bobber trawl.” which is a trawl of the ordinary type buoyed to “set” 1 fathom or so from the bottom.  It is a hand-line ground in summer for cod and pollock.  Both small boats and vessels, line trawlers, and gillnetters operate here.  It is also a lobster ground.