Grand Banks of Newfoundland

The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland. These areas are on the edge of the North American continent and are famous for having lots of fish and sea animals. You can find swordfish, haddock, capelin, shellfish, seabirds, and sea mammals there.

In the late 1900s, too much fishing made some fish, like the Atlantic cod, become very rare. To help the fish grow back, fishing near the Grand Banks stopped from 1992 until 2024. The Grand Banks have always been important for fishing and the people who live near the sea.

Significance

The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are underwater areas southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. These areas are shallow, with depths from 15 to 91 metres.

The meeting of cold Labrador Current and warm Gulf Stream waters brings nutrients to the surface. This makes the Grand Banks a rich place for fishing. It is home to many types of fish, including Atlantic cod, swordfish, haddock, and capelin. The area also has plenty of shellfish, seabirds, and sea mammals.

History

During a time called the Last Glacial Maximum, large glaciers covered the Grand Banks. About 13,000 years ago, the ice melted, leaving the Grand Banks as islands. Rising sea levels about 8,000 years ago then covered these islands.

Fishermen from many places, including France, Portugal, and Spain, began fishing on the Grand Banks after John Cabot discovered them in 1497. The fish from these waters helped early European settlers in eastern Canada and New England.

Later, new fishing technology and disagreements about fishing led to too much fishing. This caused many fish, especially cod, to disappear. Because of this, Canada had to close the fishery in 1993 to help the fish populations recover.

Geological research

Canada is studying the sea and land near its eastern coast. These studies help Canada protect its rights to the area under international rules.

Scientists have found oil in some places. Big projects like Hibernia, Terra Nova, and White Rose are being built there. The area can be hard to work in because of the rough seas.

Climate change

The waters near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland are slowly getting warmer because of climate change. Between 1950 and 2016, the temperature of the surface water rose by about 0.13 °C every ten years. The deeper water has not warmed up as much.

See also: Climate change in Canada

Culture

The Grand Banks have been featured in many stories and books. They appear in Rudyard Kipling’s novel Captains Courageous from 1897 and Sebastian Junger’s book The Perfect Storm from 1997. The Banks were also shown in the film The Hunt for Red October.

Herman Melville wrote about seeing whales when he passed through the Banks in his book Redburn: His First Voyage from 1849. Canadian author Farley Mowat also wrote about the Banks in his book The Grey Seas Under.

A popular Canadian song called "Something to Sing About" mentions the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, even though the Banks are underwater and you can’t walk there.