Grand Banks

Grand Banks, shallow fishing region of the North Atlantic Ocean, lying to the south-east of the Island of Newfoundland, Canada. The region consists of several banks, the largest being Grand Bank, that rise from the continental shelf. It extends for about 560 km (350 mi), and its depths generally range from 37 to 183 m (121 to 600 ft). The cold Labrador Current crosses most of the banks, and the warm Gulf Stream flows along the eastern part of the region. The mingling of the two currents, plus the shallowness of the water, provide a favourable environment for plankton, on which fish depend for food. As a result, the Grand Banks has been one of the world's leading fishing grounds for 500 years, especially for cod, haddock, herring, and mackerel. In the 20th century, however, overfishing has led to severe cutbacks in fishing quotas in order to preserve stocks. After Canada, in 1977, extended its jurisdiction over the waters to establish a 322-km (200-mi) exclusive economic zone, this led, on occasions, to international tensions, such as the incident in March 1995 when Canadian authorities seized a Spanish trawler which, they claimed, had exceeded the European Union's quota for Greenland halibut (turbot). In 1992 Canada banned cod fishing in the area. By 1995 stringent conservation measures had been implemented, with the closure of all major cod and flounder fisheries; in 2000 another series of closures was announced, this time to protect the Grand Banks turtle population. Fishing for scallops, clams, and crab has, however, intensified.

In the mid-1960s an intensive exploration of oil reserves began in the area. The first significant oil field was found in the late 1970s, and exploration continued throughout the next decade. Oil production began in 1997, amid serious environmental concerns.

The region has changeable weather patterns that can create dangerous marine conditions. Sudden and dense fog is caused by westerly winds crossing the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and the cool waters of the Labrador Current. The region is also frequented by icebergs carried from the north by the Labrador Current. Occasionally, severe North Atlantic storms known as “north-easters” produce extremely rough seas.