In Scottish and Orkney fishing, large deep-sea fishing grounds or areas of deep water suitable for fishing.
From Old Norse haf 'sea,' brought to Scotland by Norse settlers and fishermen. The term is particularly preserved in Scottish maritime vocabulary, especially in the northern islands.
Haafs are fishing grounds so remote that Orkney fishermen would venture into them for weeks, developing specialized boats and techniques—they were like the outer space of medieval fishing.
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