Resolutions of the Alaska Native
Brotherhood
The Brotherhood Invites A Careful Examination and Criti
cism Especially From Those Who Have Voted Against
The Political Program of the BROTHERHOOD
We invite particular attention to
the resolution on the FISH QUES
'I lOX. The outstanding features of
ibis resolution iy their demand for
« 1 t the abolishment of the fish trap;
() abolishment of the “Seasonal
closed season;’’ (:’) the MOVABLH
dead lint'; <4) their pronouncement
that “the fish stream is the real unit
ol conservation.”
These views have never been ad
vocated by any body of people before
so far as we know.
ID MAS REVOLUTIONARY
This program is revolutionary.
But they ire absolutely just and
right. Their adoption would save
millions of dollars to both the can
nery and the fishermen of Alaska.
It is too much to hope that the
BUREAU OF FISHERIES will study
them and adopt them because the
Bureau is managed by moral cow
ards.
I'KOI'OSKR FISH RKOLLATIONS
Resolution JNo. l
The Grand Convention of the
Alaska Native Brotherhood to pro
pose what it believes to he correct
and just system for regulating the
fisheries of southeastern Alaska not
including Yakutat district.
lst:Thatall fish traps be abolished
because these devices are nothing
more than a special privilege that
is contrary to the White Fish Law
which prohibits an exclusive grant
of the right to fish in a given area.
Also because it is the cause of the
decline of our fisheries.
Second: That the closed season
system of conserving fish is wrong
because “If you brood Into fish, you
will got late tisli.” This is the view
of such scientist, as Dr. Charles C.il
bert: it is the view of a number of
tht> officials of the Duronu of Fish
orios expressed in private convusa
tion to several of this convention;
it seems to bo the tendency even
new; it tends to conserve the late
tis1' and loaves unprotected the
early run .
.‘>rd: That, tin* closed area system
is wrong because these areas are
fixed and wide may be right at the
time fixed, due to changes in weather
conditions and other unforseen
matters, may be wrong.
4th In place of the closed season,
we Tecommend a weekly (dosed sys
tem which can be shortened or ex
tended to meet the conditions
around each creek or ■spawning area.
5th. We contend that the unit of
conserving salmon should be the
stream, and whenever a sufficient
number of salmon are escaping into
the stream that the restricted area
be changed even to abolishment, it
being understood that the restricted
area may a’so be enlarged when
conditions require such action,
fitli: That the system of stream
watchmen be maintained, but that
supervisors having good judgment
be given districts of perhaps 100
miles.
7th. That the weekly closed sea
son begin at midnight because this
will end disputes, the opening or
closing of the weekly season in day
light seems to be used by the Bu
reau of Fisheries merely to increase
the number of convictions. In the
cam ol‘ convictions in Klawock Har
bor for fishing before the hour of
six on Monday morning, the native
fishermen at the hour of six accord
ing to their clocks asked the officer
>f the Unite! States government
guarding the restricted area what
time it was. lie answered that it
was none of their damn business and
1<> fish by their own time. Upon do
ing this, this same stream watchman
arrested the fishermen for fishing
before six o’clock. Upon appeal to
lislt warden N. O. Hardy he upheld
the refusal of the stream watchman
in his refusal to inform inquiring
fishermen what time it was. Upon
appeal to the field agent. Dennis
Winn, he also upheld the stream
wetcninan. The United State^ Dis
trict Attorney, Justin W. Harding
thereupon both directly and through
head Fish Warden O’Connor, in
formed these inquiring fishermen
that unless they entered a plea of
guihv to a charge of unlawful fish
ing and pay a fine cf $400. and re
lease the fish caught to the gov
eminent and pay ah costs, he would
proceed to confiscate the boats and
oth ~r gear used in fishing. Under
this system of official blackmail, the
principal actor of which is head
warden O’Connor, the Natives paid
the fines under protest.
8th. In view of the fact that the
Bureau of Fisheries and the United
States District Attorney of the First
Division of Alaska are using the law
improperly, bargaining for a plea of
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