Trap Fishing Proves
Live Question.
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Enquiry into the effect of sal
mon traps in waters contiguous
to the Alaskan boundary in
Northern British Columbia was
continued in Vancouver, B. C.,
recently following the enquiry
held at Prince Rupert. Judge
J. N. Ellis, appointed by the Fed
eral government to hear evi
dence and prepare a report, re
ceived fishery and cannery in
terests at the Board of Trade
rooms, Vancouver.
Although the canners protest
ed that the establishment of
fish traps would mean an in
crease in the pack, and no de
crease in the amount caught by
seines, gill nets, and by trolling
operations, fishermen said the
traps would jeopardize their ex
istence, and curtail their reven
ues. The canners declared that
salmon which would be taken by
traps would be those now escap
ing Canadian fishing gear, and
reaching United States waters.
In addition to contending that
the quantity of fish captured in
Canadian waters would increase
through use of the traps, Richard
Gosse, managing director, B. C.,
Packers, Ltd.’ also said that the
quality of trap-caught fish is
much better than that of those
caught in seines or gill nets.
This view was also taken by
Richard Bell-Irving, Anglo, B. C.,
Packing Co., Ltd., and J. S. Eck
man, Canadian Fishing Co, Ltd.
Mr. Bell-Irving pointed out that
the additional revenue received
from the better quality product
would mean higher prices for
fish, and for fishermen. Mr.
Eckman said that his company
receives a premium on trap
caught fish.
Mr. Bell-Irving attacked the
use of seines as the most serious
enemy of the fish. He pointed
out that seines were able to fol
low the fish, while traps were
stationary.
If traps would catch fish
spawning in Canadian waters,
Mr. Eckman said, they should
not be allowed. He thought, how
ever, that all evidence showed
that most of the salmon enroute
to U. S. waters when caught in
this manner.
J. J. Vickers, a fisherman of
25 years of experience, assailed
the establishment of traps on
the grounds that traps had de
pleted the Fraser River Fisher
ies.
Sam Hornbrook, another fish
erman, pointed out that traps
were in operation 24 hours per
clay, as compared with the re
stricted hours allowed seine fish
ermen.
John Martin, northern coast
fisherman, told the commission
that his chief objection to traps
was their establishment at Hay
stack Island. He did not think
that traps in Pearse Channel,
and elsewhere would have much
adverse effect on fishermen.
Merril Des Brisay, who oper
ated a cannery on the northern
British Columbia coast until 1924
declared that the establishment
of traps would mean the inter
cepting of many fish which
would otherwise be taken on the
United States side. Mr. Maiden,
Fishermens’ Representative, ap
peared at the closing session. He
added to his previous remarks
by stating that the fishermen
and private cannery and fleet
owners, were entirely opposed to
the establishment of traps any
where.
He stated that the growth in
fishing licenses from 6,000 to 14,
000 in 1928 had already resulted
in serious curtailment of opera
tions in the interests of conser
vation, and the establishment of
traps would only mean further
curtailments. He pointed out
that tagging experiments showed
that 20 per cent of the sockeye
went north, and 18 per cent
came south, leaving on this basis
only about 2 per cent going into
Henry Bell-Irvng, Canadian
Fishing Company, Ltd., declared
that even when traps had been
cperated in the north there were
equally as many fishermen em
Alaska and the balance going to
the Fraser River Area,
ployed.
Mr. Hager Presents Case
A. L. Hager, Canadian Fishing
Co., Ltd., was the last witness to
appear, concluded the Vancouv
er sessions with a long plea for
llie adoption by the fishing in
dustry as a whole of modern
“machine” methods of catching
fish.
He declared that if the fish
traps in Alaskan waters could be
abolished, the Canadian salmon
pack would show surprising in
creases. He despaired, however,
of such a solution to the prob
lem, and warned the fishermen
that if they were to keep pace
with the United States cannery
production, and obtain the same
measure of prosperity as the
United States competitors, they
must adopt similar methods.
Mr. Hager not only advocated
the establishment of fish traps
in northern British Columbia
waters, but throughout all Can
adian waters on the Pacific
Coast.
“I believe,” he stated “that our
government ought to tell us
when and where we can fish,
but not how we can fish. How
we fish is not in my opinion, the
government’s business.”
Mr. Hager admitted that the
establishment of traps at Hay
stack Island and other northern
points might catch some fish
which would otherwise be taken
by gill nets, but declared that
trars no* effect the troll
ors.