lage on the Chilcat Rivear.
Fishing In Icy Straits
“The Icy Straits district is the
most important to the northern
spawning districts like Lynn Canal,
Excursion Inlet, Port Frederick,
Chatham Straits and Stephens Pas
age.
“The tides in this district are so
swift and strong that it is only pos
sible for the seine fishermen to
operate for a short time during
slack water. If it. were not for the
fish traps, salmon would have al
most continuous free passage to the
spawning grounds. But this sum
mer fourteen traps were located
from Three Hill Island to the in
side end of Innian Island which
completely blocked the narrow pas
sages into the straits.
"In the interests of the whole
fishing industry, this area should
be entirely closed to traps which
by their location and efficiency lay
tribute to almost 100 per cent of the
fish that are trying to get to their
spawning grounds.”
Taku River District
The Convention endorsed the peti
tion of the Douglas Natives in rela
tion to their fishing district in Taku
River.
UNITED SONS AGAINST WASTE
OP FOOD FISH
Resolution Adopted
We, members of Fort Number 2,
United Sons of Alaska, residents of
the town of Ketchikan, Alaska, are
familiar with our own town and with
our Division of the Territory. We
are anxious to maintain the popula
tion and industries of Alaska.
Of all the industries, fishing is
the most important. Of this indus
try, there are three natural divi
sions, namely, 3eining, trolling and
halibut fishing.
The causes for the decline in sein
ing have been pointed out many
times by our Delegate to Congre3s
and a solution offered. Altho the
Bureau of Fisheries is still compro
mising.
During the past few weeks, the
depletion of our herring fisheries has
alarmed the entire country. Upon
careful investigation, and from the
actual experience of our member
ship, the cause is the wholesale use
of herring for fertilier. From the
reports of trade journals, one mil
lion pounds of herring are ground
into fertilizer each day during the
season. The result is inevitable for
large areas today are depleted 100
per cent. Herring for bait is not
obtainable. Numbers of halibut
boats and many trollers are unable
to fish for this reason. The loss of
our halibut business and trolling
business mean3 the destruction of
Ketchikan and other towns of Alas
ka.
We therefore direct our Delegate
to Congress, the Honorable Dan
Sutherland, to lay this protest be
fore the President of the United
States to the end that the use of
herring for fertilizer be prohibited
and the wanton waste of food flsh
be stopped.
Unanimously adopted by Fort No.
2, having over 400 members—Oc
tober 2$, 1927.
Commercial Club Re
quest Hearing at
Ketchikan
“Without an attempt at boaBting.
it may truthfully be said that the
Department of Commerce has and
doe? give an attentive ear to the
recommendations of the Commercial
Club of Ketchikan, and we are told
that the Department regards the
Club's recommendations very high
ly."—John R. Beegle.
On November 25th last, the Com
mercial Club asked Henry O'Malley,
a subordinate of the Department of
Commerce, to bold a Ash hearing lu
Ketchikan.
This subordinate of the Depart
ment which regards the Commercial
Club so highly (f) merely replied
that he did not intend to hold a
hearing on the fisheries Question in
Ketchikan.
THE CLUB’S TELEGRAM
The Club recommends, “(First,
that all baya and estuaries contigu
ous to spawning streams be closed
to all types of gear excepting hook
and line.”
This will put the seiners totally
out of business.
The second recommendation ii
“that the weekly closed period be
extended sufficiently to provide pro
per escapement at all stages of the
salmon run and to remove the i^peds
of the present seasonal closed peri
od.”
This is good. They should have
fought the seasonal closed period
scheme when J. R. Heckman firs*
proposed it in 1923.
THE INDEPENDENT TRAPMENS
PLAN
They want “First, that the dis
tance between traps be increased to
two miles, and that all bays which
have no traps at present be closed
to traps.”
“Second, That fishing be allowed
from January 1 to December 31 of
each year with a weekly closed peri
od of 72 hours and that in case of
violation of the 72 hours closed pe
riod that the trap be confiscated and
the area closed.”
THU ALASKA NATIVE BROTHER.
HOOD’S PLAN
The Brotherhood in conven
tion recommended the following
plan which has been forwarded t<
Henry O’Malley by telegram: “Ab
olish seasonal closed period. Permit
no trap or seine fi3hing south of fif
ty-eight forty parallel until July 20
Require traps to liberate all salmon
at six o’clock Saturday night and id*
struct wardens to arrest traps con
taining fish prior to six o’clock
Monday morning thus placing traps
and seines on equality. All fall fish
ing areas like Tenekee should be ob
en in fall. Prohibit traps at Innian
Island and westward, isxtend re
quired distance between traps til