Three Towns
Favor Herring Bill
The bill in congress Introduc
ed by Delegate Wickersham to
stop wanton waste and destruc
tion of salmon and “other food
fish” met with considerable op
position from the Juneau Cham
ber of Commerce. Senator Allen
Shattuck, Democrat, the party
which in its platform decries
the “Wanton waste and destruc
tion of food fish” in Alaska, took
initiative in wiring in protest of
the Juneau Chamber.
Petersburg, Wrangell and Ket
chikan Chambers of Commerce
look the matter up both in re
gular session and in executive
session and all wired in their
support of the measure to Dele
gate Wickersham. All the out
standing fishing towns and vil
lages also support the measure
as against the opposition of
Commissioner Henry O’Malley
and the Juneau Chamber of
Commerce.
-x
Areas Depleted
Of Herring
-X
Hon. James Wickersham,
Washington D. C.
Dear Mr. Wickersham:
In connection with your bill
to prevent waste of food fish
and so on, it might be of some
interest to get another angle to
the problem from the older In
dians. Taking the herring.
There has been no effort fo
get a rough guage of the extent
rf depletion so far. These older
people depended for their food
on herring and spawning places
in the old days, so knew pretty
well where the spawning
grounds were and they can
check up on the places where
there were spawning an4 where
there were enough to draw them
there.
The spawning grounds now
depleted:
Frederick Sound region and
other spawning beds:
Farragut Bay, Hobart Bay,
Tebenkof Bay, Port Campden,
Hamilton Bay, Three Mile Arm,
Washington Bay, an island near
Kake, Tuxekan—on Prince of
Wales Island, Sea Otter Sound,
Seymour Canal, Funter Bay, Auk
Bay, Tee Harbor, Bear Harbor
in Affleck Canal.
To cite a partial list, Sitka
and Fish Egg Island alone are
holding out but they are also
being depleted.
Cape Bendel and Pleasant Bay
had herring all the year around.
Union Bay was once noted for
herring, but is not any more.
It is interesting and a warn
ing. that where the reduction
plants have gone in there has
followed a gradual depletion.
It is a question how long
West Coast of Prince of Wales,
Baranof Island, Clarence Straits
district will support the industry
and our humble opinion is that
it is on the way to depletion
though it is not so noticeable as
they are likely to be in the
spawning areas.
Sincerely,
Frank G. Johnson.
--x
ALASKA FISHING
VESSEL SLATED
-x
Departure of the steamer
North King of the Pacific
American Fisheries from Bell
ingham on March 26 will inaug
urate the opening of the Alaska
salmon canning season for the
company, it was announced ov
Archie W. Shields. Although the
fishing season does not open
until summer, preparations are
being made by the company for
operating eight canneries.
Commanded by Capt. Emil
Jackson, the North King will
clear from Bellingham with a
full cargo of general supplies
and 160 cannery workers for
Zachar Bay, Alitak, Squaw Har
bor and Ikatan.
The steamer Mary D. Capt. H.
W. Fletcher, is scheduled to sail
from the North Sound port on
April 2 for the same ports with
supplies and crews, and will be
followed by the flagship of the
company’s fleet, the Catherine
D., Capt. W. B. Knight, May 10,
for all ports to and including
Port Moller.
To Operate Canneries
Canneries to be operated by
the Pacific-American Fisheries
this season include those at
Annette Island, Zachar Bay and
Alitak on Kodiak Island, Squaw
Harbor and Ikaten on th? Alas
ka Peninsula, r id Po t Moller,
Naknek and Nushagal on Ber
ing Sea.
The steamer ^edwo'd, which
was in the service last year, and
the steamer Norwood, with
drawn from service last season,
will not be commissioned this
year.
FISH PRICES AS OFFERED
BY COOK INLET PACKING CO.
-x
The following prices for hand
trap caught fish, effective 1932
season are being submitted local
fishermen by the Cook Inlet Pkg
Co^x
Reds and silvers, 8c; kings,
40c; pinks, lc; chums 2c. On
this basis fishermen are to
furnish poles. In the event that
the company furnishes poles,
then 7c for reds and silvers and
35c for kings.
Prices are being offered in the
shape of a contract the forms
for signature being received in
the last mail.—Seldovia Herald.
--x
The tax collector may know
our wealth, but God alone knows
our worth.