THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR
FISHERIES
In the last Fisherman, we printed
the “recommendations” of the Ad
visory Board. Bear in mind that
this “Advisory Board” is a creature
of Governor Scott C. Bone, whose
motto is “support Herbert Hoover”
perchance to get reappointed gover
nor.
This Board consists of the Alaska
Territorial Fish Commission unlaw
fully created* To this were added a
cannery lawyer, a big cannery owner
and an old troller. These men were
appointed for but one purpose as
announced by our New York gover
nor, to-wit. that the meetings shall
be harmonious and undisturbed by
any radical.
What happened? Everything pro
posed by Henry O’Malley was ap
proved unanimously. Carl Sutter
protested the wholesale closing of
all the Ketchikan seining grounds.
Sam Butts, the fishermen’s repre
sentative, approved by Scott C. Bone,
has said nothing that would indi
cate that he did not favor the clos
ing of almost all the seining grounds.
One thing is certain:
Through- the efforts of Henry O’
Malley and the “Alaska Advisory
Board,” our fisheries will be turned
over to trap interests next year.
FROM THE NUSHIGAK
Dillingham,
Aug. 19, 1924.
W. L. Paul,
Ketchikan, Alaska.
Dear Sir:
Sorry you had to quit for a time
but better luck next time. I also
saw you won out in the primaries
and that is good. Alaska for the
Alaskan, that is my motto. Do doubt
you have the interests of Alaska at
heart, and I wish you every success
in your fight for her rights.
There was a very good run of fish
on the Nushigak this summer, and
also a very good escapement to the
lakes; thanks to the 36 hours closed
season, an excellent law. The can
neries all put up a good pack. Bur
what I do not like to see is the re
suming of the old style of unlimited
gear and fish with as many boats to
the line as each cannery wants. As
it was this summer each cannery
brought up four boats to each lino.
That is all right. Each cannery can
hire as many residents as they can;
that is also all right. It gives the
resident a better chance. The fish
erman who comes up here from the
outside has all the best of it. If
there is a poor run of fish the can
nery is tickled to death to buy the
residents’ fish, but when a good run
of fish comes in and the limit flag
goes up, the fisherman from the out
side can still deliver 1,200 fish per
boat every 24 hours, but the resident
cannot sell his fish. Is that fair ?
Why is the so-called Alaska Fisher
mans’ Union so antagonistic to Alas
kans? They kick to beat the band
if a cannery hires a resident, and
the most of them are not even citi
zens. Ye Gods, I have it hot and
heavy with some of them sometimes.
Well we hope to get things straight
ened out some time, but I would like
to see the resident get an even break
next summer. There are no more
traps on the Nushigak and that is
one evil done away with.
Dan sure put up a good fight. He
sent me the complete hearings before
the committee on marine and fisher
ies. It was very interesting. A few
more Jones’s and Hadleys and a Mr.
Ball or two thrown in, and it would
be good-bye Alaska Salmon.
Well, I will have to quit. Good
bye and success to you.
Your well-wisher,
TOM GARDINER.
FROM CONGRESSIONAL
RECORD. APRIL 9 1924
The fish of Chignik Bay have been
destroyed. It was one of the greatest
salmon streams in Alaska, if not in
the world. This season 216,000 fisn,
by actual count, escaped, and about
850.000 were placed in cans. The
216.000 have escaped to replenish a
supply of fish which, under normal
conditions, would be about 5,000,000
or 6,000,000, for that is a very low
estimate of the number of fish that
would be found in Chignik Lake
under normal conditions. That stream
EAGLE CAFE
S. Nakamura, Prop.
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
Best Meals in Ketchikan
is absolutely destroyed. There has
not been a net or seine within 50
miles of Chignik River for the past
ten years, and, I think, for the past
15 or 20 years It is STRICTLY A
COUNTRY MONOPOLIZED BY
TRAPS. The traps catch every fish
that runs in the open season and
there is no room to operate a seine
or a gill net.”
$ $ i|c s|s s|s
John McNabb, former inspector of
fisheries for British Columbia said:
“Why do the laws prohibit fishing
for salmon with traps and wheels ?
Because they are so destructive to
young or immature fish, and also to
varieties of fish which are valuable
but are not to any great extent
utilized by the canneries or salmon
fishermen, and are thus a very de
structive agency.”
-♦
The powers that be left conserva
tion measures to the wish of the
halibut fisherman and the closed
season was the result.
Smith’s Taxi Service
DAY and NIGHT
Phone 11
Ketchikan, Alaska
Codings’ Cash Store
I. W. COLLINGS, Prop.
58 Mission St.
New & Second Hand
Household Goods
Telephone 188
Ketchikan, Alaska
ZIPP WOO
Hand Laundry
150 Stedman Street
Ketchikan, Alaska_
e
JEWELERS
KNOX BROS.
OPTICIANS
Ketchikan, Alaska
Expert Watchmakers and Jewelers
Diamonds, W atches, Jewelry
Mail Orders Solicited
Finest Optical Equipment in Alaska
DR. GEO. C. GASTON IN ATTENDANCE
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