50 PERCENT ESCAPEMENT
Commissioner O’Malley is quoted as
follows. “In preparing these regu
lations it was the desire of the
Bureau to put into effect such rules
and regulations that would provide
as nearly as possible for a 50 per
cent escapement to the spawning
beds; this being the expressed inten
tion of Congress.”
In following out these expressed
intentions many bays and inlets
have been closed to the seiners. The
Chickaman ttiver, Traitors Cfcve,
Vera Inlet in the Ketchikan district
are closed to seine fishing. Com
plaint is made that the same policy
is being followed in other districts.
A Petersburg fisherman writing to
us states that if the present policy
of closing up bays is continued “we
will have to go fishing in the mid
dle of the straits or be driven out
of business because we will not
be able to make a decent wage in the
fishing game.”
It is our contention that in the
enactment of laws for the country
some will be hurt but it is our be
lief that laws or regulations should
not be for any favored class. While
it is imperative that steps should
be taken immediately to take up
conservation measures we do not be
lieve that the burden of conserva
tion should be upon the fisherman.
But that is just what this system
of closing streams amounts to. The
few fish that escape the myriad of
traps along the coast and get into
the bays where the fishermen are
able to operate must be preserved
and fishermen are curtailed in
the earning power in order that
the fish might propagate (to return
to the traps).
“The right to fish shall be guar
anteed to all.” That right is denied
when fishermen are curtailed from
operating by such regulations. It is
our contention that if all the auto
mobiles in the States making a stall
ing point from Washington, D. C., go
ing to Seattle, detoured at every
crossroad, not many automobiles
would reach Seattle. Cut out all de
tours and they will finish the jour
ney. Cut out all the traps and the
fish would have a chance to get to
the parent streams. The present
regulations amply take care of the
spawning fish insofar as the seiner
is concerned. The 50 per cent can
be amply cared for under the con
dition but under the present regula
tions the escapement required by law
is not permitted under the trap sys
tem. In spite of the 20 days closed
season the escapement of salmon to
the Whale Passage, Wrangell and
Anan district does not begin to come
to 50 per cent. The escapement reach
ing that district is primarily salmon
travelling in the straits and chan
nels beyond the reach of the traps.
It is the belief and impression of
canners that we are working to puc
them out of business. To put the
canner out of business is to put
the fishermen out of business as
each is useless without the other.
What we earnestly desire is that 20
years from now we may get as many
salmon as the traffic will bear. To
insure that without destroying the
earning power of resident fishermen
the elimination of the trap system
is the only manner in which the 50
per cent escapement will be permit
ted.
WEAVERS ALL
Warp and Woof and Tangle,—
Weavers of Webs are we.
Living and dying—and mightier
dead,
For the shuttle, once sped, is sped—
is sped;—
Weavers of Webs are we.
White and Black, and Hodden-gray,
Weavers of Webs are we.
To every weaver one golden strand
Is given in trust by the Master
Hand;—
Weavers of Webs are we.
And as we weave, we know not,—
Weavers of Webs are we.
The threads we see, but the pattern
is known
To the Master-Weaver, alone, alone;
Weavers of Webs are we.
—Exchange.
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Ketchikan, Alaska
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DR. GEO. C. GASTON IN ATTENDANCE
v
J
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DR. GEORGE C. GASTON
Eyesight Specialist
with KNOX BROS., Jewelers
Ketchikan, Alaska