restricted bays from which our sein
er? are excluded. Example of this
are Saginaw Bay on Kuiu Island,
and Dundas Bay. There are many
ohers as Tenakee Harbor.
7. The fish gates of Icy Straits and
inland waters are the passes around
Indian Island These islands are so
situated thal the fish must pass close
te the shores of those islands. The
tides are so strong in this district
that, seines can only operate about
two hours on each flood tide. But
C.e eight traps in North Indian Pass
ore working twentv-four hours a
day catching millions of salmon. We
suggest to the Secretary of Com
merce that even a slight restriction
nlacert on these traps would release
millions of fish. We hold however,
iliat these traps should be prohibited
for .he same reason that traps are
even now prohibited in fish streams.
Indian Pass at this point is really
a fl°h stream
8. The weirs on the Setuc River
slops the steelhead salmon from go
ing out to the ocean so that in time
this important fish will be destroyed
in that rivoi; the weir is open only
a few hours each dayT and only at
the convenience of the watchman.
If a weir is to be maintained, it
should be open all the time so that
ine fish can go up the river. When
salmon strike the weir, they nearly
always turn back and go out to the
ocean and are then caught. The
weir fe creating a shallow spot in the
river making it harder and harder
for the salmon to go thru the nar
row gate. The weir should be abol
ished altogether. The excuse given
for its existence by the Bureau of
Fisheries is that they must know
that the 50% escapement directed
by the law is had. The 50% escape
ment theory is not scientific and not
supported by men of science. It is
not observed by the Bureau of Fish
eries at any point for this Bureau
has never defined the term. If the
ter?n means anything it means that
50% of all the fish that start for
that particular stream must be al
lowed to enter the stream, an ob
vious impossibility. The Bureau of
Fisheries proceeds on the theory
that 50% of the fish that finally ar
rive at tlie stream should he allow
ed to enter, an absurdity because
u a million salmon should start
for a given stream and all but two
are caught by the time they arrive
at the stream, one salmon would be
caught for canning and the other
allowed to proceed up the stream
It is ordered by this convention
that copies of thi., statement be
sent to the Secretary of Commerce,
the Bureau of Fisheries, Delegate
ban Sutherland, and other interest
ed parties.
Adopted tills 2fith day of Novem
her, 1928.
WILLIAM L. PAUL
Craiul President.
Attest: SANDY A. STEVENS,
Grand Secretary.
DANGER AHEAD?
The time will come, when the
eannerymen and the people of Alas
ka will he working for exactly the
same kind of fish regulations. Why
net? The following RESOLUTION
No. 21 indicates it
1 he Grand Camp of the Alaska
Native Brotherhood wishes to thank
William T. Hale manager of the
North Pacific Trading and Packing
company, and Charles W. Demmert,
of the Demmert Packing Company,
bo+h companies being of Klawock,
Alaska, and the Alaska Consolidated
Canneries of Pybus Bay, for their
kindness and generosity in provid
ing their large cannery tenders
free of charge and fully equipped,
to the delegates and visitors of.
their respective towns, to transport
them to this convention city of Sit
ka.
Their contiibution has helped to
make this convent-on a wonderful
succ. ss.
Adopted unanimously at Sitka.
Alaska, this 26th day of Novem
ber. 1928.
WILLIAM L. PAUL,
Grand President.
Attest: SANDY A. STEVENS.
Grai d Secretary.
Let Us Follow I heir
Example
—o—•
Would you like to double the
fishing population of Alaska? Then
at least in this desire, you are at
one with the Natives of Alaska. If
that is true, why do you or others
condemn their political program?
A Case In l*oint
The Pacific Coast States actually
PROHIBIT our resident fishermen
from fishing in their waters UNTIL
our fishermen become residents of
the respective States.
Let iix follow their example.
That is the point of the Resolu
tion Number 4.
RESOLUTION AGAINST FOREIGN
FISHERMEN
The Alaska Native Brotherhood
desires to increase the population
of Alaska and to protect its, the
Territory’s v..sidents. In this annual
convention of the Alaska Native
Brotherhood, at Sitka, Alaska, we
call attention to the fact that the
sovereign States of Washington,
Oregon and California, do not allow
myone to fish in their waters until
they have resided within the respec
tive states for at least twelve
months. We hold that Alaska
should follow the example of these
great states, and that the Legisla
ture of Alaska should prohibit per
sons who have not lived twelve
months in the Territory from fish
ing. We suggest that this matter
can be controlled thru the taxing
power of the Territory.
In respect to the details of the
law ax it relates to the required
twelve month’s residence, we recom
mend that the language follow the
Alaska Game Laws passed by Con
gress.
Adopted this 24th day of Novem
ber, 1928.
WILLIAM L. PAUL,
Grand President
Attest
SANDY A. STEVENS,
Grand Secretary