The Alaska daily empire., 1919-12-09
ALASKA NATIVE
 WANTS TO RETAIN
 SHINES FOR FISHING

SiTKA, Dec. 1.-To the Editor Will you kindly allow through your paper a reply to the statement of the Territorial Superintendent of Fish Hatcheries? Thank you. There are two sides to every story and this is the other fellows.
 It was with much surprise and pity that the writer read in your issue of November 15, the opinion of A. J. Sprague, Territorial Superintendent of Fish Hatcheries, expressed in an interview to your reporter. Surprise that one in his position should show himself ignorant of implements or gear used for catching fish or salmon, and pity that he places himself in such a position that he can be crit interests not best for his position It would be neither fit or proper to say that his office was being prosti- tuted in the interest of the big can nery operator or trap operator or that the opinion expressed was for the purpose of getting rid of the small operator or seiner.
 There is no danger" says the Superintendent of Fish Hatcheries, "of them (traps) being moved up stream to destroy fish at their spawn ing grounds" If this is the sum and substance of his knowledge of sal mon catching gear then he could not become the author of many books relative to the subject
 The inference deducted by readers is that traps do not fish illegally and that they do not prevent salmon reaching their spawning grounds
 Men whose business in summer takes them along side traps in all sections of Southeastern Alaska cannot swal. low such statement hook, line and sinker. Look at the trap by Emmons Island, HOOnah Sound, and measure the distance which this trap projects into the mid-stream. More than half the distance across the channel, and the law allows only one-third the dis. tance. Look at the traps on Morris Reef, Chatham Strait, which project not less than 5000 feet into the chan. nel. These traps absolutely block
 the inshore channels which hereto fore have been used by small boats. Look at the trap at White Rock and spend one or two days there watch ing the fish travel and see the dam age done by this trap At half tide the trap sets right across the river current and only on low tide is the trap in legal position for fishing The harm is done before low tide. Less than half a mile from this trap is another on the other side of the stream. Look at the great traps all along the straits into Icy Straits and in the bays; go on down the coast to Ketchikan and look at the traps | closely. After watching the travel
 of fish into these traps and the great amount of fish taken from them no no harm.
 Were the writer to go into figures as we'll as facts he would show that
 there are many more traps in opera. tion than the public imagines. It would not be surprising if there were
 more traps than seines, yet 'it is
 only the seiners who are blamed for
 the present condition of the fishing
 industry!"?
 What is done with all the various kinds of fish caught in traps? Cod.
 bass. halibut, founder and such, are they thrown back into the water as the fishermen operating seines do? Yet the law is specific that no food fish shall be "wantonly destroyed" It might be that only the "technic- ally fit" are able to discuss the sub ject of protecting the fishing indus try of Alaska, yet it is generally be- lieved that so many technicalities get
 in the way that those who are also fit are not able to or are not allowed to present their side of the story or their knowledge of actual conditions confronting the fisheries of Alaska. The suggestion, of the worthy Su- perintendent of Fish Hatcheries, that fishermen dispose of their boats and
 gear and get traps is foolish talk
 which they cannot follow. Traps
 cost from $15,000 to $20,000, let alone the cost of watchman and upkeep.
 By all means do something to p;o-