The Cordova daily times., 1922-04-26
TEN CENTS LB.
 PAID FOR FISH
 ON COLUMBIA
Down There They Are Organized, Able to
 Demand Rights.

Ten cents per pound straight, with the fishermen absorbing the poundage fee, will be the price paid by packers on the lower Columbia river at As toria to the salmon fishermen for the coming season which opens on May 1. The Columbia River Fishermen s League and the packers ratified the price at a meeting few days ago AS a resudt of this action, according to Alex Somppi, league secretary, the fishing fleet will turn out in full force at the opening of the season, May 1, and there will be no strike, such as occurred last year when for ten days at the beginning of the season not a boat was out on the lower river, owing to a price controversy, and which caused a loss of thousands of dollars to the fishermen and packers.
 The full price list follows: Chinooks 10c; blue backs and sockeyes, Sc; clear steelIheads, Sc; white sturgeon 7c; green sturgeon, Sc; and shad, 1c. The price on chinook last year was Sc a pound for fish under 25 pounds and 10 G for fish over, with the pack CTS absorbing the poundage fee which runs $5 ton The Washington poundage fee is 16c fish and the packers on that side have declared themselves ready to absorb the diff ference between this fee and the Ore gon fee.
 At mass meeting the packers put forward a proposition to pay the same as last year but their stand was over ruled by the fishermen for the 10c straight After a further conference this matter was settled.
 NOW THE PURSE SEINE
 "The main thing now is the purse seine" MT. Somppi states. "If we can obtain court decisions in our favor barring the black fleet the season this year should be much improved With the price arrangements made probably 5000 fishermen will be ou on the entire stretch of the river ant , with purse seiners barred this mum Der will fish continuously. Last year the number was less and owing to tht fact that the purse seiners were ruin ing the fishing, this number dropped away in mid-season, thousands quit ting the river. The decision on tht purse seine cases are being anxiously awaited.
 PATROL FOR RIVER
 "The packers tell us there will be { strong patrol on both the Oregon ant Washington sides to bar illegal fish ing. The. .trollers may be permitted tt operate off the Oregon coast but theil operations will be confined to be yond the three mile limit.
 MT Somppi writes 1t was determined to have a meeting of the league di rectors, the packers, and the fish com mission held sometime this year fol the purpose of seeing just what is being done with the poundage fee.
 He also stated the many fishermen who have been working on the out side during the winter are pouring into Astoria and that the preparation fol the season is in full swing. He esti mated that about 5000 fishermen would operate out of this city this season.
 PACK LAST YEAR The salmon pack onthe Columbia river reached it's height in 1918 wher 591,21S cases, valued at $7,466,924 were packed. Last year the pack was 445 ,0OO cases valued at s4,300,000 O which amount about half million was carried from the river by tho purse seiners who live and spend theil money in Puget Sound and California points. The pack in 1921 was the smallest since 1914.