Seward daily gateway., 1932-03-03
PRIVILEGE TO USE
 GAsBOATS BRISTOL
 BAY IS DIRE NEED
RESIDENT FISHERMEN ARE NOT BEING TREATED FAIRLY,
 SAYS WAMSER

the Bristol Bay district, yet the bonafide residents of that region are so handicapped by government al fishing regulations, that little development or larger settlements can be expected in the future until such restrictions are removed after which progress and contentment will follow, according to A. c. Wam- ser of Naknek, a resident of that area since 1917 and who is now in Seward on business matters.
 The biggest local industry out there," MT. Wamser said, lis fishing but the regulation which prohibits the use of gas boats is extremely detrimental to the fishermen who are compelled to use sailboats.
 Tn, some cases, the fishing grounds are 20 miles distant and to reach them, we often have to buck hard winds and heavy seas. We have to do about Is hours of sailing a day in order to reach the grounds to do about four hours of actual fishing. We are not com planning so much about the short 1 fishing period and would not even feel bad if the actual fishing per iodS were changed, but it does seem non sensible in having to waste the greater part of our time going to and from the fishing grounds in sail boats, when the majority of us have gaSboats; now we have both, Sailboats and gasboats.
 "rTi1e resident fishermen receive only the worst of gear, rotten nets and rotten boats, from the canners. The fishermen from the States are given the best gear and boats; they are taken care of first and Alaska residents, last.
 Last year we were paid 10 cents per fish and this price will prob ably be paid this season. But with out gasboatS, the fishermen can only make in a season an average of $4OO or $500. Permission to use gasboats is the only thing which will help us out.
 ''At Naknek, during the fishing and packing season, there are ap- proximately 1,500 cannery hands and about 1000 at Nushagak In addition to these, there are ma chine gangs at both places to the number of 800 or 600 each; also about 100 fishermen at Naknek and 800 at Nushagak These num- bers are supplemented by the resi- dent fishermen by about 300; resi- dent cannery hands are rare ex- captions.
 Most of our provisions we get monthly from the canneries and their charges are very high with the exception of the Libby, McNeil, Libby Company, which gives their employees everything at cost; it is the only fair outfit in Bristol Bay
 Nearly all companies employ Italians to bring in booze" Mir Wamser continued, land it is a known fact that some of these men brought in from the Outside, as cannery hands, remain over the winter for only one purpose, that of making moon During the win ter months not a drunk is seen in the entire district.
 When the fishermen and can- nery crews arrive each spring from the States, booze flows like water It is believed most of this comes up with the Portland Packers outfit There is apparently no interference from the local authorities. Last year." MT. Wanser stated, "two men, brought north by the above cannery, literally drank themselves to death; we folks often wonder how things like this are permitted Many people from the States have asked whether or not they could build homes and make a liv- ling if they settled in Bristol Bay If model equipment could be used such as gasboats. for reaching the fishing grounds, they could exist and the future of the country would be most encouraging. If gasboats could be utilized the same as ir Southeastern Alaska, the region would quickly populate.
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