Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-10-19

eNNASA eeSRhSas
"Cordova, Alaska.
Sec. Commerce, Daniel c. Roper
Washington. ID. c.
Dear Sir:
we are complying with your
request from our meeting with
you at Seward on July 7. per-
tanning to your request for data
to prove the Justification of our
claims that canneries can oper.
ate and dispose Of their pack at
a profit without the use OF the
floating and standing fish traps.
AT the present time there are
situated on Prince William
Sound. IL eanneries. nine are
mainly trap operating eanneries
which are operating from two to
10 traps.
"One OF our local eanneries
has one trap of small Importance
and the other two have none.
They put up their pack WIDELY
with seine caught salmon.
Trap-less Canneries Largest
The eanneries that furnish
the most employment in this 10
cality are those three. One with
only one trap and the other two
with none
'Tn answer to your request to
show how we guarantee that we
can furnish canneries a sufficient
supply of salmon to operate, we
are offering you these facts as
proof.
"Prior to the existence of fish
traps In 1915 there were five
canneries operating in Prince
William Sound vicinity.
They put up their pack solely
with seine and gill net caught
fish.
The fish traps started here in
1917.
I'VE have had an increase In
fish traps, also OF canneries since
then. The number OF canneries
increased to the present number
of IL. The number of boats in
creased in proportion, also the
fish traps.
in 1929 was the last season
that the fishermen made fair
wages seining.
Conditions Worse
Since then there has been a
steady decline in number Of
seine caught fish which also
means less money for the fish
ermen. Conditions have been get
ting worse every year, last year.
1888, We had 26 fish traps operat-
ing In Prince William Sound.
This year, 1884, we lave A fish
traps operating.
Consequently, the numerous
increase OF fish traps has been
detrimental to the fishing popu-
lation who depend on their dis
posal of seine and gill net caught
fish for a livelihood.
''The eannery operating the
largest number OF traps notified
their fishermen that they were
operating in conjunction with
the NRA, and deemed it neces-
sary to limit their delivery to the
cannery OF 500 fish per man daily.
Considering the 500 limit per
man:
I'VE wish to state that the
fishermen do not catch anything
near the limit before the 18th
of July or after. The season starts
the goth of June and closes the
End day of August. Giving the
seiners about six days Of fishing
under that limit.
500 Limit Unfair
THE operating expenses for
the seine boats run approximate
ly from six to ten dollars per day,
during the season. And the sein-
ers have no opportunity to earn
their means Of support under
that limit.
But in reality we are able to
prove that their l3 traps were
loaded beyond the capacity of
the cannery which was unable to
take care of all trap and seine
caught salmon.
'rhis discouraging limit on
seine caught salmon has detri
mental effect to the present as
well as the future possible In
crease OF fishing population.
In addition 10 this, other trap
operating canneries refused to
take seine caught salmon a. the
traps were sufficient to keep can
nerles operating.
In view OF above references,
we know with the abolishing OF
fish traps, the prevailing exist
ing conditions would not arise.
More Traps
I'VE were promised under the
administration OF the new deal
by Mr.. Bell, a gradual elimina-
ton of the fish traps. We find we
have ~ more traps operating
this year than We had in 1893.