The Wrangell sentinel., 1938-03-11
LEGISLATION NEEDED TO CORRECT
 SALMON SITUATION SAYS BARNES

l packer. After his tra have fished the number required meet costs. all the rest of the fiji l constitute q clear profit, whereas he seine fish packer pays the go ng price for each fish as long as eannery oper- ations continue. In ot Ter words, the trap fish packer as the season ad- yances reaches a point where his raw product is free. That point is never reached by the seine fish packers.
 During the past few years, can ners who have big traps, and there are many big traps to the westward. have the advantage of approxi- mat-ly one dollar per case over the seine fish packers who have to pay lhe going price for fish" declared MT Barnes. He believes that some equitable plan that will be fair to all people in the industry will have to be worked out
 1T the Wr3ngell eanneries operate this year it is Mir Barnes opinion that plan of cooperation which will work on a sliding scale accord ing to marketing conditions will have to be worked out for the can neries which depend upon seiners for their fish and local Alaska labor TOT their help.
 IL is indeed unfortunate, he says. that such is the case. but there is little else to do for the season of 1898. Normally. regardless of the selling price of canned salmon, the sale of wages paid labor, or the price paid to the fishermen for their seine caught fish, the cannery op- orators who depend mostly on trap caught fish, can operate at a profit and sell their product from twelve and half cents to twenty-five cents per dozen less, as the cost Of the raw material is materially less.
 There seems to be only one way to equalize this difference and that is through taxation. Mr. Barnes be lieYes. As stated there can be little done for the 1898 season, but some thing, he feels. must be done at the next legislature or 5000 seiners will be out of a job and their fam lilies in great need.
 Laws should be enacted by theI next legislature, MT. Barnes adyo-l cates, that will put all canneries onI the same level as far as the cost of raw material is concerned therebyI giving bona fide Alaskans an op-I portunity to make a living in com petition with the valuable trapsl now in operation.
 Proper legislation on the trapl situation" the Wrangell cannery-I man insists, twill come nearer solv-l ing our economic problem in thel fish business than anything else. Probably little can be done for thisI seasons operations, but it is of vi-I tai importance that action be taken by the next legislature to correct this situation in order to equalize the cost of the raw product"
 Some people, he added, may think that I am looking at this sit uation from a personal standpoint, l but after rubbing shoulders for 30l years with Alaskan citizens and having had experience a like num- Der of years in the salmon business in the Territory, I should be in al position to know what the real trouble is.
 It is certain that the Wrangell cannerymen desire to do something about the canned salmon situation They hope that prices will become stabilized. jurisdictional labor dis putes ironed out and good portion of present stocks consumed.
 q will state," said MT. Barnes. that any action taken by the local canneries to formulate a plan of op- eration for 1898, will be tken for the best interest of the community and for the survival of local indus try. We feel that there is a local responsibility, and we will do ourI utmost, but we cannot do the impos sible"