The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1938-12-23

not 10 endorse the petition. he al
gnment followed the same lines as
at the Chamber of Commerce meet
ing. Upholding the argument that
the matter of specifying which
traps should be abolished constitu-
ted personal discrimination and was
outside the jurisdiction of the town
council. Councilmen Campbell. Hun
gerford and Gunderson voted
against the petition, while Hansen
and Ronning voted for endorsement.
Councilman Fred Cunningham was
not present at the meeting.
Mr.. Vineyards statement that the
number of traps had been reduced
was instantly challenged by Wies
who asked. Isn't il a fact that the
traps eliminated were poor fishers
and the new traps granted were in
areas proved by the fishermen"
Dummy Sites and Poor Fishers
There has been some elimination
of dummy sites and exchanges for
poor fishers. Mr.. Wingard replied.
bur he pointed TO two good traps
eliminated in Prince William Sound
one whose ownership he could not
recall. but the other held by North
western Fisheries Company was the
third highest producing trap in Al
aska, he said.
In answer to a question Mr.. Win
gard stated there are now 448 traps
operating in Alaska. The seiners
have shown a steady increase ae-I
cording to Mr.. Wingard. until in
1897 there were $50 seine boats OPP
Grating and he believes the 1898
figures when compiled will show
over 600 boats in operation the past
season.
Mr.. Barnes, in submitting the re-
port Of the fisheries committee of
the chamber of commerce, told Mr..
Wingard that Wrangell realized it
was 50 miles too far from the sea,
Ju. protested the great increase in
trapc II the Iset hikan district. The
salmon runs on their way to the
}4ra1azI district spawning grounds,
run such a gantlet of traps that it
Gems & miracle any survive to.
reach the seed areas, he said.
20 Per Cent For seiners
He believes figures will show that
s. per cent of the salmon packed
in southeastern Alaska are trap
fish, but conceding that so per cent
were taken by stationery gear only
20 per cent of the pack fell to the
nortion Of tho gainarS
Mr.. Wingard expressed himself
favorable to the change in open sea-
sons requested by the seiners; prom
ised a Waterman to protect the seed
areas of the Stikine asked by the
gillnetters; said he would recon-
mend adjustment of the wier at
Klawock as requested by natives OF
that district, inferred that he agreed
the PIT. Berry trap should be abol-
ished and said he would present the
petitions submitted by the various
organizations. for consideration by
Mr.. Bell at Washington. D. C.
Mr.. Wingard pointed out that Al
askans must recognize that the Ter
ritory is passing out of the frontier
stage; that more people are coming
in which means that the natural re-
sources must be divided. and in
such division the portion of each
individual will be smaller.
Following his remarks on the in
crease in seine boats, some present
construed this TO mean the seiners
must be content to divide with new
corners and not that the traps were
to do any dividing. but others
believed that Mr. Wingard is fav-
orable to a far greater extent than
he expressed, to making the fisheries
resources available 10 all classes of
! fishermen.