The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1939-10-06

all operators. This can be done by
allowing each cannery a certain
number of trap locations per line of
canning machinery, these locations
to be allocated impartially and fair
ly TO give a just distribution of trap
site privileges.
Another way to equalize the allo-
cation of fishing privileges between
independent operators and large cor
porations, and one which would
benefit the resident fishermen.
would be to curtail the time that
a fish trap could operate during the
season. lie. have two closed periods
Of Sc hours each every week, instead
of one. This would allow a more
even distribution of fish throughout
the waterways which the fish fol
low.
It might be wise TO discontinue
the 300 foot regulation, which for
bids a purse seine set to be made
within that distance of a trap. If a
purse seine set is made laterally, al
low the seiner to set off the face
of the salmon trap. Give the seiner
five or six days extra time to fish
after the traps are closed. Thus the
efficiency OF the fish trap is deereas-
ed and the resident seine-fisherman
is given a chance to capture more
fish, thereby increasing his income
caught fish. Always remember that
the resident seine fishermen are one
of the mainstays of the Alaskan
communities where fishing plays the
dominant economic role!
During the last two seasons, sein-
ers have been unable to make a fair
return on their investment in gear
and time. Please understand that I
don't think that one should expect
to make a years living in six weeks,
but one should be allowed a fair re-
Enumeration for the time, hard work,
and risks put in. 1t is true that the
better seine boats have a great ad-
vantage over poorer ones. 1t might
even be worth while if bona fide
resident fishermen were subsidized
by the government to secure good
boats and gear, perhaps in the same
manner as the HOme-Owner Loans
To return to the controversial
question of trap location privileges,
from my personal observations, 1t
would seem that certain individuals
or groups have been favored in the
ALLEGATION of salmon trap sites
know of several trades of locations
For example, in 1927, the q. S.
Bureau of Fisheries eliminated six
traps in Snow Pass, waterway
heavily Travelled by migrating sal
mon. Then in 1894, the Fisheries
Bureau opened up one trap loca-
ton in Snow Pass and the traps
notoriety is a matter of record. Now
obviously it is much better that
there be no trap in this Pass, than
that one trap-owner should reap
the sole benefit of so favorable a
location. This is one specific in
stance; an instance which is GER
tanly duplicated in other sections of
Southeastern Alaska OF course, to-
tai abolition of traps is the only
solution to this problem of partial
ity, a problem which must rise in
spite of judicious management by
government agency.
Summarizing the situation brief
ly, 1 submit the following sugges-
tions:-
If salmon traps remain, a plan
must be worked out whereby cost of
raw material (salmon) may be
equitable for all packers.
There should be two weekly closed
periods of thirty-six hours each in
stead of one period, as at present.
The 300-foot distance between
gear fished laterally should be elm
mated, allowing seines to set off
traps, but two seines should not be
allowed to tie together.
An air patrol should be maintain
ed to enforce botn fishing regula-
tions and trap piracy. Spawning
creeks should be watched constantly
by competent men.
Scientific men in the field should
make reports to their chief, but they
should not be expected to recon-
mend definite regulations, as a
scientist may be apt to misquote
some situation to win a point. In
other words, commercial fishing in
Alaska and the conservation Thereof
must be governed more by practi-
cality than by theoretics.
The formation of a commission
such as the Alaska Game Commission
probably would be a desirable ap-
proach to the problem at hand. How
ever, the commission should not be
composed of fishermen or salmon
packers; it should be thoroughly I'M
biased in order to be fair to all con-
cerned
Scientific records are essential.
but the contemporary evidence
whether or not fish are actually in
district, and their quality-should
govern the length of season in
that district. In other words, the
fishing season should be flexible.
The abolition of salmon traps