The Nome nugget., 1942-01-28
A Convoy For Cohoes

The job of patroing Alaska's coastline, protecting it's merchant ships their coastal runs, supplying watch far out at against any attempt at nvasion is the chore the navy Is now performing.
 But providing protection for scores of salmon can neries, fleets of deep-sea haibut fSherman a full schedule of cannery tenders plying between packing plants and Puget Sound and the many other varied plants and crafts of the fishing industry is going to be a much more ambitious undertaking for the nations blueackets.
 When the navy supplies this protection for the fish, ing fraternity which 1t is pledged to do, AlaSkans bound to see great deal activity along the waterfront than even today. Where we aware of bonbers roaring skyline and patrol boats off coasts the challenge of the fishing industry will navy ships poking their dark proWS into our little nlets guarding our straits and narrows and playing the part of marine Watchdogs for any indication of attack from without sabotage from within
 AS completely any military division guaran- tee security in event of war; the navy has given their word to protect the fishermen. recent state ment from national naval sources said:
 The navy fully appreciates the situation with which the salmon packing industry is confronted and is in full sympathy with it's desires It will do everything in it's power to provide the protection required but it must be understood that the contingencies of not practicable and that the situation prevailing at any given time must be the governing factor in any 0peration'
 In a relatively few weeks the transporting of the seasons supplies for the northern operations would log caly commence With that in mind, a number of cannery operators last month after the outbreak of war, got in touch with the Navy Department and asked what assurance they might have of protection for their operations The quite satisfactory The naval heads admitted that at the time they were unable to provide protection against any contingency They declared, however, that within three months it planned to have in Alaska sufficient air and face craft to provide the needed safeguards for the seasons operations
 This is no gesture on the part of the navy to offer protection to just any civilian industry The fisheries interests receiving consideration far above any thing which might be accorded other business enter prises in Alaska elsewhere
 There is good reason. Already in this war as in the first World War, Alaska canned salmon has become important item in food supplies for the nation ed forces Of the total 1922 pack of six and half mil lion cases the navy army and lendlease agencies have taken than a million and half already and are calling for bids requirements from already de- pleted stock in cannerymens warehouses; Their re- quirements from the 1922 pack with the nation now at and military forces rapidly expanding, are logically expected to be several times the amount of canned salmon purchased during the past year Alas kans may recall that in 1918 the government establish ed prior claim the entire output of the canneries at fixed prices.
 Most vulnerable spot from the standpoint of Japan ese invasion, is the Bristol Bay fishing area, which usually accounts for 20 percent of the total Alaska pack especially supplying the larger part of the reds the species in heaviest demand by both the military and civilian consumers That Bristol Bay must and will be protected is then, foregone conclusion and to make Bristol Bay accessible so crews may be taken there and the pack shipped south the entire Alaska coast must be made secure
 The navy is fully aware of this responsibility and from all statements is ready to do its stuff when the who mine the silver horde start their migration north few weeks from now
 Daily Juneau Fnnirn