The Wrangell sentinel., 1946-10-04

1 Anyone who wishes to comment on these proposals or to suggest iany other changes in the regula- tions has until November 15 to Isubmit a written brief to the Dir ectOr. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1 Chicago. 54. Illinois This date is Ipurposely made early because the Service is hoping to get out next Iyear's regulations by February. l Howard Baltzo. the Fishery Agent l lat WrangeIl will be glad to assist anyone who wishes to write the Director in this regard he said Following the statement Of these 1 Irroposals by Mr. Thompson. there was considerable lively discussion from the floor This took the form primarily. of a bitter attack a- gainst the fish traps. Seiners and | gfunetters rallied behind a long and pointed denunciation of traps by William Paul. ST II was their contention that the traps were chiefly to blame for the present. depletion of fish and yet the bur den of further conservation was| being placed on mobile gear.
 Andy Barlow. representing the. TIollers Union, asked that fishirg in the vicinity of king salmon spawning streams be prohibited during the runs. that the dates of the fall season closure be changed To Sept 15-October 3, that trollers be extended the privilege of re- taining incidentally caught halibut during closed season in the ratio of l 10 and that the Stikine District be reopened to trolling during the winter months.
 Ben Engdal, representing the Stikine Gillnetters Association. de- clared his group satisfied with the present Stikine District regulations but asked that those traps which had the heaviest catches of Stiki1e echoes be closed earlier in the fall as their later operation in the iI- ure will compete with the gillnet- ters for the Stikine
 Erling Strand and Ingebrigt Johnson presented a petition from seven Petersburg gillnetters re questing that an informal agree n4ent to permit fishing during the cohoe season above the markers Cd the North Arm be given legal status by writing it into the regu- lations. Mr. Strand also asked that round hauling by gillnets be legal ized.
 Knute Ness, Stikine gilnetter, believed that the Stikine District should be closed temporarily when ever it appeared that some partic- ular run was a failure. He also re- Guested an S12 inch minimum mesh for gillnets during the king salmon season.
 Joe Conant, troler wanted the Lituya Bay-Cape Spencer trolling grounds closed until mid-July or after to protect the large rnn of undersized king salmon that strikes there.
 Jorgen Roaming and Jim Gillon of Wrangell and Fred Haltiner of Petersburg carried the ball for the | seineTs. They strongly protested the proposed closing of bays as being the only place where a sein- CT can fish profitably and as be- ing very unfair discrimination il favor of the traps. They asked for ! earlier and more widespread ad- | vance information on season ex- , tensions, for common season ! opening (such as August Il in Gll Southeastern Districts instead Of staggering the openings with the different districts, a mid-season extended closure in order to get
 the middle fish through for cs- ] exponent purposes and a special fall season opening in late Septem- ] Der at certain fall chum areas such
 as Excursion Inlet, Security Bay. 1 Chalk Bay, Port Camden, etc
 Something of a gear fight broke cut when seiners wanted gillnet-
 ting in bay areas prohibited and glllnetters retaliated that they
 were doing no more harm than the
 seiners.
 Willie Willard, spokesman for
 the ANB, said that creek watch
 men were the surest way to protect
 important streams from poaching
 He wanted the Chilkat area opened
 to fall seining and added his op-
 position to the traps. He endorsed
 the proposed seasonal opening
 opening dates for the entire Sum
 ner Strait District