The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-03-06
NO LIMIT ON TRAP NUMBER '1946 SEASON

Next Fall-lndustry Says
 "Ledye to Kug"
 WASHINGTON, March 8. No major changes will be made in the Alaska salmon fishing regulations for l945, the Interior Department announced today.
 The department thus temporarily abandoned its proposal to limit the number of salmon trap sites held by any person or firm, along with a plan to grant preference to persons living in Alaska in allocating avail able sites.
 Acting Secretary Oscar L. Chap man annonced that hearings will ce held in Alaska after the close of the 1946 season with reference to 1947 regulations.
 Hearings will be held in the fall in Kodiak, Seldovia, Cordova, Ju- neau, Sitka, Klawak, Wrangell and Ketchikan.
 Legislative Opportunity
 Chapman commented that the AL aska Legislature soon will have an opportunity to enact suitable leg islation to deal with this problem" !" He added that appropriate and ef- fective action" by the Legislature may obviate the necessity for furth- CT changes in the l947 regulations.
 Because the salmon season will begin in some districts in May, Chapman said it appeared unlikely that if sites were thrown open to competition by imposition of a 20- trap limitation. that they could be supplied with traps and effectively occupied by new owners in 1946.
 The uncertainty as to which sites would be or should be subjected to competition and the practical dif- faculties of time and cost would inevitably result in curtailment of this years output of canned salmon, and this result the department is not willing to create or permit in view of the international food short- age," Chapman said in a statement.
 Limit New Sites in 46
 The l946 regulations will, how ever, prohibit holders of 10 or more sites form acquiring additional sites.
 This" Chapman n commented, would affect no discernible change in volume of l946 production and is in my opinion a desirable provision to guard against any increase in the concentration of private con- trol over an extremely valuable part of the public domain
 Chapman said recent hearings in Washington developed that com paratiyely small number of those holding permits for trap sites did rot operate the traps, but leased to others for a substantial rental, the right to use the site.
 Stop Site Leases
 The practice should be stopped a ssoon as possible" he added. The beneficiaries of this system, how ever indefensible 1t may appear, are entitledto be heard before the sys- tenn is changed. It accordingly seems best to defer action until the l947 season, and merely to serve notice at this time that the permit holder who leases rather than op- crates his trap site in l946 is not likely to be allowed to occupy the site in 1947.'
 At the, present time 22l of the available trap sites are occupied by eight companies, and for several years on trap sites have been avail able to newcomers. Chapman said the Interior Department is anxious to correct this situation. N
 Question Validity
 The Alaska Salmon Industry, Inc, which represents 95 per cent Of the salmon packing industry, said in a statement the departments regula- tions are of highly questionable validity" and in direct conflict with the opinion of the departments solicitor denying the right of the department to allocate fish traps.
 Licenses for the traps are issued by the War Department.
 The industry statement made public by w. c. Aronld, Managing Director. said the departments hearing demonstrated the fallacy and impraeticability" of the pro- posals. It said if the plans were put into effect in 1947 they would amount to a major reversal of the departments policy over 30 years.
 The statement said the packers desired solution of the problems which confront the department and industry and felt they should be decided by the new Secretary. Julius A. Krug, who takes office Marcn l5-