The Daily Alaska empire., 1948-08-23

Attiil lJet6C OiA~F reason for decrease of pink run IS lack of cooperation between the service and the packers. There was no quarrel over last weeks closing, but now you have gone far enough"
 Opening Requested
 Method of handling closure is unjust and unfair, not only to us but to your own organization and to the Territory" said Guy Gra- ham, Libby, McNeill and Libby. T think this closure should be re- scinded now I make this re- quest
 "Wrangell is 100 percent depend- ent upon fish" Thor Hofstad said, land further closure would mean that some of us would have to live cn clans this winter
 Drastic Action Necessary
 Tt was my impression that ev- evyone in our service and the industry was concerned with the critical condition we are facing, Seton Thompson, Chief of Branch of Alaska Fisheries, said "The l948 outlook is as weak as any preceding season Something drastic must be done. Runs are smaller and progressively later"
 Thompson said that FEW regu- lations were based on impersonal statistics and observations of men in the field which paralleled the statistics.
 Nick Bez, Peril Straits and Columbia River Packers Associa- tion. said that indications in Icy Straits are that the pack will be better than two years ago, urged that the closure be rescinded and the closing date be September 2 instead of September 3; suggested that il that doesn't work that the fishing be closed for two, three or five years if necessary to build up pack.
 Fred Gundersoii, Independent Cannery, Ketchikan, and an inde-, pendent trap owner gave flgureS on his trap in the northern sec tion of Clarence Straits which had more fish in 1948 for week ending August 14 than in '46 or "A, and asked that the order be rescinded and that fishing extend to Septem- Der '.
 Night Meeting
 Meeting in the Baranof Hotel Gold Room, at 9:30 Saturday night. the whole matter of fish cries was threshed over again by operators and FEW Service mem- bers.
 Both Directors Day and Thomp- son declared that the industry must put it's own house in order, should assume some responsibility tow ard management of this resource. Argument during the night ses- ssion was chiefly as to whether September or September T should close the season.
 Adamant as to the September 3 closing, the FEW executives agreed to a meeting on September be- tween the industry and fisheries service to consider at that time an extension to a later date, based on the outlook at that time.
 Speaking from long experience, August Buschmann, Alaska Pacific Salmon Company, said that in his 56 years in the cannery business in Alaska, he had seen the fish practically disappear, but they al- ways came back Fred Gunderson, Hong associated with the fisheries, recalled the low catch of 1927 when we were ready to sell the Territory to the highest bidder. Then the 1888 seasons when there was an 8000,00O case pack. Lew Williams, secretary of Alaska, declared he represented Point Bar TOW as well as Wrangell and asked how the F&W figured out deal to close North Clarence and Sum- ner Strait and not all of SEE Alaska"
 At the close of the night session, Director Day issued the regulatory announcement that provided for a reopening of fishing today.
 Reopening brought warning from Seton Thompson that any excessive violation of fishing regu- lations will close for the season the area in which the violation occurs; that the next closure will be final Thompson said there would be no further change in reg ulations without a conference with cthe industry
 Statistics Requested
 Thompson said further that CO., operation was necessary on the part of the industry in furnishing more statistical information. We expect to get more complete statis- tics and we expect to get it &C., curately"
 Those attending the Saturday