The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-11-19

disclosed this morning.
 A longer season, but a shorter week, for Southeast Alaska begin ming July 31 is also among re- commendation to be put before the Fish and Wildilfe Service.
 The five-man board wound up it's second meeting since its cre- ation and appointment this spring, by working until almost midnight to cover all phases of the work before it. They left for their homes next day, leaving the job of com piling to Fisheries Director c. l.. Anderson. He expected to have the work accomplished in a short time.
 Members of the board empowered Anderson to make its recommenda- tions public, and later a district district list will be issued, to in- clude details now buried" in the large pile of papers on the direc- tors desk.
 Trap Reduction
 The boards overall policy was in favor of trap elimination at the earliest possible time. Because the Secretary of the Interior year ago made the outright recommenda- ton that traps in Alaska be cut out by gradual process, the board felt the FWS should begin mak- ing these reductions next year.
 At the same time, no new areas should be opened to traps. A few traps were not installed in cus- tomary locations last year, they found, and these should not be placed in operation for 1850, the board said.
 Because traps are the most ef- fective--or destructive--type of fish, ing gear legal in Alaska the group felt that in any area that they continue to be allowed, all other legal types of fishing should also be allowed, which has not been the case for years-unless some local condition prevents it.
 The board particularly pointed to the Chignik and Cook Inlet areas in this regard, stating discrimina- ion is being shown against purse seiners.
 4a E4as# 9&F
 Discrimination Hit
 In Southeast Alaska, discrimina- ton also exists in not allowing gill netters in various spots open to traps and purse seiners-only four small areas in the entire district beng open to them. the board said.
 Unless the FWS has specific req sens for continuing this policy, all discrimination of this type should te eliminated, they declared. The same policy should govern in the fall, to allow gill netters to fish where now only seiners may enter.
 Dates for this area recommended are:
 Week of July 3l--open three days; week of August 7-open three days; August 14-five days; August 2l- five days; and August 28-five days.
 In the fall, the season should open September 25 for three weeks, put for only three days week, the board felt, and only in those bays opened by the FWS, of which six Ire presently being fished.
 Anderson said the board explain I'd these dates as entirely flexible" :" to be moved backward or forward according to the show of salmon.
 Extend Limit
 The board also brought out that he present limit of 26 inches ol six pounds for troll-caught fish be extended to all other types of commercial gear, and that posses sion of any fish under ttiat size should be considered prima facie evidence of illegal fishing"
 Purse seine size in this district was recommended to be cut from the present 300 fathom allowed length to 250 fathoms, but that leads be extended to 75 fathoms rather than the present 25 in most cases.
 The board was in opposition to the present prohibition of motor vessels using gill nets in Bering Sea areas such as Bristol Bay, Chignik, Kotzebue and the Kusko- kwim.
 They should. be allowed motors for safety's scake, they declared. Each year the toll of lives in the Bering is terrific, they pointed out, and motors would bring deaths to minimum. More dangerous areas are fished with motor vessels with rarely an accident, they said, yet the Boring continues to take it's toll.
 Not Arbitrary"
 Various recommendations the board empowered Anderson to change, in event the FWS presents acceptable reasons for it's present rules. The director said that can neries have men in the field. the FWS has men, and FWS officials