The Wrangell sentinel., 1949-09-30
COMMUNICATIONS

10 the EulLof OF the oentlneis
Herewith is copy Of a letter
which !. sent to the international
Fisheries Commission:
September 20, l949
International Fisheries Commissio
University OF Washington,
Seattle, Wash.
Gentlemen:
This is my story after visiting
fish markets in 80 states last Win
ter.
Every fisherman and fish house
worker in Alaska seems to be more
interested in haIibut regulations
and cultivation than ever before.
l have listened to all kinds OF sug-
gestions and discussions and all
agree that the International Fish
cries Commission has done anu Is
ooIng a wonderful work OF ,eultlYa-
ton and control with the coopera-
ton OF the fishermen.
Thirty-fiYe TO forty years ago
our channels were fun OF halibut
and the boats were fishing the
year around, hardly making tue
TWO ends meet. Many old timers
remember the sad story OF trips
they made netting nothing, and
there was no foreign competition
in The fresh frozen market at that
time.
Todayis demand is. for quality.
Keen competition is - coming from
foreign suppliers with attrSetiVely
and uniformly prepared paekaged
fillets. The housewife; receiving a
good :. quality product will always
come back Lon more.
We are sorry to state that all
our halibut are not reaching cold
storages in the best possible condi-
ton due to the tact the boats are
making too long trips. Because Oh
this the fish caught during the
first part OF the trip are not in
first class condition when frozen,
but must still be marketed under
keen competition with other prod
ucts. An experienced person can
pick out these stale fish in the
markets aud naturally will pass
them by. The average housewife,
not knowing the difference in
quality, will not return after ONT
bad experience. She will stay with
the fillets which are uniform and
in great supply with millions OF
pounds being shipped in each year
and ON the increase.
The long trip and long haul TO
the markets is not putting COM
petitve quality of fish on the mar
ket. Some of the fishermen favor
layOYers between trips, their view
point being the saving of freezing
charges by keeping more fresh fish
on the market. Fresh fish market
ing has not proved to be econom-
ical handling. The retailer never
there is considerable waste which
brings the handling costs higher
II it appears necessary to the
International Fisheries Commas
sion, from a cultivatiye standpoint
would suggest that the season BIZ
set back to fit propagative pnr-
poses 80 the fish which have never
been touched can be caught and
marketed, still maintaining shor
hauls and trips. Then we can com,
pete in quality with foreign sup
pliers who make every possible Of
fort to insure a good uniform quail
ity.
There is no competition in quail
ity with our raw material. The
big problem is for us to get it into
the housewives hands in the best
possible condition. Fresh freezing
with short trips and short hauls
seems to be the only economical
method of doing this and guaran-
tee q uniform quality to compete
and keep "a better price. Long lay
OVCTb tcIWcch tTApS VIII nave thc
tendency to produce full loads and
inferior quality. The conservation
and cultivation regulations should
be prepared with an eye to the
auality Of the final product because
an ocean full of fish will do the
industry no good unless they can
be marketed in a profitable man
ner.
Under the present method we
have been able to dispose of our
fish from year to year with no
carry-over. Every year a fresh
start, keen competition and fair
prices. Let us keep our markets.
Let each fisherman vow not to