The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-08-31
Gruening Joins with Salmon Industry 10 Ask Extension Of Fishing Season

days on the outside. Forty-nine packers attended the hearing, held in the Senate chambers of the federal building. c. Howard Baltzo, assistant re- gional director of the service. said he would have an answer no la ter than tomorrow noon, after he had conferred with agents now in the field surveying present runs.
 Extension Doubtful
 Unless there is more fav- orable showing of fish than so far, there will be no extension" Baltzo said late this morning. He added that Seton Thompson and Richard Shuman have flown to Ketchikan and will go to the west coast, to board the service vessel Brant to be in close con- tact with the situation.
 Baltzo said decision will de- pend on their findings.
 Prosperity, Economy"
 The governor expressed hope that flor the prosperity of the Territory and the economies of the fishermenyf the season could be extended
 q am not a scientist" Gruen- ing said. but 1t would seem from evidence put forth here that the season could go on an- other four or five days, or pos sibly a week."
 Arguments put up by industry men, much the same as heard in previous years at the end of each season were seasoned by touch- and-go verbal exchange between Andy Barlow. representing the Trollers' Uniou-%who opposed an extension and W. 0. Arnold, ex- ecutive director of the industry. Everyone agreed that the early run of rinks--or humpbacks--so far as the southern end of the First Division was concerned, was the best seen in years, outstrip- ping by far the large run of l94o. The late run. however, was the s64 question. f- ts
 The meeting was presided over by Baltzo, assisted by Seton Thompson. head of Alaska fish, cries for the service, and Richard Shuman, fisheries management agent.
 Arnold led discussion for the packers.
 Inside streams, 1t was gener- ally conceded, have been well seeded by the early run and no more fish are needed. However, the question concerned streams on the west coast of Baranot and Chichagof Islands, which are notoriously late.
 Run Slackens
 Packers presented evidence that Peril Strait and Rodman Bay have had escapement and the run IS beginning to slacken.
 Some packers said they had made sacrifices during many years to build up the early run of pinks which has apparently raatesfaIized and occurs again now in July. They stated 1t would [ be of no advantage to allow later runs to "seed the streams twice."
 Late Run
 The late run, packers said, new CT starts in this area until alter Aug. 30 and reaches its peak be- tween Sept. T and IS. Fishermen outside of Dahl Island have been getting from two to six thousand fish a day. These late fish. they pointed out, are the run which ap- pear in the inside waters in the first two weeks of September.
 The only person protesting an extension was Barlow. He said the number of echoes taken by traps and seiners would work a hard- ship on trollers.
 Excellent Season At this, Arnold rose to charse that "trollers have had an excel lent season--and why should ,t start and stop for the benefit oi troI,ers Salone?"
 Nick Beg, nationally known can newman from Seattle, joined witn Arnold in firing charges at the trollers' representative.
 "We sacrificed our early fisn- ing in July" Bez said, ito build m the runs and help the troi- lers. And now the seincrs are asked to give up for their bene- fit"
 Clay Scudder, fisheries manager for the Alaska Native Service, al so asked for an extension. It was understood, although Scudder dio not say so, that several natiVe canneries financed by his service have not fared too well tnis sea son.
 Baltzo, in concluding. said nis service's interest was to preserve inc late run for future years He explained that everlasting had de-