The Wrangell sentinel., 1956-10-26
FISHERMEN PROTEST AREA PLAN AT
 FISHERY HEARING HERE

burg-Kake fishermen attending thel annual fall fisheries hearing hereI last Friday evening entered strong protest against the proposed divid- ing of Southeast Alaska into A. B, c districts for licensing purposes and got flat turndown on a Pet ersburg-Kake supported proposal to have a three-day weekly seining season from Monday noon to Thursday noon.
 Donald McKernan, chief of the fisheries division of the Fish and Wildlife Service, who conducted the hearing, told the fishermen further consideration would be given the proposal to designate area A in the northern section of the Southeast, area in the central section which includes Wrangell and Petersburg, and area in the southern area and limiting licensing of boats to those areas as a result of the hear
 ings thus far. The proposal has
 been opposed by fishermen from ketchikan and the Petersburg Wrangeu area on general grounds that the proposed areas overlap. and would deny fishermen certain local districts which they normally fish because of their location On the Petersburg three-day weekly plan, presented by Jack Longworth, head of the Petersburg Fishermens Union, Independent McKernan said it would give an advantage to fishing boats in this area with normally short hauls a. ! gainst those of other areas and de- | clared himself opposed to the plan as discriminatory
 McKernan said the present plan is to continue the same program on the fisheries ill 1857 as during the 1856 season. He said gains had been made in restoring the fish runs, escapement had been good and that a continuation of the pro- gram, the department felt would tend to rebuild the Alaska fishery.
 Longworth, Fred Haltruer, pres ident of the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association, and Tom Jack son, representing the Rake fleet, made strong representations a. gainst the A, B, C, area proposal as unavoidable, unfair to fishermen normally fishing certain areas, as it overlapped and. that boundaries loi ont hXr l actual operation of the various fishing boats.
 Advocating the three-day weekly fishing plan, Longworth said:
 If we aren't good enough to cut | her in three days we can go back l to a No. shovel If there are no fish, close it down. The fishermen will go with you on that, but we should be able to fish wherever we think the fish are"
 McKernan replied the depart ment was trying to do the best it could and admitted the A, B, c proposal was obviously in error in many places and would require great deal more consideration.
 Other fishermen presenting views were Paul Guggenbickler, Charles Mickelson and Eddie Pat Churchill of the Wrangen fleet and Jack o. Donnell and Adolph Mathisen of Petersburg.
 Here from Petersburg for the hearing were Leo Ness of the Lib by s, Jack O'Donnell, Alaska Maid, Gordon Jensen. the Symphony;
 Fred Haltruer, the Verma; Jeff l Stromdahl, Astrid; Adolph Mathi-
 sen, the Harmony; Norman Tate.
 the Surf; Engehright Johnson, Sti-
 kline gillnetter; Casper Westre and
 Longworth Tommy Jackson repre- l sented the Rake fleet.
 Here with MCKernan were How ard Baltzo. Clay Scudder, Dick My ! ren and Dr. William Royce from
 the Juneau office of FWS and a gent Tarleton Smith of Petersburg.
 and agent Elmer Copstead of Wran- geM.