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g the Organised Fishermen and Shoreworkers of British Columbia ™ ■ 1IIBIIII vl HI ^l^r wu W
Representing Vol. XXII. No. 31
VANCOUVER, B.C. SEPTEMBER 23, 1960
Openings Sought
Demand for a minimum of three days' salmon fishing each week, starting next week, for the remainder of the season in the Fraser River, Gulf of Georgia, Juan de Fuca Strait, Georgia Strait and Johnstone Strait areas heads a list of representations made to the fisheries department this week by the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union. *---
— i isherman Foto
THEY HIT ALBACORE Pacific Belle crew members display some of the 16 tons of tuna brought in to Steveston this week. From the left they are W. S. Hampson, Bill Sigmund, Alver Olsen, crewman on the Blue Pacific I, Jack Guillet, Pat Forrest, and Ernie Kevis.
Tuna Ships
Back With Fair Trips
Four British Columbia salmon seiners returned to port this week with fair catches of albacore, taken mainly in salmon seines but in part on trolling lines. In addition to their fish, however, they returned with valuable knowledge and experience.
They learned the importance of quick, quiet sets, of the deceptive nature of the schools with big bodies of fish often below what appeared to be small schools on the surface, and a great deal more.
The vessels were out on the grounds 18 to 21 days but weather made it impossible to seine for the first eight or nine. That's when they tried trolling with indifferent success. The Dominator took about two tons on the lines and t^e Blue Pacific 1 about five. The other vessels also took some tuna on the lines.
The Blue Pacific I, top vessel with 30 tons, made one exceptionally good set which weighed out at close to 10 tons.
The Pacific Belle was second high boat with 16 tons, the Skar-dale next with 15 tons and the Dominator brought in 6V2 tons.
In the Dominator's case, however, the noise of the rings as the net was let out sent the already wild fish scurrying. In one set on a huge body of fish, one of the crewmen told The Fisherman, they took only a single fish that had gilled. Even the sound of a boat's whistle was enough to drive the fish out of sight.
In order to overcome this problem, Bill Logan, owner of the Dominator, will have a plywood platform built on the stern section of the steel boat so the net can be handled and set more quietly.
Pacific Belle skipper Bill Pitre said there were only three good fishing days weatherwise during the time he was on the grounds.
There was some delay in making sets since the fish from the previous set, taken in 64 degree water, had to lay on deck to "cool out" before being iced.
The fish, which graded out at between 15 and 20 percent number 2 because of splits and bruises, was bought by BC Packers at $300 per ton for number one and $150 for number two.
Most of the fishing was carried on about 100 miles due southwest of the mouth of the Columbia.
Crew members seem to be unanimous in wanting to return to the grounds with the experience they have gained for a second crack at the tuna.
A special meeting was held Thursday night to discuss a continued operation.
Criticism was voiced to The Fisherman over the lack of assistance by the federal fisheries department which apparently sent the Laurier out on the grounds but the vessel did not provide any information or assistance to the fishermen. She is not equipped for experimental fishing but water temperature readings may have helped the fishermen.
See TUNA — page 8
SKIPPER AND HIS SHIP That's captain Bill Pitre and his Pacific Belle, one of the four ships which have successfully seined tuna off the coast of California.
—Fisherman Foto
BIGGEST CATCH Blue Pacific I captain Emil Jensen (right) appears pleased over the 30 ton tuna catch brought in by his vessel last weekend. That's crewman Alf Larsen with him.
Return Those Tags!
Fishermen Asked to Cooperate In Fraser Chum Tagging Project
The federal fisheries department is conducting a chum tagging program on the Fraser River throughout the 1960 season but its success depends on the cooperation of the gillnet fleet.
Labor Men Attend Combines Hearing
Both the BC Federation of Labor and Vancouver Labor Council will be officially represented at the public hearing in Vancouver next week at which the Restrictive Trade Practices Commission will examine allegations made against the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union under the Combines Investigation Act. ♦ The hearing will open at 10
The Union is also asking that QpenS September 29
opening days in all areas bei-standarised "in order to spread the fishing fleet as widely as possible, rather than having the vessels congested as a result of boats trying to move from one area to another within the same fishing week."
The representations, drawn up by an emergency meeting of salmon net fishermen held at Fishermen s H«ul on '1 uesday this week, have already been forwarded to iisheries minister J. Angus Mac-Lean and were to be presented to Pacific area fisheries director W. R. Hourston on his return to Vancouver this Friday.
In addition to three days' minimum fishing time each week and standardising of opening days, they call for:
• A definite schedule of fishing time and areas which will be kept open during the remainder of the season.
• Any curtailment of commercial fishing below three days a week to be applied fully to all types of gear—gillnetting, seining, trolling and sport fishing.
• An opening for chum salmon fishing in Howe Sound starting October 17 and extending over four weeks with a minimum of three days' fishing each week.
• Immediate release of Dr. Sol Sinclair's report on licence limitation and holding of public hearings to prevent serious depletion and future extreme regulations.
In proposing the chum salmon fishing opening in Howe Sound, the Union points out that there is no need for complete closures for conservation of coho salmon, since the coho runs will be over by October 17, nor is there any need for additional protection for sport fishermen.
COMPLAINTS AIRED
Outlining salmon fishermen's grievances as voiced at the emergency meeting, UFAWU secretary Homer Stevens told MacLean the Union had received "a large number of complaints during the season on the manner in which regulations were announced or amended from time to time."
As an example he cited the San Juan area. When it was rumored around the first week in August that an additional day's fishing
See SALMON OPENINGS — page 8
a.m. this coming Thursday, September 29, in Room 414 of Vancouver Court House.
At Tuesday night's meeting of Vancouver Labor Council, after reading of the letter sent by the UFAWU to all unions in the Greater Vancouver area, delegates endorsed an executive recommendation asking secretary Paddy Neale to represent the Council at the hearing.
The same recommendation emphasised the importance to the entire trade union movement of the issues involved in the Combines action against the UFAWU and urged all delegates who could to attend the hearing.
Pat O'Neal, secretary of the BC Federation of Labor, also informed The Fisherman this week that he would represent the Federation at the hearing. UFAWU MEMBERS TOO
In addition to representatives of other unions, the public hearing is expected to be well attended by
UFAWU members, for whom it is the first opportunity to hear for themselves the arguments which threaten to deprive them of their collective bargaining rights.
The UFAWU has fought throughout for all hearings to be conducted in public but this is the first public hearing to be held since the action against the Union was launched in May 1956. QUESTIONS FOR HEARING
Questions to be argued at this hearing are whether or not secret information obtained from the fishing companies shall be released to the Union and whether the Union will be allowed its demand for a six month adjournment to enable it to study this information and prepare its defence.
The Union's stand is that the evidence being withheld from it is essential to its defence and that its demand for a six month period to prepare its defence is reasonable in view of the 18 months taken by Combines director T. D. MacDonald to prepare the case against the Union.
'Skardale' Crew Praises United States Coast Guard
Crew members of the tuna seiner Skardale have high praise for the United States Coast Guard which sent a ship speeding to their assistance when their vessel sprang a leak off the Northern Washington coast.
The Coast Guard cutter headed*' out to the Skardale's aid despite
assurances from her skipper that there was no immediate danger with a second Canadian tuna vessel, the Dominator, standing by in case of emergency.
The Skardale was 85 miles south one-half west of Tatoosh Island on
her way in from the tuna grounds and bucking a 35 mile nor'wester when she sprang a seam and started taking water faster than the pumps could handle it.
Skipper E'mer Norman quickly turned and ran before the wind
See 'SKARDALE' — page 2
'SPITE ACTION' UNPOPULAR
Americans Criticise Moore's Coho Policy
Milo Moore, Washington state fisheries director whose "spite action" in opening Fraser River bound coho salmon to US fishermen drew censure from the Canadian fishing industry last week, has also been under fire in the US for his action.
Supporting the stand for com-<S> plete closure taken by leaders of
Object of the project is to determine timing, escapement data, and the pattern of migration within the main river on the basis of tagging in two main areas, Glen
Valley Bar-Aldergrove and at the Fraser river dropoff.
Operating for the department at the mouth of the Fraser is Alex Eyton, well known Steveston fisherman who is drum seining with
his vessel Naughty Lady.
Fishing in the Glen Valley Bar portion of the Fraser is being carried on by John Hassall, who is drag seining with his boat.
See TAGGING — page 3
all Washington state fishermen's organisations, Joe Jurich, secretary of 1LWU fishermen's Local 3, Seattle, declared: "We should not destroy our fisheries for what Canada is doing or not doing — I think Canada is doing a good job of conservation."
Earlier this month, Moore reopened the Point Roberts area to US fishermen but retained the closure on other areas of Puget Sound and the US side of Juan de Fuca Strait.
Moore maintained that his action was necessitated by refusal of Canadian -fisheries officials to close the Canadian side of Juan de Fuca Strait despite «his own representations for more stringent conservation measures to protect dwindling coho salmon runs.
Canadian fishermen, he asserted, were depleting the runs by continued fishing on the Canadian side of the Strait, through which the majority of coho pass on their way to spawn in Canadian and US streams.
CLOSURE ISSUE
Canadian fisheries officials termed Moore's decision a "spite action." They pointed out that only coho bound for the Fraser River passed through the Point Roberts area and charged that he was using the opening to dictate Canadian policy. They also denied that Canadian fishermen were taking US bound fish, citing studies to show that the majority of coho runs originate in Canadian streams.
At Ottawa, spokesmen for the fisheries department accused Moore of "reckless politicking." As a Democratic appointee, they said, he was trying to get Ottawa to exert pressure on Washington so that the Democrats could blame the Republicans for stopping US fishermen from fishing.
At an emergency meeting held in Seattle September 9, representatives of fishermen's organisations were sharply critical of
Moore for his failure to order a complete closure.
Nick Mladinich of the Purse Seine Vessel Owners Association said that if the situation was as serious as Moore claimed, complete closure was necessary. Otherwise, purse seiners wanted an opening of the outer areas.
POINT ROBERTS CATCH
Figures presented at the meeting showed that the Washington troll coho catch for August was 51,250, as compared to 228,118 for August 1959, 274,880 for August 3958, 298,274 for August 1957, 286,-774 for August 1956 and 138,270 for August 1955. Less complete figures for the Puget Sound net fishery showed the sanle sharp drop from previous years.
In the reopened Point Roberts area, seiners were reported to have averaged 25 coho and gillnet-ters 11 from September 5 through 7.
Two members of Washington state interim fisheries committee, Senators Eugene Ivey and Homer Nunamaker, reported they had visited Port San Juan and found Canadian gillnet catches of coho were poor. In view of this, they said, Canadian fisheries officials at that time did not consider a closure necessary.
Both Jurich of the 1LWU and George Johansen, secretary of the Alaska Fishermen's Union, argued for complete closure, with Jurich protesting what he described as "piecemeal" regulations.
Union Renews Demand For Dogfish Liver Plan
Strong representations are being made by the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union to fisheries minister J. Angus MacLean for immediate reinstatement of the federal dogfish liver subsidy program.
In a letter sent to MacLean this week, Union secretary Homer Stevens asks him to put the program into effect immediately on the basis of a minimum payment to fishermen of 15 cents per pound of liver produced without the deductions for freight that have been made in previous years.
Stevens points out that the Union has consistently argued for a year round operation rather than the present program which leaves an interval between March 31, when the government's fiscal year
ends, and commencement of the new operation later in the year.
Last year, after representations had been made by the Union, Mac-Lean announced on July 24 that the new program would go into effect immediately. This year, he has not yet made any announcement of the government's intentions.
The importance of the program to fishermen this year, Stevens notes, is evidenced not only by the continuing large population o[ dogfish in BC waters, but also by the economic difficulties facing most fishermen. Lower earnings in the halibut industry, small returns from the salmon industry and continued shutdown of the herring industry all point to the need for immediate government •Winn on the doefish program.
FISH PRICES — page 3