I
IBeTi/herman
_Representing the Organized Fishermen and Shorewor\ers of British Columbia
Vol. XVIII No. 22
VANCOUVER, B.C., JULY 12, 1955
Single Copy: 10 cents
Proposed New Boundaries for Johnstone Straits Streams
1955
PROTECTION-SALMON RUNS JOHNSTONE STRAIT AREA
SHOWING LOCATION OF EXISTING SALMON FISHING BOUNDARIES AND THEIR POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS AND RELOCATION AT MOUTHS OF ADAM .SALMON AND BEAR RIVERS
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Department Considers Moving Four Stream Boundaries in Fall
Increased restrictions on salmon fisheries in the Johnstone Straits-Discovery Passage area may be imposed this season to offset growing fishing intensity in this area, according to a statement circularised by the federal department of fisheries among fishermen's organisations and the fishing industry early in July. Four salmon-producing rivers on
the east coast of Vancouver Island are specifically citied as cause of
By
Civil Action
Victim Of Shooting
Court action is being launched against two B.C. residents over the wounding of a Japanese fisherman at Alert Bay two years ago.
Shigeru Matsunaga suffered severe and permanent head injuries when a bullet was fired through the planking of his gillnetter and entered his skull as he lay sleeping on his bunk.
Matsunaga's lawyers, Stanton, Munro and Dean, report that a civil suit has been started against Herb Bristol and Violet Evans, owners of the "Bristol Bay," claiming damages for this assault and costs.
It will be alleged in evidence tha the "Bristol Bay" was moored alongside Matsunaga's boat on the night of the shooting.
The victim who suffered paralysis of the left arm and leg was not able to go back fishing last year. He still suffers considerable pain and has not recovered proper use of his arm.
The bullet has not yet been removed from his skull and doctors are afraid t'o undertake the operation.
Keen interest in Matsunaga's plight has been shown by his fellow fishermen. A fund started by the UFAWU to help him meet his heavy medical expenses and legal costs in conducting a search for the people now being sued, reached $300.
The Union also put its lawyers "to investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the present court proceedings are the result.
The unfortunate fisherman faces more big doctor's bills on his road back to health and it seems likely that the injuries will permanently cut down his earning power.
With the prospect of a long and expensive law-suit facing Matsun-ago, UFAWU officials are considering a new fund to help ttis Union brother.
Details of the new fund are still under consideration and a fresh appeal for aid will be made shortly
deep concern to fishery conservationist's. These are: Tsitika, Adam, Salmon and Bear rivers, where restrictive fishing boundaries were imposed last year.
Fishing in these areas and spawning escapement to the rivers will Ibe closely watched from the beginning o£ the runs and if conditions remain unfavorable, further and drastic 'boundary extensions will be announced. Probable limit's of such extensions are indicated on the map reproduced above which was issued by the department in conjunction with the statement.
Salmon Seine Skipper Drowns
Accidental drowning was the verdict of a coroner's jury in the July 4 death of Captain Milo Lupis, owner of the salmon seiner "Splendour" who apparently fell overboard while the vessel was underway just off the mouth of Dean Channel.
Although no 'more than four minutes elapsed between the time he was last seen and his absence was discovered, it took better than 15 minutes for his son Anthony, Union boat delegate on the vessel, to get through to make a call to the "Springtime 5" which picked up the body shortly after being contacted.
The sea was calm at the time of the tragedy. The crew had just gone below for lunch with Tony Lupis the last to see his father. Tony was below some four minutes and when he went back up, the wheel was untended.
As soon as it was clear his dad had fallen overboard, Tony put in the call t'o the "Springtime 5" but it took a good 15 minutes to get through.
Captain Lupis' body was picked up by the "Springtime 5." Two cuts on his head indicated he had struck something in his fall overboard.
Milo Lupis was a member of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union until his transfer to the Vessel Owners' Association recently following purchase of the 'Splendour."
Funeral took place last Saturday from the Bell Funeral Home.
The 54-year-old fisherman is survived by his loving wife Helen, two sons, Anthony and Nicky; one daughter, Mary-Lou, all of Vancouver; one brother, Peter, Oakland, California.
SPECIAL MEETING
HERRING FISHERMEN
10 A.M.
Saturday, July 16
FJSHERMEN'S HALL
138 E. CORDOVA
In recent years, the 48 hour weekly closed time was extended to 72 hours for a part of the season and more latterly a 72 hour weekly closure has been applied throughout the season. To meet special situations, it has been necessary to prohibit all net fishing for specified periods.
Citing the high efficiency of fishing fleets brought' about by greater skills of fishermen coupled with the use of modern fishing .gear and navigational aids, the department of fisheries points out that 25 years ago, salmon fishing in Johnstone Straits-Discovery Passage was confined to a few small, locally based seiners which operated adjacent to the mouths of streams alontf the east Vancouver Island shore. In recent years, this fishery has attracted growing numbers of big, modern seiners. Gillnetters also have entered the fishery. Last year, 200 salmon purse seiners and more than 600 gillnetters fished intensively in the area.
According to the 1954 salmon spawning report issued by the department, streams along the mainland, including Jervis Inlet, Toba Inlet and the Fraser River were almost bare of chum spawners as a result of this fishing. Rivers on the Vancouver Island side, such as the Campbell, Oyster, Puntledge, Little and Big Qualicum rivers, Nanaimo, Ohemainus and Cowich-an rivers also showed disappointingly poor returns and the department considers this condition a direct result of intensive fishing.
Date of application proposed for Salmon River is August 15 while September 25 is proposed for the other three streams.
Sinclair Plans Fish-Dam Study
Prior to his departure for the International Whaling Commission meeting in Moscow which gets under way July 17, federal minister of fisheries James Sinclair in an interview on the OBC fishermen's broadcast, said one of his objectives will be to obtain information on how the Russians deal with the problem of passing fish over dams.
He will go to Vladivostok in this regard and as he announced earlier, will spend some time studying the big Siberian fisheries.
Mr. Sinclair mentioned in his interview with Frank Martin, who conducts the broadcast, that he intends to spend some time on his way over, at Bergen and Stavanger in Norway, where they have fishery schools and where he plans to get information on utilisation of herring. This was request'ed by the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union in a letter earlier this year.
He will also visit Sandeford where Norway is conducting whaling research.
Daring his stay in the Soviet Union, he will make a tour of central Russia including a visit to Leningrad.
He will return in August by way of Japan.
Three More Off Union "Scab List1
Three more names are off the UFAWU scab list with the men concerned having met requirements laid down by the Union which include a $50 fine, an apology, and payment of dues to their home Local. All those removed from the list will appear before the Local in which area they scabbed in order to obtain final clearance, but this will take place after the season. Removed last week were Alfred and Al Huston, New Westminster and Bruce Iverson, Sun-bury.
ALBION: R. Faulkner.
FORT LANGLEY AREA: V. Treliving, L. Treliving, B. "Dutch" Meunch, L. Nadeau, Fred Houston, Ed Rennie ("Swan"), R. Brown, Ford Trim-nel, Brian McGowan.
' SUNBURY: Doug Fell, A. Williams ("Three Boys").
NEW WESTMINSTER: Ben Hall, Ronnie Lay.
STEVESTON: George Hubert ("Diana Lee'), Cliff Wells, Norm Windsor, Roy Storey, Frank Wells, Caleb Wells, J. Mellody, Nick Mardesich.
LADNER: Mike Senkiw, Victor Gamble, Reg Burch, Edgar Burch, Fred Schuffenhauer, R. Beveridge. „
Salmon Price
Hikes Puget
Won by Seiners
Fishermen, tendermen and shoreworkers in the Puget Sound area recorded substantial price and wage gains in settlements reached earlier this month between the Inter' national Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union and cannery operators
Puget Sound Seiners Local 3 (ILWU) have settled for a 2yz cent per pound hike on pinks following a one-week tieup, bringing prices this season to 14 cents per pound. Pinks of course are the "big" fish this season with a bumper run expected.
A three cent boost was won for sockeye, bringing prices this season to 29 cent's per pound while for cohoe and springs, increases of two cents were recorded.
Thus, for the latter two species, fishermen will receive 15 cents per pound prior to September 15. From that date to October 5, they will get an additional cent, bringing the price to 16 cents for these two types of salmon.
A comparison between the two years follows:
1955 SEASON
Sockeye ..........................29c tfc.
Pinks ................................14c 16.
Cohoe, Springs
(to Sept. 15) ................15c 16.
(Sept. 15 to Oct. 5) ...16c 16. 1954 SEASON
Sockeye ..........................26e 16.
Pinks ............................11 Vac 16.
Cohoe, Springs....13c to 14c 16. Local 3 secretary Bob Cummings told The Fisherman in a telephone interview that "Considering everything, it is a fair minimum settlement."
He also reported that tendermen settled for an eight percent' overall package settlement covering gains in wages, board, and other matters.
Cannery workers gained as high as 15 cents per hour in their new agreement. Range of increases for
women workers is from five to 15 cents per hour while male workers established a boost of 10 cent's per hour across the board.
In addition, some minor improvements were established in the new contract covering shore crews.
Latest report from Seattle, however, is that the (United States' Federal Trade Commission has charged the Union and canners with price-fixing in their salmon price contract, which represents a new attack on the Union and the living conditions of its members. (See story on page 6)
Area 3A Halibut Closes July 26
The International Pacific Halibut Commission announced last Friday that 6 a.m., Standard Time, July 26, 1955 is the closing date for the first halibut season in Areas 3A and 3B.
The second halibut fishing season in Areas IB and 2, and 3A and 3B will commence at 6 a.m., Standard Time, on August 5, 1955, and terminate in Areas IB and 2 at' 6 a.m., Standard Time, August 12, and in Areas 3A and 3B at 6 a.m., Standard Time on August 14, 1955.
The third halibut fishing season in Area 3B will commence at 6 a.m., Standard Time on August 20 and terminate at 6 a.m., Standard Time on September 12, 1955.
The halibut fishing season in Area 1A will terminate at 6 a.m., Standard Time on September 12, 1955.
The Commission also announced that landings of halibut from Area 3A to July 5, inclusive, totalled 15,600,000 pounds.
Inlet Fishermen Put Out 'Unwelcome' Mat (or Scabs
Gillnet fishermen at Rivers and Smiths Inlets feel very
strongly that they don't enjoy the company of persons who
have failed to take action to remove their names from the ''scab
list" issued by the United Fishermen and Allied Workers'
Union last fall. I ! i : ~ ~
According to reports received 1lioned ln our last lssue has Proven
according
to
by The Fisherman meetings held at various camps since the fishermen first arrived have sent various delegations to camp managers to express their feelings and request cooperation to ensure compatibility and a happy camp.
At the K-S caimp on July 2, Fred Huston was asked to leave by a committee selected from a meeting attended by 63 fishermen.
On the same date, a meeting at Good Hope cannery received a written apology from Joe and Gil Sigurgerson and voted to accord both all the privileges of a Union man. Final acceptance into membership in the UFAWU is left to a meeting of the Steveston local which they have agreed to attend in December or January at the end of the fishing season.
G. E. Cammidge informed the fishermen at Johnston's camp, Rivers Inlet, that he will appear before the Ladner local at the end of the season and his name has been removed from the list.
Alfred Huston and his son Alf Jr. have had their names removed from the list on the vote of a meeting last weekend at Boswell Camp. I
The "unconfirmed report that aj large group of scabs have concen-1 trated at Boswell" which we men-
to be unfounded, according to-later information.
There were only two fishermen on the scab list at Boswell last weekend and both at last report had left Smiths Inlet.
The Boswell meeting decided that organised fishermen will not deliver t'o any (packer or camp that accepts fish from persons on the scab list. The camp committee was instructed to add to the list any fishermen who handle fish for anyone who has not removed himself from the list.
Camp managers will be notified that if scabs fail to leave a camp the organised fishermen would leave. To maintain good will and trade of honest fishermen, managers, storekeepers and gas station operators are being asked not to supply food and gas to scabs except for the purpose of leaving the area and going home.
Union Backs SIU Strike, Hits Raiding
United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union will support the strike of Seafarers International Union members against the Union Steamships, while still condemning SIU efforts to raid the UFAWU in 1953.
Outlining Union policy in a letter to Norm Cunningham, port agent of the SIU, secretary Homer Stevens pointed out that the Fishermen's Union has a long and honorable record of strike action and support for other striking unions.
"When another union is on strike, we support that union to the best of our ability as we feel it is a gain for us and for the whole labor movement for the union concerned t'o win the strike," Stevens said.
"Our policy is not restricted to support for those unions with which we have friendly relations," he declared. "Therefore, while we still condemn the efforts made by the SIU to raid our jurisdiction in 1953, we are prepared to lend support to SIU members on strike for higher wages and better conditions at Union Steamships Ltd."
Complete text of the letter follows:
"Further to our telephone conversation on Monday, July 4, we wish to set out the policy of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union regarding the strike presently in progress at Union Steamships Ltd. Our Union has a long and honorable record in respect to strikes and support for other unions which may be required to take strike action.
'We follow a policy based on the general slogan of 'an injury to one is an injury to all.' When another union is on strike, we support that union to the best of our ability as we feel it is a gain for us and for the whole labor movement for the union concerned to win the strike.
"Our policy is not restricted to support for those unions which we have friendly relations. Therefore, while we still condemn the efforts made toy the SIU to raid our jurisdiction in 1953, we are prepared to lend support to SIU members on strike for higher wages and better conditions at Union Steamships Ltd.
"As stated t'o you on \the telephone, we have already received certain enquiries from certain fishing companies as to whether it would be permissible for them to See SIU STRIKE—Page 5
Two Scabs Refuse to Clear Selves
Two gillnetters who scabbed during the 1954 tendermen's strike have refused to comply with rules laid down by the Union for removing themselves from the "scab list."
The two men, both of whom it is reported by the "Chiquita 3" have left Smiths Inlet,. are R. Brown and Fred Huston. They are named as scabbing by the Fort Langley Local.
The name of R. Brown's boat is the "Citation" No. R.B. 8030 while Huston's boat, which is without a name, carries the number F.H. 8244.
Brown's boat has a varnished cabin while Huston's is all white.
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PAUL ROBESON SINGS AGAIN
PEACE ARCH PARK JULY 24 - 2:30 P.M.
Busses Leave C.N.R, Depot at 1 p.m.
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