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THE FISHERMAN
December 16, 1953
Royal Commission on Fishing Essential
JN the past months, we have been watching with interest new developments, new proposed regulations and new scientific reports affecting the fishing industry and it seems evident to anyone really interested that the time has come to establish a Royal Commission to thoroughly investigate the whole fishing industry.
Dr. John L. Kask, newly appointed chairman of the Fisheries Research Board, scientific arm of the Federal Department of Fisheries, says "The deep sea itself is the next great area to be explored for commercial fishing. The Japanese are already catching salmon far at sea in commercial quantifies."
JAPANESE CATCH UP
Japanese salmon expeditions to the North Pacific resulted in a catch of 7,770,573 salmon last year. This was about 38 percent higher than the target set by the Japanese Government. Fishermen on catcher boats received 7.7c a pound for red salmon, 5.7c a pound for chum and silver salmon and 2.3c a pound for trout, which is less than half the price paid to B.C. fishermen.
Dr. Kask expresses the belief salmon taken by these Japanese expeditions were salmon which spawn in Siberian rivers and streams, and that the Japanese expeditions therefore had no effect on Alaskan or B.C. salmon runs. It would be most interesting to find out upon what scientific data Dr. Kask bases his opinion.
Members of the UFAWU cannot help wondering whether Dr. Kask is not primarily interested in removing our own Canadian Government from an embarrassing situation. The recently signed North Pacific Fisheries Treaty, against which the UFAWU conducted a bitter struggle, gave the Japanese the right to fish salmon in the Bering Sea. The opposition to the Treaty from fishermen was based on the fear that exactly what now is happening would happen.
There are only so many salmon to be taken each year if the runs are to be properly perpetuated. If the fish are taken by foreign fishermen on the high seas, then our own fishermen in the coastal areas and in rivers will suffer as a re-
The accompanying material was contained in a radio broadcast delivered last Friday over Radio Station CJOR on behalf of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union by UFAWU organiser Harold Wilcox. Because of its importance, we are reproducing it for those readers who may have missed the broadcast. Remember, tune in every Friday evening at 8:15 over CJOR to hear the Union report to the public.
Harold Wilcox
suit. This is a serious situation of vital concern to our Province.
Rather than express hopeful beliefs, our scientists should immediately get to work and accumulate some facts.
If B.C. salmon are being taken by Japanese expeditions in the Bering Sea, our Government must accept the responsibility for allowing this to happen and should certainly take all steps as quickly as possible to see that a remedy is found.
ALASKANS CONCERNED
Alaskan fishermen are deeply concerned and their concern has been emphasized by this year's run of salmon which was the poorest and,most disastrous in the history of the territory. Here is what one leading spokesman for Alaskan fishermen, Mr. E. L. Bartlett, has to say: "It is imperative that the United States begin investigations to determine the origin of salmon in North Pacific waters." Bartlett told U.S. Interior Secretary Douglas McKay in a letter that many American fishermen believe Japanese expeditions took salmon this year which had their origin in Alaskan streams.
There may be other reasons for the decline in Alaska but the result is an intensification of competition for fish in other areas. For instance, this year a large part of the Alaskan fleet moved into Puget Sound. This influx meant overfishing of Fraser River .and Puget Sound pink salmon runs, which reduced earnings of B.C. fishermen and at the same time created a real danger to future runs.
INVEST FOR RESULTS
The Pacific Sockeye Salmon Commission has expended more than two milllion dollars in investiga-
Greetings to Our Best Friends
THE FISHERMEN
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tion and remedial measures to restore the Fraser's great salmon runs.* The money has been well spent. Many almost extinct runs have been revived and with proper work can be built up to their old time level of productivity. With this trend, even greater days in salmon harvesting are ahead, providing we do not alllow disastrous mistakes to be made.
There is little use in expending large sums of money creating fav orable spawning conditions in the interior spawning beds, if the runs of fish are to be heavily depleted before they even enter the river.
The UFAWU believes in conservation and will fight for and support all measures which will ensure that future generations derive full benefit from our fishery resources.
MARKETS FOR FISH
Another problem faced by the industry is that of finding markets for our canned salmon and other products. Mr. Sinclair, Fisheries Minister, has declared that he is Jfware of the problems of the industry and is taking steps to stimulate trade.
Recently, he went to England with members of the Fisheries Association in an effort to make a deal whereby B.C. salmon would be exchanged for British goods. Although nothing definite has been announced, there are indications of some sales to the United Kingdom in the near future.
The United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union believes it is possible to regain our Commonwealth markets and to gain new markets. The government must be prepared to enter into barter agreements, to accept sterling where necessary, and a willingness to trade with' all countries.
The fishermen of B.C. have already suffered heavy losses of income arising out of short-sighted trade policies. We want decisive action by the Federal Government before the whole industry is crippled.
PRICE REPORT
Early last June, the Union asked the Minister of Fisheries to conduct an investigation on the need for prices support action in the B.C. fishing industry. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Popper of the Fisheries Prices Support Board came
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out to the coast. He met with representatives of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union, the Fishing Vessel Owners Association and the Native Brotherhood.
Mr. Popper outlined various methods of obtaining information on how price changes affected the net income of fishermen. Since the season was already in full swing, it was suggested that this be held over until the winter months.
On Wednesday, of last week, Mr. Popper accompanied by Mr. Blake Campbell, Chief Statistician of the Fisheries Department for the West Coast, visited the Union Hall.
They outlined to the Union, Brotherhood and Vessel Owners officials the plan they had for interviewing salmon fishermen during the months of January and February. **
The questionnaires will be quite lengthy and will take a team of statisticians several weeks to obtain the required information.
Approximately three hundred individual fishermen will be interviewed. Information on individual earnings, operating costs, etc. will be kept strictly confidential. Only the total figure will be used by the Department.
The Union, the Vessel Owners and Native Brotherhood asked for an investigation and feel that action by the Prices Support Board may be required at any time.. Now that the preliminary investigation has started, all three groups are asking our members to cooperate fully. We are certain every fisherman will want the Prices Support Board to obtain a true picture of earnings, and the effect of price cuts to the fishermen.
The fishing season has now closed and boats are being stored away for the winter months. Fishermen are lining the employment office doors seeking employment in other fields of industry so as to have a few dollars to put them through the winter. Their season is short and they have no unemployment insurance to fall back on.
This all falls on the eve of one of the largest packs of salmon since 1913. Is it any wonder that we are demanding a full investigation into the fishing industry?
SEASON'S GREETINGS TO ALL FISHERMEN
R. PILKINGTON BLACKSMITH ING
1705 West Georgia St. Vancouver, B.C.
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Seiner Extends Appreciation
A salmon seine fisherman member of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union has asked that his expression of appreciation be extended through the columns of The Fisherman to fellow fishermen who raised #138 to assist him in his time of illness.
He is Mike Bobich of Vancouver i, who is a patient in the sanitarium at Tranquillle and has been confined there for well over a year.
Mike had been employed in the industry on the "Kinkisan" and the "Pearl C" prior to his illness.
The collection was taken up at Alert Bay this fall and among the donors, in addition to members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union were members of the Native Brotherhood. To all these people. Mike extends his sincere appreciation.
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Zhc Jish with the
ROVING EYE
The halibut b a homely fish. But what it lacks n looks it makes up m other characteristics which have brought it fame. Most fascinating of these b the strange metamorphosis which each fish undergoes during Its lifetime, looking normal dt birth and swimming upright like any other little fish, the halibut changes its habits when six or seven months old and starts resting and swimming on its left side on the ocean floor. Its body flattens and the left eye moves over beside the right eye. At the same time lb left side turns grey or white and the upper side becomes a slate brown, sometimes mottled or blade
living on the sea-bottom off both Conada's Atlantic and Pacific coasts, the halibut b the largest of Canadian flatfish, reaching a weight sometimes of 600 te 700 pounds It is exceeded in size only by some sharks, tuna a*d swordftsh. An excellent food fish, its firm white flesh provides delicious fresh and frozen steaks and fillets. It is the most valuable of the flat fishes as a source of ofls and animal feeds.
Ninety percent of Canada's landings of halibut comes from the north Pacific where, in international waters both Canadian and United Stoles vessels share in the catch. The fishery b regulated by a commission mode up of representatives of the two countries. Its work b one of the world's outstanding examples of international action