Tuesday, August 22, 1950
THE FISHERMAN
Page Five
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR
Sports Fishing Inside Boundaries Draws Fire From Irate Troller
Editor. The Fisherman:
I am going to try and convince some of the fishermen, especially the trollers, that if they do not start writing their MP's soon, th eir days of trolling spring salmon are numbered. Also, I would suggest that the organ izer and the union boat pay a visit to the head of [Rivers Inlet and see the sight.
OUR READERS WRITE
It seems that I am like a child crying in the dark; as I wrote about this before but no heed was taken. It was not even mentioned at the Union convention that I am aware of.
I will go on from here. What is going on is that there are eleven big yachts anchored and tied to the Rivers Inlet Cannery Dock. There are also packers and small speed boats, mostly cannery managers, etc., from Rivers Inlet. It apears that the Packers and Can-fiery managers can get their fish canned for half price. There is a limit (or supposed to be), of five springs per boat. To my knowledge, a small speed boat with two men aboard had 17 spring salmon for one day's catch, and these fish were put aboard the the packer at the cannery dock. They were taken to Goose Bay to be canned for half price. According to the Fisheries Act, these fish should not have been taken outside of the boundary, only in a cured state. These which I refer to, came outside of both River's Inlet and Kil-dala boundaries in a raw state, guts and all.
I will admit there were Fishery Guardians at the dock at the time but it appears to be that they were powerless to cope with this. If they were to make arrests, they might lose their jobs as the big fellows draw a lot of water. The boat that accepted the fish, I notice, had no union plate.
If the act yvere enflorced, he would be prosecuted for taking the fish out of the boundary except in cured state. An Indian is supposed to have a permit to move his fish out when he leaves the reserve to go other places. I believe it is section 15, paragraph 15 of the act.
To go jQurthqr), a number of years ago, some of these springs were tagged on the West Coast and they were caught off the south end of Calvert Island. There is sure proof that the spring salmon that spawn in Rivers and Smith's Inlet come from the West Coast, and if that is true it will
not be long until the West Coast troller is out of business. This is the beginning. Eleven boats with five to ten people aboard allowed five fish per person. Mind you these are fish that will take a small average of 35 pounds which means 175 pounds of fish per day to an individual. Some of these boats that were there a week take an average of eight to the boat. Eleven with seven peoptle to a boat would take 385 fish a day.
This does not take a lot of packers and small boats that run up there every few hours. If they get their quota every trip, God knows how many they get as there are some small boats up there. At three or four times a day there could be no checking on the limit etc.
If this is not stopped and the sports are not compelled to fish outside of the boundary, the springs will be gone by the next spawning cycle.
To get an idea, not all these fish have spawn running out of them. They start to concentrate at the head of the Inlet about the first week of July up until around the middle of August.
The government allows those who call themselves sportsmen to go up in the mouth of the rivers and catch these fish, some with the spawn running from them. How long do they think the fish are going to survive that? Last year, there were around 40 lying on the dock rotting while a lot of poor people could not afford to buy a piece of fish.
It is a shame that a government that is put there by the people to conserve our resources for the benefit of all instead grants privileges to the honored few. Every item you see that comes from the Minister of Fisheries to conserve fish, close so and so area, investigation into this and that, just a line of bull to hold their jobs and the average fisherman swallows it, hook, line and sinker and votes for the same bird again.
THE B.M.
Rocking STABILIZER
For Trollers
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It's up to the fishermen to put some one in there so that when a (law is passed all will have tto abide by it, sportsmen as well as the rest of us. If there is no enforcement, of the act, why have the Fishing Act? Why not throw open the Fish Boundary to all and the fittest will survive.
We have a fair Union, lacking of course for members from those interested in this and we have now a Union boat. I suggest that the Union boat check up on this and write a report on it. I am sure no one else will. There are hundreds of gillnet fishermen who can vouch for this but they won't say a word for fear the net boss or manager will not give them a net next year. A lot of these birds are strong on suggestions on the floats but not a word from them when a show-down comes.
I have done all I can as one individual on this. I have done a lot for the fishermen. I was the first delegate who ever signed up a fisherman in Rivers Inlet when we first tried to organize the fishermen in the strike of '36. I progressed enough to get on the police list with other Reds, etc. I am getting up in years and it's up to someone else to take over some of this, regardless of black listing, etc.
I also hope that the Fisheries Department did not over estimate the run of sockeye in giving out that extra week's fishing'. The extra week has been granted for the last four years. Does the extra week pay the fishermen or is it a cannery move to enlarge their pack by a few cases. Most of them that stayed on left on their own. The inlet, for the last two or three days, was barren of all fishermen except for a few die-hards who would fish until Christmas if they let them. I noticed a fellow set a new set at 20 minutes to six on Friday trying to make a million bucks.
As I see it, with the price of web, grub, etc., every time the cannery gets a fish it's about clear profit as the overhead is on the little guy. The bigger the overhead, the bigger the burden the little guy packs. I was talking to a guy the other day, he says the cannery's overhead is big and we should not expect too much for our fish; mind you, and he was a fisherman. He did not seem to realize that he was the guy who was paying it, even though he is about fifty years of age. Some guys can't seem to see the light.
For Conserving Fish by the Fisheries Department JOE MOORE
Rivers Inlet, B. C.
HARRY RANKIN
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WA Sponsors Beauty Queen
By DELIA SCHLESINGER
The July meeting of the Ladner Women's Auxiliary was held July 27 at the home of Mrs. Irene Silick, with 18 members attending.
A report was given by Mrs. Wreatha Deane on the meeting held in Vancouver in July to discuss a new constitution for WA's and formation of new auxiliaries. This meeting was attended also by Mrs. Annie Jensen.
Mrs. Deane gave a very interesting account received on the subject and it will be discussed further.
Miss Joan Tamboline of Westham Island is being sponsored by West-ham Island as a candidate for 1950 Harvest Queen and this WA is supporting her. The Harvest Festival and street dance promotes much interest and is a gala affair here in Ladner.
August 23 is the date for this year's event.
After the meeting, refreshments were served and the ladies enjoyed the usual social evening. The next meeting will be held August 28, at the home of Mrs. Olga Buble.
Bowling Notes
Union Bowling League Underway September 5
By BILLY DONALDSON
The United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union Five-Pin Bowling League (Mixed) will get under way at the Pender Bowling Alleys on Tuesday, September 5, and will continue each week until the end of the season, which will be around the latter part of April, 1951. Starting time will be at 7 p.m. each Tuesday night.
Latest reports, which are official, are that the Fisherman's Cooperative Association are putting four teams in the league.. Jack Gallagher of the Hy-waves will be looking after that team's interests and the team will be the same as last year. Ronnie Houston will be doing the same for the Challengers who will have a couple of new players this season.
The two teams from the office are being looked after by Neil McLeod. The list of names he handed me a few days ago are as follows:
Team No. 1: Neil McLeod, Joe Baker, Don Sutherland, Connie McFerran, Esther Bellas.
Team No. 2: May Sabin, Joanne Wilkins, Jimmy Demetris, Vic Pepper, Bob Hennesy.
Spares on the list are: Jack Wilson, Pete Matterson, and Mable Parker.
Office employees of the Fishermen's Cooperative will definitely enter a team, perhaps two, and it is expected that there will be some new players in the lineup of the Fed Ups. Had a very brief talk with J. McMurray and Clive Daw-kins, both of whom intend to play. Left-handed Lillian Johnson, who is no drawback to any team, may play another season. That couplet Brian Coghlan and Vesta Wright are very much undecided. Brian
likes to play bridge of all things, me for the nags. Hilda Stirling
has agreed to get a signed list of other employees who desire to play, including the above mentioned.
Called in at the Tulloch Fisheries the other day and had a talk with Bert Hughes, Dot Eckman, Connie Harris, and E|la Main, and after a brief discussion about oat burners, etc., I found out that it is official that Ernie Meek (Co-op Employee) will fill the place in "Tulpaks' of Alex Strachan who has departed to the U.S.A. My opinion is that the change will not weaken the team by any means, although Alex had some very nice scores last season.
The last time I spoke to Mel Davies and Helen Smith, they informed me that a change or two is to be made in both teams — Canfisco Fillets and Smokeens.
Last year's winners, Tullochs No. 2, have not been heard from so far, but as Pete Neilson has left the fishing industry, there will be a vacancy on that team. Circumstances have prevented me getting around to the Canadian Fish Plant, B.C. Packers, and Queen Charlotte Fisheries but will be around the plants mentioned before the opening of the season.
See you at the alleys.
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Starting this year, members' patronage refund will be applied toward their following year's premium, their following year's premium.
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iES, THEY DO! People like these in every part of Canada enjoy good fish, and the money they spend for it helps to pay your bills. But one thing is certain — they won't buy poor fish.
So — whether the fish you market is fresh, frozen, smoked, pickled, dried or canned, it's quality that counts — good fish, the tasty tang of which will make people buy again and again.
Make sure that you provide these friends of yours . . . the people who eat fish . . . with fine flavour, first quality products. Make sure that the fish they get is properly handled, packed, shipped or stored so that it reaches the buyer in perfect condition.
SK&EP DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES)
yg^M OTTAWA, CANADA
«H§MI Hon. Robert W. Mayhew, M.P., Minister