Tfiefiiherm&n
Representing the Organized Fishermen of British Columbia
Vol. VI. No. 6.
(245)     VANCOUVER, B.C., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1944
Price: 5 Cents
Fishing Union Issues Convention Call
Coal Harbor Skate
This skate, weighing nearly 200 pounds, was caught in Coal Harbor last week. Harry Balsey at Denman wharf speared the fish with a pike pole as it swam near the wharf. It measures six feet from nose to tail and is four feet wide. Seen inspecting the skate is 14-year-old Dennis Payton, who helped catch it.
CO-OP LIVER SETTLEMENTS IN PREPARATION
Negotiations between the J. H. Carson Company and the United Fishermen's Cooperative Society for the sale to the co-op of the company's liver oil processing plant have not yet been concluded, although a complete inventory of the plant equipment and a thorough review of plant costs have been satisfactorily carried out by the co-op committee.
The present agreement with the company will expire on March 31. A new contract between producers and the co-op is being drawn up in anticipation of the conclusion of negotiations for the plant purchase within the next few days.
Karl Dybhavn, manager of the United Fishermen's Cooperative, reports that he is now working out final settlements for the 1943-44 production of halibut, lingcoci, blackcod, soupfin shark and other livers and these payments will be ready before the end of the month.
Plans to further consolidate the operations of the Prince Rupert Fishermen's oil processing plant and the United Fishermen's C< -operative plant will be discussed at the Joint Cooperative Conference to be held March 9 and 10.
A full report on 1943 operatio^ will be submitted to all members previous to the annual meeting of the Co-op to be held March 15.
Locals Discuss Main Issues Before Parley
The full text of the convention call sent out by Secretary-Treasurer William T. Burgess to all locals of the United Fishermen's Union is given below.
EARLY START EXPECTED ON HELL'S GATE
Officials of the Pacific Sock-eye Salmon Commission announce the Canadian Federal Government has passed an appropriation of $1,000,000 toward construction of a by-pass at Hell's Gate Canyon, and removal of other obstructions on Fraser River and its tributaries, to assist the development of the sockeye fishing industry.
This sum is to be matched with a similar sum by the United States. Immediately the United States acts the commission will start the permanent undertakings.
Work is expected to get well under way this year.
Plans have been approved by the governments. The entire $2,000,000 program will occupy some four to five years. The joint international commission expects then to return to its original volume the great sockeye runs that choked the river before the slide at Hell's Gate closed the channel, and turned back many millions of the fish.
It is possible, too, before long the activities of the sockeye commission will be extended to cover other species of salmon using the Fraser River and its spawning areas.
Fish Prices
Following wholesale fish prices obtained at Campbell Avenue Dock at Vancouver on February 14:
Vancouver
White Spring Salmon .........14c lb.
Red Spring Salmon ........20c lb.
Flounders___T----.--2'/2clb.
Soles_______6c lb.
Ling Cod Livers----1.00 lb.
Dogfish Livers 38c lb.
West Coast Cod 12-14c lb.
Grey Cod Livers-------3c lb.
Fresh Grey Cod 5c lb.
Seattle
Seattle fish prices for February 11 were as follows: Ling  Cod 10c lb.
Soupfin Carcasses 8V4c-t0c lb Smelt .......- - ...........—11
-inc lb.
i
Burgess Suggests Plan To BCFPA For Transfer
Following receipt of a communication from the British Columbia Fishermen's Protective Association asking information as to the terms upon which the United Fishermen's Federal Union would consider amalgamation of the BCFPA into the UFFU, secretary W. T. Burgess has proposed that a joint meeting of the two executives be called at an early date to reach an agreement, and suggested that the amalgamation might possibly be affected along the lines of the amalgamation between the Pacific Coast Fishermen's Union (PCFU) and the UFFU, completed in 1942.
This was done by accepting all members paid up and in good standing in the PCFU up to June 1942 into full membership of the United Fishermen's Union without any initiation fee, dating back their membership in the UFFU to begin April. Members in bad standing were requested to pay the full initiation fee of $10.00 after the amalgamation was completed.
The present paid up membership of the British Columbia Fishermen's Protective Association is reported to be about 50, but undoubtedly there are also members who are in arrears in their dues.
A copy of the UFFU constitution and bylaws have been submitted to the BCFPA and another meeting of that organization will be held very shortly. Present indications are that the amalgamation may be concluded at the forthcoming Sixth Annual Convention of the UFFU. The BCFPA members would then be transferred into the
Ladncr Organizes Blood Donors
Ladner Local of the UFFU is taking active steps to organize participation by local fishermen in the campaign for blood donors currently being conducted by the Red Cross.
Leo Vidulich has been appointed by the Local to interview fishermen and ask them to enroll as blood donors.
various Fraser River locals according to the locality in which they reside.
Albion Local Sees 100% In
Albion Local of the UFFU, held 'a well attended meeting on February 6, at which Bob Wulff reported on the activities of the United Fishermen's Cooperative and the Lower Fraser Fishermen's Credit Union. Several members enrolled in the Credit Union following the meeting. Members attending were enthusiastic about the possibilities of signing up fishermen on the River 100 percent, particularly following the BCFPA offer to amalgamate.
Tony Cordoni and Ed. Lindberg were entrusted with the responsibility of sending in regular reports of local activities to The Fisherman.
Albion Local meets on the first Sunday of each month at 2 p.m.
Delegates to the Sixth Annual Convention of the UFFU will be elected at the March meeting.
PEDERSEN RESIGNS AS FISH UNION SECRETARY
KETCHIKAN, Alaska, Feb. 11 — Helge Pedersen of Ketchikan has resigned his post as secretary of the Deep Sea Fishermen's Union, it was announced today. Pedersen, who held the post for more than six years, will be succeeded by Enir Krogh of Seattle.
BROTHER MEMBERS:
Our Sixth Annual Convention will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 20, in the Fishermen's Hall, Vancouver, to continue in session until all business before the convention has been completed.
The past year has witnessed the greatest war victories to date for the United Nations. Both in Europe and in the Pacific the armed forces of the fascist axis and its satellites have been forced on the defensive.
Otir convention will assemble at a moment when the all-out offensive from the east, west and the south pledged by Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt, after their history making meeting at Teheran, will either be in full swing or about to be launched. Its objective is to compel the unconditional surrender of Hitlerite Germany.
The Teheran decisions provide not only the means to hasten the victorious conclusion of the war but hold out the hope to all peoples that continued collaboration in the post-war period will make possible a world of international peace in which each country will without interference be able to institute internal reforms by peaceful, democratic processes in accordance with the desires of its population.
Under such circumstances, we not only renew our pledge to spare no effort for our country and the cause of victory for the United Nations, but we fully realize that the responsibility that falls upon us is heavier than ever before. Greater efficiency and maximum production remain our aims and our convention will need to thoroughly consider every means by which these can be accomplished.
Revision of Agreements
Our sincerity of purpose was proven to all unbiased observers during the past year when, in order to avoid any possibility of disputes that might lead to loss of production, the United Fishermen's Union signed exactly the same agreements for salmon, herring and pilchard fishing as had been concluded in 1942.
As a result, when agreements for the 1943-44 seasons now expired come up for discussion again, two years will have passed without the alteration or addition of a single clause in these agreements. In connection with each of these agreements, the experience of their workings gained in this two-year period has led to the accumulation of a number of points which it would be desirable to alter and improve this year in order that the harmonious uninterrupted production that existed last year might continue to prevail.
Our convention will need to provide specific instructions
SEE PAGE FOUR "Union Convention"
NEW WEST. LOCAL ELECTS SALMON NEGOTIATORS
The next regular meeting of the New Westminster local of the UFFU will be held on Friday, February 25, at 7 p.m.
Members are asked to note that this and future local meetings will be held in a new location at the LPP Hall in the Russell Hotel, 59 Alexander.
A special meeting of the local was held last Friday to discuss salmon negotiations. The meeting endorsed action of union officers to date in these negotiations and elected J. H. McFalls, Gunner Stoilen and Lars Wike to act as New Westminster delegates on the joint salmon negotiation committee.
The proposed netmen's agreement was endorsed with one amendment, to include contract work on gillnets. It was decided that delegates from Sunbury, Port Mann and Albion locals would be invited to attend the next regular meeting to discuss a resolution in regard to the Pattullo Bridge bounday.
Union headquarters was asked to propose to the ration board that a fishermen's section of the board be established in New Westminster.
Union Flag Flying Above The Waves, Estep Limps In
News of a trip that had the crew of the herring packer "Estep" somewhat worried while it lasted was received in Vancouver when Engineer "Pop" Foster and Mate Ernie Clarke visited the offices of The Fisherman.
Snapshot^ taken by the cook, Don Ross, as the boat was being brought safely into Le Roy Bay indicate the justification for that worried feeling. The picture at the right was taken on the deck from the galley door; on the left are Ernie Clarke and "Pop" Foster on deck in a shot taken from the turntable.
The trouble started after the "Estep" had picked up a load of 44 tons of herring from the North Isle and was proceeding from Kwatsua Pass across the Sound to Alert Bay. The boat started taking
water in a blow-up at Egg Island and from that point on, it was a great battle to bring her in safely.
The seine table and the tow line were washed overboard before the boat landed.
It took eight and a half hours to get the "Estep" finally from Egg Island to Le Roy Bay. The union flag was still flying proudly as the boat came in. Only then was it felt that it was worth while taking snapshots.
Charlie Nelson is skipper of the "Estep."
Canneries Elect Union Delegates
At the last regular union meeting of Cannery Workers, Local 89, it was unanimously decided to affiliate with the Workers' Educational Association. The WEA has started educational and speakers classes in Vancouver, which will be of great help to the organized labor movement. Ten union members registered for enrollment in the classes.
AID RED CROSS
The union endorsed a recommendation from the executive board to get behind the Red Cross in its forthcoming blood donors and financial drive and urged all members to contribute to these campaigns.
WAGES CONTROL ORDER
The meeting strongly condemned Wartime Wages Control Order 1943 as being dictated by big business ^interests. It was felt that the record of Canadian labor during the past four years did not warrant such unjust restrictions but that on the contrary the new order would have the effect of hindering the war effort. Full support was pledged to the Trades Congress for whatever action was deemed necessary to have the order rescinded.
CIGARETTE FUND
A decision was made to contribute $5.00 per month to the Trades Congress Fund to send cigarettes to our boys overseas. During the month of July a collection will be conducted throughout the organization to assure the continuance of the monthly contribution.
CONVENTION CALL
The Convention Call and the Convention Delegate Forms have been sent to all plants for the purpose of electing delegates to our Third Annual Convention.
The Plant Committees of all short-season out of town plants were elected as delegates to the convention.
The next Union meeting will be Monday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m. at the Union Hall, 138 East Cordova St., Vancouver.