TheTIJherm&n
Representing the Organized Fishermen of British Columbia
VOL. V. No. 40.
(231) VANCOUVER, B.C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1943
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In U.S. Too Organization, Higher Prices Go Together Even Under Govt. Ceilings
American salmon fishermen outside of the Puget Sound area are strongly protesting Office of Price Administration ceilings on chum salmon and on springs. The O.P.A. order places a ceiling of from 3 to 3V2C per pound for chums to the producer.
The price level for chum salmon in the Puget Sound area, however, is quite different being 8c per pound for chums. Representatives of the UFFU were somewhat puzzled by this differential in price ceilings and learned from officers of the United Fishermen's Union of the Pacific, Puget Sound District, in Seattle that the Sc per pound ceiling in Puget Sound is a fresh fish price ceiling and at present all chums caught in this area are being delivered to the fresh fish trade. Should the volume of chums exceed the amount that can be handled in this market they are diverted to the canneries where the price to the fishermen is 5c per pound.
There is an interesting comparison for B.C. fishermen in the prices for canned chum salmon paid in the U.S. and in Canada. The Canadian price is $6.25 a case for 48-lb. cans of 1-lb. talis, $7.50 per case of 96 %-lb. flats, and $5.00 per case of 96 cans y4-lb. flats. United States packers obtain $7.60 per case 48 cans of 1-lb. tails, $9.00 per case of 48 cans 1-lb. flats, $5.00 per case of 48 %-lb. flats.
United Fishermen's Union representative Paul Dale of Seattle stated that there has always been a price differential between the Puget Sound and outside areas on chum salmon but states that in his opinion the wide differential in ceiling prices for canning is mainly due to the fact that stronger organization in the Puget Sound area has enabled them to negotiate higher prices than has been the case at other points.
There is a parallel it appears between organization and prices that works the same way on both sides of our imaginary boundary line.
CANADA TO GET MORE FUR SEALS NOW JAPAN OUT
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6. — The House of Representatives merchant marine committee has approved a bill to make effective the provisional fur seal agreement of 1942 between the United States and Canada for the protection of fur seals on the Pribilof Islands.
The new agreement with Canada follows generally the provisions of the original agreement to which Japan was a party, with the principal change that the Canadian share of the fur sealskins taken annually on the Pribilof Islands is increased from 15 to 20 per cent, from the 15 per cent, formerly received by Japan.
Fish Prices
Following wholesale fish prices obtained at Campbell Avenue Dock at Vancouver on October 9: Vancouver
White Spring Salmon 10c lb.
Red Spring Salmon ------------------16c lb.
Flounders _________________________________2V2Clb.
Soles ..............------------------------------6c ,b>
Ling Cod Livers -....... 1-00 lb.
Point Grey Herring ----------------7c lb.
Dogfish Livers ......
25c lb. . -3c lb.
5c lb. 14c lb.
'Grey Cod Livers-----
Fresh Grey Cod -----------
Live Cod ..........................
Seattle
Seattle fish prices for October 8 were as follows: Salmon, King-Coast troll, dressed,
heads on, large -------------------22c lb.
Small _____________........... .18'/4C lb.
Salmon, silver, coast troll_16Vic lb. Dogfish Livers (inside) 35c lb. Dogfish Livers (outside) 50c lb. Lingcod Livers (outside) $1.75 lb.
Fishermen Study Speed Engines For B.C. Packers
Captain John Bordevik, skipper of the "East Isle" and Tommy Hughes, engineer on the tender "Passing Cloud," have been commissioned by B.C. Packers to make a special trip to the States visiting Seattle and other ports as far as San Francisco in order to inspect the most modern equipment now. being put out in U.S. fishing vessel construction programs.
They are particularly interested in the high speed engines being installed in recent U.S. seine boat construction. The latest U.S. S5-feet boats are reported to be powered with 240 H.P. caterpillars. The high speed engines replace the heavy duty engines generally used previously for such vessels and their compactness is said to increase packing capacity to 250 tons. Another notable feature for these vessels is the stern which is narrowed down almost like a double-ender below to eliminate drag but filled out above to provide deck space for seining.
With a big seine boat building program in mind, B.C. Packers intends to be sure that all the latest improvements which may change boat building practices on this coast are incorporated in its new vessels.
Herring Men To Pool Fish This Season
With the herring season already beginning an interesting development indicative of the cooperative spirit prevailing amongst fishermen in the fleet is the proposed pooling arrangement now being worked out between the crews employed on B.C. Packers and Nelson Brothers herring seiners.
It is proposed that the fishermen on these boats will pool catches and payments amongst themselves. Skippers have approved the principle of the pooling plan and are now discussing arrangements for its application during the season with their crews. A number of details remain to be ironed out since whilst most vessels are turning over to herring fishing on October 11, others are still continuing pilchard fishing.
VALUE OF FISH CATCH IN B.C. SHOWS INCREASE
Market value of fish landed in British Columbia during July was $3,180,000, exceeding 1942 by $345,-000.
Big production gains were made in B.C. pilchard and halibut fisheries, says the latest Fisheries News Bulletin.
Canada's 1942 fisheries production smashed all previous records for marketed value—totalling more than $75,000,000.
Early indications are that 1943 will set a still higher mark.
Landed value of Canadian-caught fish landed up to the end of July was $21,300,000, up about $5,900,000.
British Columbia's pilchard industry in July produced 268,600 hundredweights, compared with 185,000 in July, 1942, the bulletin says.
The halibut catch was 37,700 hundredweights.
Seven Gallons - The Record!
Operators Refuse Price Increases For Fall Chums In Johnstone Strait Area
Delegates of the Native Brotherhood of B.C. and of the United Fishermen's Union travelled to Alert Bay last weekend to conduct meetings of fishermen in that area at the request of the fishermen themselves, there being apparently some considerable confusion among the men as to chum salmon prices.
Joe Huff of Local 1057, United Steelworkers, didn't realize he was a champion until the Red Cross advised him that his seven gallons of blood in contributions was a record. Here he looks at the pile of quart cans which represent 56 pint donations—more blood than we average people have.
Co-op Will Again Produce Halibut Liver Oil Capsules
A meeting of the Liver Committee of the United Fishermen's Co-operative was held on the afternoon of October 6th and received a full report on the production of oils and a complete financial statement of sales and disbursements of money to the fishermen.
The meeting also discussed the*: proposed schedule of oil prices
submitted by the British Food Mission and decided to take no action on the matter until the schedule could be fully discussed with the Prince Rupert Fishermen's Co-operative.
The Liver Committee alro went on record in favor of a joint meet ing of all Vitamin oil producers being called by the Wartime Prices and Trade Board to discuss the British Food Mission proposals.
The committee decided to again capsulate some halibut liver oil for the use of fishermen and their families as the stocks that were put up a year ago have been exhausted and there is apparently quite a demand for these capsules among the fishermen. It was agreed that 100,000 capsules will be ordered and put up in boxes of 100, but some time must yet elapse before the order can be filled.
The Liver committee expressed satisfaction at the report of production and the general improvement in the quality and potency of the oils produced compared with 1942. The total production of all landings of liver and viscera to September 30, 1943, was 419,699 pounds as compared to a total delivery of 266,-620 pounds for the same period in 1942. The amount of money distributed to fishermen for liver and viscera shown in the report given for the 1942 season was $198,396.37.
The volume of business this year is expected to exceed the quarter million dollar mark.
It is hoped that early conclusion of negotiations with the British Food Mission will allow final payments to be distributed before Christmas to all co-op members for deliveries of all livers outside of dogfish.
Ituss Fishermen Build Own Plant To Produce Glass
Russian fishermen in the Maritime provinces, who last year had to procure 1,000,000 rubles worth of equipment containing glass, have now started production in their own glass factory, the Moscow radio said in a domestic broadcast reported by OWI. Materials manufactured include floats, window glass, and lamps.
PILCHARD HIGH BOAT
The "East Isle," skippered by John Bordevik, now claims the the honors for high boat in the pilchard fleet in the close contest with the "Pacific Sunset" and Captain Johnny Dale and his crew, that has seen now one, now the other, slightly ahead in the course of the season. Both vessels brought in over 4,700 tons but it is conceded that the East Isle at the end was several hundred tons ahead of its friendly rival.
As has been reported in previous issues the union has been conducting a series of discussions with the operators in conjunction with the Native Brotherhood to obtain a standard of prices for fall and summer salmon in excess of the minimum prices contained in the 1943 salmon agreement.
In practically all areas revision up to date has been made bringing prices for fish caught with company gear more in line with the competitive prices that have been paid to independent fishermen.
At the request of the Joint Negotiating Committee the operators were asked if they were prepared to make any upward revisions in the Johnstone Straits and mainland area from Seymour Narrows to Cape Caution and if so to inform the union delegates of the operators proposals before leaving for Alert Bay.
Another submission of the Negotiating Committee was that in view of the fact that the price minimum for fall chums in the Fraser River had been advanced from 23c to 30c beginning October 4 instead of coming into effect on October 12 as in the previous season that the same date should apply to the area from Cape Mudge to Victoria where the agreement already stipulates that the minimum price of 22c for fall chums would be raised to a minimum of 30c beginning October 12. The operators agreed to change the date as suggested in the area from Cape Mudge to Victoria; thus the minimum price for dog salmon caught by company gear in this area will
Inspector Rose Recommends Weighing Machine Changes
The United Fishermen's Union has now received a copy of the report prepared by D. A .Rose of the Department of Weights and Measures on the results of the test weighings conducted at west coast reduction plants during the recent trip made with Steve Stavenes, secretary of the Vancouver Local of the U.F.F.U. After noting the detailed results of the test weighings made, a report of which was carried in our last issue, Mr. Rose reports his conclusions as follows
"It would seem that pilchards vary greatly, depending on the age »of the fish, where caught and the length of time held in the boat before weighing. To arrive at a correct average a series of systematic weighings should be made at regular intervals throughout the entire pilchard season.
"In regard to the equipment, I would suggest several small changes. The iron rod connecting the Anderson machine to the tally apparatus should be at least three eighths of an inch in diameter and not over two feet long, with the tally connection set in the same vertical plane as the lower end of this rod. Also it would seern better practice to fasten this rod to a stud set eccentrically in the end of the main shaft of the machine, as is done in some cases, rather than be fastened to a lfrver actuated by a cam or cams in the shaft itself, as the spaces between the high points of the cams may easily fill with scale thus preventing the tally from working. Regarding the size of the aforementioned connecting rod, the present W rod, if of too great a length can be easily deflected at the center which would also cause the tally not to register.
"The tally apparatus at each plant should be enclosed in a glass fronted case, more substantial than some of those now in use. It might be advisable to have this case fastened in place with a padlock which would remain locked during the entire time fish were being unload-
ed. This would allow for necessary adjustments to the tally itself when needed and allow a representative of the fishermen to check the tally at the beginning and ending of each unloading operation.
"It was called to my attention that some loss of fish might occur in cases where the measuring device is located at a considerable distance from the marine leg due to the fact that the fish would be broken up more in the long conveyors and consequently pack tighter in the Anderson machine. This would be taken care of if measuring machines were located as close as possible to the unloading point, say at a distance not over 75 feet."
In forwarding the inspector's report to the union and to the operating companies concerned E. S. But-terfield, District Inspector of the Weights and Measures Department recommends that since the Anderson machine has been accepted as the measuring unit for the fish reduction industry and can no longer be regarded as an experimental machine the suggestions by Inspector Rose in regard to the adjustments advisable on these machines be put into effect before the start of the next fishing season.
It is expected that the whole matter of fish weighing methods will be reviewed with the operators in the course of union negotiations for future agreements to cover pilchard and herring fishing.
be 30c each retroactive to October 4.
Representatives of the United Fishermen's Union and the Native Brotherhood were today advised that at a full meeting of the Salmon Canners' Operating Committee it was decided that they were not agreeable to any revision of the canning or the freezing price in the Johnstone Strait area or to any revisjon of the price of 23c each for fall chums caught on the mainland between Seymour Narrows and Cape Caution. The meeting with the fishermen scheduled at Alert Bay during the week-end will discuss these questions and a report will be published in our next issue.
Food Mission Makes Oil Price Offer
Word was received from Mrs. Phyllis Turner, Oils and Fats Administrator, Wartime Prices and Trade Board on Wednesday that the British Food Mission has now made a definite price offer for the purchase of high potency Vitamin A oils produced in Canada.
These prices have been submitted to processors on the coast and as is the general practice in instances of this kind we are unable to quote the price submission until negotiations with the processors have been definitely concluded.
In the meantime it is expected that a meeting of Vitamin oils producers will be held in the near future to discuss these price proposals. Should negotiations be concluded within a short time, stocks of oils now held by the Vancouver and Prince Rupert Fishermen's Cooperatives will be sold which in turn should allow an early settlement to the fishermen for 1943 deliveries. A full report on the price submissions will be carried in this paper in a later issue.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OUR READERS
At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Fisherman Publishing Society held Friday it was decided to change the frequency of publication of The Fisherman. Beginning with this month this paper will now be published every Tuesday except the last Tuesday of each month.
This step has been made necessary by existing governmental war regulations which restrict the amount of newsprint which may be consumed by any paper during 1943 to no more than was used in 1942. The circulation of The Fisherman has been increasing steadily during the year and it was considered that this measure was the best means of allowing for increased circulation trends which it is anticipated will continue during the year while strictly adhering to governmental paper rationing regulations.
The change in the frequency of publication decided upon will also permit the editorial staff to cope with the additional work required by increased circulation avoiding the need for increasing the staff at a time when manpower regulations make it difficult and undesirable to do so.