rage Four
THE FISHERMAN
October 22, 1940
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EDITORIALS
4
THE
FISHERMAN
FEATURES
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THE
FISHERMAN     THE MARCH OF LABOR
Published Every Other Tuesday by Tha Fisherman Publishing Society at 164 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C.   Telephone MArine 1829.
EDITOR
V. McCRAE
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The Aftermath
With the end of the salmon fishing season approaching, fishermen are beginning to search around in their pockets for the shekel they have, or have not, made, in order to figure out the chances of getting through the winter without going on relief. In some spots the trollers didn't hit it too bad, but in others, particularly in the Gulf of Georgia and in Rivers and Smiths Inlets, both the trollers and gillnetters have taken one of the worst beatings in fishing history — and that's going some.
. What about it? many may ask. How can we help it? Perhaps an analysis of the situation might help.
When negotiations commenced between the fishermen and the canners on the prices of sockeye and blueback, the canners offered a price far below that of the previous season and gave the control prices in Britain as the reason. This was coupled with the possibility that they would have no market if Hitler successfully invaded Britain.
They were, however, sure of a sale for the cheaper fish just because they were cheap. The natural recourse in a case like this should be the setting up of an arbitration board to decide what would be a just price. The fishermen applied to both Provincial and Federal Governments for such a board, and after a series of run-arounds and buck-passing such as only governments can give, they found out that trollers do not come under any of the Act, and that arbitration according to the Fisheries Act is almost useless to the gillnetter. The result was that the Government, after no investigation of any account, told the fishermen exactly the same story that the canners had told them. They certainly did not approach the fishermen for their side of the question.
They even agreed with the canners that the fishermen would make lots of money in spite of the low price because it was going to be a big year with lots more fish than usual. The latter proved that they knew something of the fishermen's psychology. They fell for it and went fishing. Now after it's all over the fishermen are beginning to sit back and wonder what would have happened if-.
What a Workable Arbitration Would Have Meant To Fishermen-Had the arbitration acts been workable and a competent board been set up there is no doubt that a different story would have to be told. We have the evidence now which at that time could only have been discovered by an arbitration board. The canners got the main pack at the small price they had offered and then, throwing caution to the winds, competed for the balance with the prices they should have paid in the first place.
After selling sockeye, the best canning fish on the market, for 35 cents in Rivers Inlet, the same gillnetters are able to sell dog salmon in Johnstone Straits for 38c, and dogs are the poorest canning salmon on the market. What a discovery this would have been for an arbitration board to have made.
Last season the canners assured the fishermen that while they paid 8 cents for blueback they could only pay 6 cents for cohoes, as they were an inferior fish.
This season after getting the bluebacks at 6^ cents, they were willing to compete for the "inferior" cohoes at and 8 cents. On the Fraser River the fishermen were a little more fortunate as regards pric* The canners decided that 50 cents was their limit, but a little birdie whispered to some American buyers that cheap sockeye were available on the Canadian side, and in a very unbusinesslike manner they came up and offered as much as 80 cents. Our Canadian canners must have run through their books again, for they found that they too could pay a little more, and philanthropically raised the 50 cents to as high as 70 cents. Quite possibly an arbitration board could have found that out for them before the season started. And besides, it would have saved those wicked Americans all the trouble of sending boats up here.
Yes! IF there had been an arbitration board, fishermen would have had a chance to get what was coming to them; but as it was, with a wave of the Union Jack the canners were able to'put over as nice a profiteering scoop as any munition-maker of the last war could have wished for.
Before the next season commences the fishermen of B.C. should see that they have an Arbitration Act that is really useful and workable, not one which not not cover trollers, which only covers the gillnetter and seiner if the canner is willing, and which does not cover the packer crews unless they accept the price and go out, and then strike on the grounds.
Of course, we could not have expected the arbitration board to tell us that the Rivers and Smiths Inlet runs would be a flop, but we were suckers to ever believe that they would be big. The old saying about "one being born every minute" should be counter-balanced by another one, i.e. "Once bitten twice shy."
Still Seeking Justice
It is opportune in this issue to again bring up the subject of Workmens Compensation for fishermen. Last year a great deal of work was done on this matter by representatives of the fishermen's unions, the P.C.F.U and the U.F.F.U., and a canvass was made of the members of the Provincial Legislature. Several of them indicated their willingness to press for the necessary amendments to the Workmen's Compensation Act and with the sessions of the Provincial Government commencing very shortly, it has been proposed that the unions take some action on this matter in Victoria.
A delegation of the two unions lobbying for proposed
ME. America*) system of free and universal, education
is largely due to trape UNIOM pressure . as early as 1834 a convention of trade unions was held in new york especially To * protest the ex1st1no MoH opoly of education * by the privileged classes' and to demand * equal and universal education ."
n colonial America The shoemawr-s travelled fi!oM PlACE -fo place ,Ajv» SET OP SHOT iW -the homes of-THE4R customer? .
... AND, WHEREVER, IN . THE U.S. YOU TRAVEL, YeU CAN BE SURE OF PURCHASING THE BEST OF HATS Br LOOKING FOR THE. , ONlCft LABELS
University Work In Cooperation Continues
Many of the fishermen of this Coast became acquainted last year with a travelling representative of the University, Norman MacKenzie. You will recall that he went up and down the Coast, visiting as many fishermen's communities of he possibly could, with one message for them all— the message was co-operation. MacKenzie was convinced that what he had seen done in Nova Scotia could be done even more effectively in British Columbia. He was sure that if the fishermen of B.C. were ready to inform themselves thoroughly before attempting to launch their program, they could establish on this Coast a variety of cooperative enterprises which would equal or surpass those of Nova Scotia. It was for this reason that he urged them to form study clubs, meeting as frequently as possible, where they might discover all the possibilities of the co-operative movement.
CONTINUE PROGRAM ON LARGER SCALE.
This year the Universtty is able to undertaks on an even larger scale the program begun by MacKenzie. He has had to return to the East, but in his place there are three men, Alf Carlsen, Bill Campbell and Art Wirick—all of them anxious to help the fishermen to solve their own problems. They know how grave these problems are; they also know how often the men of this Coast have been disappointed by unsuccessful schemes for their economic salvation. Yet they are convinced that with proper study much can be done. Seven credit unions for fishermen have already been formed. Another is about to be incorporated. Each of them will do much to help their members. As their savings grow, they will furnish easy credit to men whose needs for it are pressing. Gear must be purchased, clothing outfits obtained, sometimes bills for unexpected  accidents  and sick-
ness must be met. As their savings accumulate, these credit unions will do much to make independent those fishermen who now rely upon others for their credit. If the new University field men can swell the numbers of these credit unions, if every scattered community along the Coast is able to meet its own credit needs, then the next step can be taken. Credit unions can band together, as the representatives of a united group of fishermen, may pool their capital and launch other co-operative ventures. Without capital this cannot be done. Nor can it be done successfully unless every fisherman taking part in such activities is fully aware of the nature of co-operative organizations.
WILL VISIT EVERY DISTRICT.
This year the University men hope to visit every part of the Coast. They hope that before the year is over new study clubs will be functioning, and those already established will have taken action, either forming credit unions or undertaking some other form of co-operative enterprise. New study group material has been arranged, with many suggestions for procedure at the club meetings. To bring this about each of the field workers will spend a large part of his time in a particular area. Alf Carlsen will make his headquarters at Prince Rupert, and will visit the surrounding districts, including the Queen Charlotte Islands. Bill Campbell, a graduate of St. Francis Xavier, will give his attention to Vancouver Island, including the West Coast. Art Wirick will be able to serve the Lower Mainland and the Gulf of Georgia, and^will make several trips along the Coast Probably the fishermen in your community will hear from one of these men before the end of October. Give them your support, and help to put over a program that means better living standards for B^.'S fishermen!
amendments should be able to find out and report back to the men how much sincerity there is among these champions of democracy who comprise our Government.
Not until some real determined effort is made by these politicians to show some regard for the social welfare of those fishermen employed in one of British Columbia's largest industries, can they depend on or expect any support on election day.
Workmen's Compensation is a necessity, and fishermen will continue to press for this needed legislation until justice is done!
HOW SMART ARE YOU?
Brain Teasers:
No. 1. What is more awkward looking than a tall, skinny, knock-kneed woman with high heeled shoes and a short skirt crossing the street in a hurry?
No. 2. What is sillier than a fisherman who thinks that there are cannery operators in the world who will pay more for fish than they have to?
No. 3. What fisherman ever caught as many fish while he was fishing as he lost while he was on strike—for the same length of time?
No. 4. What fisherman ever saw as many salmon jump in a season as a cannery manager saw in ten minutes?
If you can answer any of them you're smarter than I am. 111
The gang at the foot of Main Street and a few more of us decided at a meeting on Saturday, October 5, to apply for a charter for a credit union. So now we're all bankers.
Well, holy mackerel! . . . It's time we started doing our own banking. We've been building bank buildings for banks and yachts for bankers long enough. Why not save our nickels and dimes and see if we can't build something for ourselves even if it's only a little self-reliance?
111
I have been told that Major Motherwell, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, said that the fishing industry is getting into the hands of the white people. Which, by the way, according to my observations, is more or less right.
In our language, what the Major means, is that the Japaneses are being replaced by white men in the fishing industry. Well, just look around your neighborhood and see who is running the grocery store on the corner next to where you live. Most of you will find Japanese.
Those stores are run by people who have their wives and kids working in the store as well as themselves. And they are making a living of sorts; by keeping open until 11 or 11:30 pm. But what about the white men who crowded them out of the industry where they formerly made their living? Are they making a living? In a lot of cases—NO.
It's a cinch that very few fishermen are anyway.
There's one thing we can always depend on the Canadian Government to do and that's to see that the white men are given an opportunity to take over any industry after that industry ceases to be worh taking over.
111 THE TRAIL OF A SOURDOUGH
Show me the man who tells you
He never lies to his wife, And I will show you the greatest liar
That ever was brought to life.
If ever you meet a woman Who has always spoken the truth,
She's been dead both ways from the middle Since the days of her earliest youth.
And there is only one deduction,
Though it's pretty tough to face, That lying is the greatest accomplishment
That is known to the human race.
Laredo Herring
By R. V. HOUGHTON
Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, B.C.
Herring fishermen operating at both Laredo Inlet, situated at the south end of Princess Royal Island, and at Prince Rupert harbor during the 1939-40 season, frequently pointed out that there was a distinct difference in the appearance of fish from the two runs. According to the fishermen the Laredo herring were "fatter" than those from Prince Rupert harbor.
Small and sometimes ot>scure differences in physical characters occurring between herring runs in former years have been brought to the attention of fishermen in previous Progress (Reports. The difference observed in 1939-40 was so striking that it was only necessary to glance at the scow loads of fish, as they lay at the dock, to tell from which of the two areas the fish came.
Fortunately large numbers of fish from the two areas were examined so that it was possible to study the weight and length characteristics and determine, if possible, the exact nature of the differences which were so readily noted. For this purpose ten samples, comprising 1,069 fish, were taken from the Laredo run, and eleven samples, comprising 1,208 fish, were obtained from Prince Rupert harbor.
It was found that herring of a given age from Laredo inlet were longer and heavier than fish of the same age from Prince Rupert harbor. For example, herring that were in their third year had an average difference of approximately 0.3 inches in length and 0.4 oz. in weight. In the 6-year-old fish there was an average difference of about 0.4
inches in length, and 0.7 oz. in weight. In the case of length this advantage was maintained throughout life, whereas in the case of weight the advantage <ras not only maintained but was progressively increased with each succeeding year. The data obtained also demonstrated that fish of the same age and length from the Laredo run were heavier than those from the run to Prince Rupert harbor. Thus Laredo herring were more "robust" or in better "condition" than those from Prince Rupert harbor. It might be assumed that differences in condition reflect, to some extent, differences in oil or fat content of the fish. The records of one plant bear out this assumption, for the Laredo fish gave a higher oil yield.
The following conclusions may be reached. The difference in appearance, noticed by fishermen, between the fish from Laredo inlet and Pr. Rupert harbor, was not due to difference in age composition but in all probability to differences in the lengths and weights of fish of the same age. This indicates that the two runs must have spent the early summer and fall, in 1939 at least, on separate feeding grounds, and therefore comprised distinct groups or units. The superior condition of the Laredo herring over the Rupert herring may have been caused by differences either in quantity or quality of the available food supply and probably other environmental factors.
More detailed examination of the fish has shown that other differences in physical characters, not noted by the fishermen, were present. These suggest that little or no mixing between the two groups had taken place from the time the fish left their respective spawning grounds.