Page Four
THE FISHERMAN
August 1, 1939 in i
EDITORIALS
The Fisherman
FEATURES
The FISHERMAN Bluestoning of Purse Seines
Published Every Other Tuesday at *Jr
Published Eyery Other Tuesday at 164 EAST HASTINGS STREET VANCOUVER, B.C. Trinity 2965
REQUIRED STRENGTH OF BLUESTONE SOLUTION
Editor
- i
GEO. DRAYTON
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SMITHS INLET RUN AND CONSERVATION
Fishermen are now dribbling into Vancouver and district from Smiths Inlet telling of the great failure of the season: "the sockeye run that didn't materialise." Most of them are broke, many with little or no money for six weeks' hard labor, and some of them in the hole to the canneries. They are asking, "what has become of the great silver hoard of sockeye that used to come annually to Smiths Inlet?"
Now we are able to view the policies of the Dept. of Fisheries on Conservation in actual practice. How often have we read the reports of the Chief Supervisor, the Spawning Reports, such as: "Sockeye seeding is better than usual and the writer is of the opinion that under present regulations, properly enforced, there would appear to be no reason why these conditions should not always obtain." Or, we can cite the old familiar language such as: "Escapement is most encouraging, and with regulations enforced there would appear to be no reason why the supply should not always be maintained."
Yes, we have read that so often that we know it off by heart. The question that is now being asked by fishermen is: "Are these reports accurate, and- if so how accurate, or are they partly accurate, or are they just reports gathered and trimmed up for public consumption?"
When we take into consideration the present actions of the Dept. of Fisheries today in regard to Smiths Inlet there is some justification in the doubt expressed by fishermen as to the accuracy of the spawning reports. One fact stands out, and that is, that the sockeye run to Smiths Inlet did not materialise. If it had, then the fishermen would have got the fish. There were plenty of fishermen. They caught practically every fish it was humanly possible to catch. The fish are not there.
And now, the Dept. of Fisheries has decided to allow the season to remain open and for seines to operate in the area to catch a few stray fish that might come to spawn late. And to cap all that, we have the word of a very reliable authority to the effect that the Dept. is of the opinion that escapement to the spawning grounds so far this season is encouraging and normal, etc. That is why fishermen are now speaking out in plain language and demanding to know whether the Dept. of Fisheries does really function in the interests of conservation of our fisheries or in the immediate interests of the big fish packing companies?
Practical fishermen fresh from the grounds declare that the situation from a conservation viewpoint in regard to Smiths Inlet is deplor-
By James A. Townsend
The canvas tanks in general use for bluestoning are 20 ft. x 10 ft. x ZVz ft. high with a capacity of 700 cubic feet. Assuming these tanks to be used about 2/t, full, they contain approximately 3000 imp. gallons or 3600 U.S. gallons of solution each. As a solution containing not less than 1% bluestone is required you should add 300 lbs. to a tank when making up a fresh-
solution and add 50 lbs. after each seine has been dipped. The simplest method to do this is to hang the bluestone crystals in sacks at the top of the tank where it will soon go into solution. From time to time depending on the number of seines being washed and their condition, considerable mud and sediment settles in the tanks and when this happens it is considered advisable to dump the tanks and make up fresh solutions.
CONSERVATION
Excerpts from a speech by E. Neish, president of SPSTJ to a meeting of Alert Bay Board of Trade and citizens.
Logging and the effect it has on the salmon fishing industry. . . The logging-off of side hills along salmon streams should also be controlled. Because naturally if you take the timber off the hills the rains run off just as soon as they fall. When this happens it creates a freshet which in turn washes all the salmon spawn down to the sea. The spawn which is left in the stream bed is useless because the quick run-off causes the stream to dry up during the summer months.
The creeks that do not dry up may be blocked with fallen timber in the
river bed, thus creating insurmountable dams.
Other streams these same log jams may be an aid to the fish by creating pools for the salmon to spawn in, also some of these log jams may stop freshets from washing the spawn out to sea.
So it is necessary that we have supervised and well planned stream clearance. In this way we would not clear streams that should not be cleared and vice versa.
Booming of logs in large salmon streams also has a detrimental effect on the salmon of these streams. _ ?\
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Page Diogenes I
FOUND - A STOOGE WHO ADMITS IT
STERLING, Ill.-^Maybe you never saw a dream walking, but this town has seen a company stooge talking. And trruthfully, too, admitting his occupation.
It came about when William Des-
able and alarming and calls for immediate and thorough investigation by the Dept. of Fisheries. All fishermen who fish Smiths should consider this matter very seriously, because their very livelihood in years to come depend upon it. It is time to Act.
mond, head of one of Intl. Harvester Co.'s fake unions, took the witness stand at National Labor Relations Board hearings here.
Here's the dialogue between Desmond and Robert Rissman, NRLB attorney:
Rissman: "Do you hold a position in the Rock Falls Employes Association?" Desmond: "I do." Rissman: "What position?" Desmond: "I'm a stooge." Rissman: "What?"
Desmond: "Well, that's what they call me—a company stooge."
Rissman: "Well, what's a stooge?"
Desmond: "A stooge is a guy that— say, I don't want to answer that. What would you call one?"
Rissman: "I know several definitions, but I am restrained by my position from helping you out."
Singood The Fisherman Says:
Our Street Vancouver has some Rattletraps things that are distinctive. For instance, our street cars. We know we have them, even if we don't see them. We can hear them many blocks away. Last winter I was visiting Axel Anderson at Port Haney. Axel lives about fifty feet from the main line of the OPR. As we sat in his shack discussing mighty problems, the thought came to me that a street car was going by. Then I realised that it could not be so as the car seemed to pass along so quietly. I suddenly remembered where I was and upon looking out saw it was a heavily laden freight train.
About The Quite a few editorial Bootleggers writers of our daily papers, and other people too, seem to get all het up every so often in regard to getting rid of bootleggers. I often do a little figuring on such problems in my own amateurish way. But before I figure on this problem any further, I always ask myself who is it that really wants to get rid of the bootleggers. Because, when you see some gink who is always emphasising that he believes in "Live and Let Live," it generally turns out that he wants to do the living, and he'll let you do the letting.
Indians' Are Often one hear s some Not So Dumb smart guy say "we ought to give the country back to the Indians." It sounds smart and it seems like a good scheme, but it won't work out.
We took the country away from the Indians by fooling them. We thought the Indians were fools and we were smart, but you can rest assured we certainly won't be able to fool them a second time. No, we couldn't fool them into taking it back.
Common Timber beasts and sockeye Interests chokers don't seem to have interests in common as far as their actual work is concerned. But in reality, they have some interests that are very much in common.
For instance, conservation of timber and re-forestation seem to be things that don't concern fishermen directly. But when the watersheds have been denuded of timber the streams dry up, and then, where are the fish going to spawn ?
And that is one good reason why both groups of worker-producers should cooperate to a much greater extent than we have in the past.
RECENT PEDRO TUNA ARRIVALS
The following ships have come in with tuna and skfpjack from Mexico the last few days: Excellent with 43 tons, the Sea Ranger with 65 tons (not yet unloaded), the Adriatic, 70 tons; the North Star, 40 tons; the Jadran, 75 tons, and the Del Rio, 65 tons. There has been no local tuna.
