I
The TiJhermMi
— Official Organ — Pacific Coast Fishermen's Union Salmon Purse Seiners' Union, Local 141
The Only Fishermen's Trade Union Paper in British Columbia
VOL. II, No. 12
VANCOUVER, B.C., NOVEMBER 8, 1938 (45)
©
PRICE: 5 Cents
UNITY BLOCKED PRICE-CUT
Gulf Weather Bad, Few Fish Show On River
Fishermen Get 15 Cents Each for Chums in Local Fresh Fish Market
Bad weather and poor run of fish marked fishing conditions on local grounds during the past week. In Howe Sound gillnetters averaged 80 chums with very little cohoe.
At Indian River there were lots of chums at the head but they won't gill. Most of those taken went to the local fresh fish market where fishermen got 15 cents each for them.
Praser River was very poor with very few chums showing at all.
Fishing was very poor at the 'beginning of the week at Nanaimo, the high seine boat getting 350 chums. Quite a lot of gillnetters were working in this vicinity. The weather in the Gulf area has been very bad for the greater part of the past week. —D. M.
Some More
Wholesale
Chiselling
Fishermen To Be Taxed 25 Cents for Tide-books By Dominion Government
Fishermen on the Pacific Coast will have to pay 25 cents for their tide book in 1939 according to reliable information received at the office of "The Fisherman." Up to now these books have been given free to fishermen when they took .out a license. Business people engaged in supplying merchandise to fishermen have obtained large quantities of the books from the government, printed additional advertising matter and attached it to the books and supplied free to fishermen.
On the East Coast, fishermen have objected strenuously to being soaked 25 cents fore tide-books and have appealed tc members of the Dominion Parliament for their respective constituencies to raise the question on the floor of the House. ! «T;v* J
British Columbia fishermen should also protest against being taxed two-bits for tide-books and demand books be supplied free to all commercial fishermen. There are enough deductions from the meagre earnings of fishermen already without adding any more.
GILLNET HERRING FISHERMEN STRIKE AGAINST DUMPING
Demand 2c a Pound For Kippering Herring; To Enlighten the Public
VANCOUVER, Nov. 5.^Strike action against unfair competition of picked seine herring on the fresh and kipper market was taken here by herring gillnetters yesterday.
Decision to strike was made after several attempts to come to a saticfactory agreement with ibuyers failed. Fishermen asked for Point Grey gillnet caught herring to be given preference over seine herring with a minimum guarantee of 2 cents per pound for kippering herring.
Buyers refused the demand and went ahead placing picked seine herring in cold storage besides putting them on the fresh fish market. Sales of gillnet herring dropped immediately.
Steps are being taken to acquaint the public with the situation. Leaflets are being printed and distributed and arrangements being made to tell the buying public about the injustices being practised upon the fishermen by broadcasts over the air.
All seine herring in cold storage have been classed as "unfair" and all boats packing picked herring will be placed on the "unfair list."
Upwards of thirty herring gillnetters are affected by the strike, all members of the Pacific Coast Fishermen's Union.
Three Unions Take joint Action; Gain Two Cents On Fraser Chums
One Delegation in Negotiations Representing All River Fishermen Proved Wise Policy
United resistance saved Fraser River fishermen from a price-cut that would have meant a great difference in their earnings during the past two weeks. On Tuesday, Oct. 25 the cannery operators announced a cut in the price of cohoe on the river from 5 ^2 cents a pound to 4% cents. Immediately, committees representing the Pacific Coast Fishermen's Union, the British Columbia Fishermen's Protective Assn. of New Westminster, and the AFA (Japanese) of Steveston, met in New Westminster and after considerable discussion agreed that, owing to the fact the cohoe season was about over, they would recommend to the canners "the price of cohoe be cut one-half a cent per pound, providing the price of chums be raised from ten cents to twelve cents."
^>   Accordingly,   the   secretaries   of the three
NEW WESTMINSTER. — Japanese fishermen are said to have collected a good sized sum of money to be used to question the right of Ottawa to limit gill net licences in this district to 400
TRUE FRIEND OF ALL FISHERMEN
Outstanding in support of the recent seiners' strike was the action of an independent owner of two seine-boats, Einar Johnson, logger, who denied the use of his two boats, the "Cape Sun No. 2" and the "Canadac" for strike breaking purposes at Qua-thiaski Cove.
Although Mr. McGregor, manager of Quathiaski Cove cannery, tried his best to get both of these boats out scabbing during the strike, the owner absolutely refused to allow his boats to be used to help break the strike.
Organiser Geo. Miller of the Salmon Purse Seiners' Union writes in to say "the union takes off its hat to Mr. Johnson and wishes him every success."
It is with the greatest pleasure "The Fisherman" records such a splendid concrete example of solidarity between logger and fisherman and heartily endorses the wishes of the union.
organizations of fishermen called upon the canners and put the proposition up to them. After preliminaries, the three union officials met with a committee of cannerymen which included Messrs. Clark, Nelson, Murray and Mac-Kay on Thursday. The cannerymen agreed to refer the proposal to the remainder of the operators.
Later, the canners let it be known they agreed to the proposal of union representatives, but put forward a counterproposal: the price of chums to remain at 12 cents only until November 12, when it will again be discussed and the price revised according to the situation which may then exist.
(Continued on Page Six)
Union Protests! New Rules
Revised regulations to the Canada Shipping Act just released by the Government will entail cosiderable expense to vessel owners of boats 15 tons and over if enforced mi their entirety, especially as they affect seine-boats and packers.
While fishermen welcome every measure being taken that will provide for safety at sea as outlined in the new regulations, there are many provisions in the revised rules that are so ridiculous and impractical that they will be strenuously opposed.
Due to the fact the seine-boat fishermen are mostly out yet, the union has
not discussed the new regulations. It is a foregone conclusion, however, that an official statepient protesting against the new rules will be lodged with the authorities.
The fishermen will deal especially with two new rules which are as follows:
"That bulwarks be 36" above the deck and hatches 18" above the deck."
The other is, "Auxiliary steering gear to be placed over quadrant.' George Miller, organizer for the Salmon Purse Seiners' Union, has informed "The Fisherman" the' question will be taken up at the first meeting of seiners to be held early in December.
Nit Nat Lake Channel Is Real Danger
Dynamiting of Point By Logging Co. Creates Hazard for Fishermen
Dynamiting of one of the points off the channel in Nit Nat Lake by a logging company is making it dangerous for fishermen entering and leaving the lake.
Before the blasting operations started the current used to sweep around the last point and there was deep water just inside the bar. Since the point is gone, the current shoots straight out and puts the sand in this place, making it extremely dangerous for vessels entering or leaving, and subject to being very easily grounded.
As reported elsewhere in this paper, one seine boat already went aground at this place and it was partly due to the ■point having been dynamited into the channel. All fishermen should be warned of the danger.
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