The voice of B.C.'s organized fishing industry workers
Union launches major campaign to gather gear
FOR the second year running, members of the UFAWU have launched a campaign to gather fishing gear to send to the Central American country of Nicaragua where fishermen are struggling to rebuild their industry after a brutal two-year civil war.
The campaign, officially endorsed at the most recent UFAWU General Executive Board meeting, will culminate with the arrival of the Monimbo, the only ocean-going vessel belonging to Nicaragua.
When the ship arrives in mid-November, organizers hope to have $ 100,000 worth of goods of all types ready for loading, an estimated $30,000 increase over last year's shipment.
In the fall of 1981, more than $20,000 worth of fishing gear was collected from fishermen and gear stores in B.C. to send to the fishermen in Nicaragua.
The thrust for the sending of used but serviceable fishing gear to the struggling Nicaraguan fishing industry came after three UFAWU members, Kathy Schultz, Scotty Neish and Walter Tickson, visited the country in March, 1981.
During their stay, the trio visited fishing camps, co-operatives and fishing villages on the east coast where extreme shortages of basic gear were being experienced.
This year, Schultz said, organizers are hoping to surpass the $20,000 worth of gear raised last year.
"Fishermen in Nicaragua desperately need the gear and if fishermen here have nets and other materials they don't need, then they can be put to good use," she said.
All fishermen who donate gear can get a tax receipt for an amount equal to the estimated value of the total goods they donate.
The Sandinista-led government, which overthrew the dictatorship of Anatosia Somoza in July, 1979, is making strides in providing for the basic needs of the majority of Nicaraguan people. But numerous obstacles, including recent hostility of the Reagan administration which is backing a $19 million CIA training program for the ex-Somoza National Guards, is making progress difficult.
In May, Nicaragua received another major setback as the worst floods of the century struck, causing $400 million damage, destroying many crops, 60 per cent of the basic food grains and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
The gear campaign is part of a province-wide effort being mounted by the Coalition to Aid Nicaragua, a group composed of unions, church groups and non-governmental agencies including Oxfam.
Individual endorsers of the campaign include Warren Allmand, MP, Charles Barber, MLA, Raj Chouhan, president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union, Rev. John Hilborn, Rev. Garry Kilgore, Svend Robinson, MP, and Alderman Harry Rankin.
"We have received word following our last shipment that all the gear has been given out to fishermen and it is being put to good use," said Shultz.
In a letter last May, Monica Alvarino, international relations officer for the Nicaraguan Institute of Fisheries, said the fishing gear has been distributed among the co-ops being run by the institute.
"We can assure you that your donation has assisted in resolving numerous problems faced daily by our fishermen due to the lack of adequate materials and equipment for the type of fishing they do," the letter states.
Recent reports from Nicaragua suggest that the fishing industry, formerly owned to a large extent by Somoza, is suffering setbacks because of the lack of spare parts for equipment.
Since the overthrow of the dictatorship, the U.S. has made it increasingly difficult to obtain equipment and supplies for machinery, a-major difficulty since most of the equipment was manufactured in the United States.
The Aid to Nicaragua Coalition has also appealed to people to write to external affairs minister Allan MacEachen, demanding Canada step up its aid to Nicaragua.
Without outside help, Nicaragua which has suffered from underdevelopment for 100 years, will find it harder and harder to continue to improve the standard of living for its people.
In Prince Rupert, Lome Quick, a member of the Prince Rupert Amalgamated Shoreworkers and Clerks Union, will attempt to raise $ 1,000 to buy medical supplies for Nicaragua.
Those interested in donating gear again this year are advised to contact Kathy Schultz at 253-0744 or Jim Sinclair at 683-9655.
A more specific list of the gear needed is available on request.
• Loading gear during the last campaign to aid fishermen in Nicaragua are Dune Shields and Don Sananin (left), both fishermen and UFAWU members. This year again members are launching a campaign to send gear. A tax receipt is available for fishermen who make donations.
Gear *a great help'
The following letter was received recently by UFAWUshoreworker Kathy Shultz, who visited fishermen and shoreworkers in Nicaragua in March, 1981. It is from a member of the fishing ministry in Nicaragua.
Dear Kathy:
As you probably know, all the nets, hooks and fishing materials sent by your local solidarity committee were received and distributed to fishermen's co-ops.
We thank you and all those who made possible this great help to our people. At present, nothing is left in our hands because all of it was given away in your name to the co-ops and most of them are fishing on our coasts and lakes.
As you must know, imperialism is pressing over Nicaragua strongly nowadays and we need more than ever solidarity throughout the world to condemn and denounce the manouvers  against Nicaragua,
including the secret invasions in the northern border, the diplomatic battle and the economic pressure to cut off loans and supplies.
Here, there is a people united as only one man, waiting, rifle in one hand, shovel in another, building up a new society free of exploitation. We have the better weapons in this secret war. We have reason, we have the unity of the people, we have the morale and dignity and the decision to fight until we die to defend our Revolution.
I hope your health is okay and you have had a nice summer.
Send my regards to all the friends I met while you were here, Scotty, John, Diedre and of course you Kathy, my friend who will always be welcome in our free country.
Long live the Sandinista Revolution!
Best wishes, FRANCISCO
Managua
Pearse surpasses Davis Plan for disaster
Editor, The Fisherman:
The Davis Plan was an admitted disaster to the B.C. fishing industry, but as I read the final Pearse report I am convinced it will surpass the Davis Plan and go down in history as the ultimate and final demise of a once flourishing and viable B.C. industry.
It seams to me that economists hired to develop these plans to solve the problems of the B.C. fishing industry must, in the process of earning their university degrees, learn a different language than
Letters
• The Fisherman welcomes letters to the editor, asking only that they carry the signature and address of the writer. Opinions expressed are those of the writers; they do not necessarily reflect and may in fact be opposed to the' views of The Fisherman and the UFAWU. The Fisherman reserves the right to edit letters to meet space requirements.
that used by the ordinary layman or commercial fisherman.
Dr. Sinclair, Dr. Campbell, Dr. Davis, Dr. Pearse they all seem to be operating in an Alice in Wonderland atmosphere that bears no relationship to the real world of fishermen operating in the B.C. fishing industry.
All the evidence presented to them and the actual state of the industry itself, seem to be viewed, interpreted or translated by these economists into a picture, model or something that is not what the B.C. fishing industry actually is, but what the economists think it is.
They then proceed to recommend changes to their Alice in Wonderland concept of the B.C. fishing industry and the results are further chaos and disaster.
I will give you one example, Dr. Pearse's recommendation number 11 on page 89: "...new 10 year limited entry and quota licences for each fishery... should call for bids."
On page 90 he further states, "Several significant advantages flow from the proposed licensing arrangements. First, existing fishermen will enjoy greater security and certainty about their fishing privileges under long term licences."
It is not my understanding of the English language that the "greater secu-
rity" for an "existing fisherman" is to find himself in open competitive bidding against the fish processing companies, large vessel owners, lawyers, doctors or any other speculators looking for an income tax shelter, in order to obtain a commercial fishing licence or quota to operate his vessel in the B.C. fishing industry.
In view of the fact that Dr. Pearse states on page 88, recommendation 6, "All
existing requirements that the licensee own the vessel he uses or physically operates should be abolished," an "existing fisherman" who owns his own vessel will probably find "greater security"in chartering his vessel to the successful bidder that beat him in the great free interprise public Auction Sale of the B.C. commercial fishing industry.
ELGIN (SCOTTY) NEISH
Victoria, B.C.
Typo spawns confusion
Editor, The Fisherman:
With reference to your Sept. 10 report entitled "Adams River runs breeds controversy," I am a full time inside troller and would like to know where you get the figure of 195,000 sockeye caught by trollers in 12 hours fishing Sept. 6. That is a lot of fish. It would be impossible for the few boats that were there to catch that many fish in 12 hours.
This is just another way to put a stop to inside trollers catching a few sockeye. Whoever gave you these figures is wrong. Please find out how many trollers have
inside licences and publish this in your paper.
KARL LARSON M/V Shrub Isle
Lund
• Mr. Larson is quite correct. Due to a typographical error, the correct catch figure of 19,500 obtained from the IPSFC became 195,000. The fisheries department New Westminster office reports initial figures of about 19,100 sockeye taken by 195 trollers Sept. 6 in Area 29. There are about twice that many inside trollers in all.
THE FISHERMAN — OCTOBER 22, 1982/5