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Representing The Organized Fishermen And Shoreworkers of British Columbia
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I   ATTENTION TRAWLERS! I
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m   V Special Meeting of all Trawler Fisherman Will Be Held J
| Saturday Morning December 14 at 10 a.m. j
J  In the FISHKRMEN S HALL,, 138 E. Cordova St., Vancouver J DON'T MISS THIS IMPORTANT MEETING !
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VoL VIII. No. 38
(357)
VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1946
Union Printers
2303 E Hastings St.
PRICE: 5c
ACTION URGED ON HALIBUT TREATY
Alsbury, Turner Win Trade Union Backing
Two trade union candidates (in Vancouver's civic elections, one for mayor and one for alderman, have won the united endorsation of both Vancouver, New Westminster and District Trades and Labor Council and the Vancouver Labor Council at meetings during the past ten days. Mayoralty    candidate    A. T.
(Tom) Alsbury and aldermanic nominee John Turner were both accorded full support of the Councils at meetings characterized by a lack of opposition to backing the two men for civic positions. Alsbury is a delegate from the B.C. Teachers Federation to the Trades and\ Labor Council while John Turner is secretary of the Vancouver Labor Council and a delegate from the Shoeworkers' Union. A third candidate.   Jack   Henderson, who
is in the school board contest, was also backed by the Trades and Labor Council.
In addition, the council took a general stand in favor of supporting "active trade unionists" in the elections which take place December 11.
Debate on the endorsation of candidates Alsbury, Turner and Henderson, was short lived, but spirited. Delegate Bill Black of the Civic Employees Union speak-—Continued on Page 5
Union Asks Facts On Frozen Pinks, Chums From Companies
No figures have yet been received by the Union from any fishing company in regard to chums and pinks frozen during this year. The LTnion agreement provides
"For all fishing areas other than Johnstone Straits with respect to Chums, and for all areas with respect to Pinks which are frozen to be marketed as a frozen product, ^the companies so freezing or selling will pay into a pool the differential due the fishermen as between the freezing and canning prices. The distribution of the funds in this pool among the fishermen entitled to share therein shall be the sole . responsibility of the Union and the Native Brotherhood.
"To implement the clauses of this Agreement regarding Chums and Pinks frozen to be marketed as a frozen product, the Companies so concerned will provide
every two weeks a report for each freezer showing the weight (round) and number of fish frozen and area in which the fish were caught. Such reports will also provide similar information in regard to any fish withdrawn from storage for canning purposes. Such reports will be given to the Secretary of the Salmon Canners' Operating Committee for purposes of consolidation, and shall be made under the provisions of the Canada Evidence Act, final figures to be submitted under this Section shall be available to representatives of the Union and open to inspection by the Department of Fisheries.
—Continued on Page 5
Ask 1947 Quota Be Hiked 2,500,000 Pounds Each Area
Delegates representing halibut fishermen from all ports, meeting in Seattle, November 25, 26 and 27, made strong representations to the International Fisheries Commission urging its members to ask their respective governments to speed up passage of the new Halibut Treaty between Canada and the United States. Delegates attending the meetings in Seattle represented the fol
Sooke Arbitration Case Expected To Open Soon
William Rigby, representing the United Fishermen and Allied Workers', Union and Walter S. Owen, legal counsel for the fishing companies are meeting with the Honorable Chief Justice Wendell B. Farris as this issue goes to press to complete arrangements for the scheduled arbitration proceedings on the dispute over the price to be paid for Sooke sockeye. Chief Justice Farris was_____
Imperial Stewards wkerT^giSpS
above are all shop stewards at B.C. Packers' Imperial cannery, Steveston. They are, standing from left to right: Irene Ozypko, John Retallik, Eva Vaselenak, and Irene Clarke. Front row, from the left: Harry Parker, Thor Anderson, and Pat Clarke. Johnny Retallik, who was chief steward and Steveston local president, left the industry very recently. Larry, Pat and Eva are all members of the Steveston Shoreworkers' local executive board.
Restricted Trawl
Areas Proposed
Twenty proposed regulation amendments, several of them setting out restricted trawl areas, are being put before the B.C. fishing industry by the federal fisheries department for the purpose of determining the attitude of groups affected in order to guide the department in making final rulings. Calling on its locals to deal with '
the proposed amendments during their December meetings and to pass their opinions on to headquarters by the end of 1946, UFAWU officers point out that in all cases where an opinion is expressed, full reasons for the attitude taken should be given. As is its regular practice, headquarters of the union will prepare a brief bringing together the wishes of all its fishermen members,
named to head the arbitration board set up to handle this dispute by Provincial Labor and Fisheries Minister George S. Pearson.
Points agreed between Union and operators for procedure are set out as follows:
« A three-man committee is to handle the issue of Sooke Sockeye provided in the Union agreement. (George Miller was elected to represent the United Fishermen and Allied Workers last night by members of the Vancouver Local at their regular meeting.)
0 A written brief is to be presented by each side, covering their position on the case.
O At least one open session will be held to hear arguments, witnesses, etc.
0 The party receiving the decision will pay cost of arbitration, but each party pays for its own legal counsel. The Union case will be presented and handled by UFAWU general secretary, W. Rigby. If fishermen win the decision, costs will be taken from gross stock before distribution among fishermen affected.
0 Sooke area will be defined as Area 20 under fishery regulations. Any decision made for this area applies also to Area 19 and 21.
The Union has proposed that any money due to the fishermen in case of a favorable decision be forwarded to the Settlement Service for distribution among the members of the organization concerned (Union, Native Brotherhood, Vessel Owners), through the Settlement Service after the costs have been deducted. The Vancouver local meeting Thursday night authorized this procedure. Operator's have objected —Continued on Page 5
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"SALMON PACK CONTEST I HAS PERENNIAL WINNER |
Although much harder put to do it this year than 1
last, that man from Bones Bay did it again in The |
Fisherman sponsored annual "Salmon  Pack Guessing I
Contest."      With final pack figures released this week 1
by the federal fisheries department, Jack Critchley has |
been  announced  as  second-year winner  in  a  contest I
which this year saw upwards of 100 contestants vying (
■ for the three cash prizes offered by The Fisherman Pub- ■
lishing Society. §§
Total pack this season was 1,347,512'* cases and 1 the winning guess was Jack's 1,339,447 cases, out some j 8065% cases, but still good enough to cop win money 1 of $20 at a time when extra money comes in very handy. 1 Second prize of $10 went to R. Mulliner, truck | | driver with Ferry Meat Market who reads The Fisher- | | man and decided to try his guessing ability. His choice jj | was 1,356,348 cases, 8,835% off the correct figure.
Third prize of $5 went to Swedrop Nelson, well- § | know member of the United Fishermen and Allied I I Workers' Union. Mis guess was 1,367,420 cases. Although | J there was no prize offered for fourth place, the reader I J who came just out of the money was Ralph F. Muss I 1 of Vancouver with a guess of 1,367,989 cases.
Names of all those who entered the contest with the I | guess they made is posted in the Fishermen's Hall and I m can be examined by anyone interested. With the excel- 1 J lent response shown to the contest this year, it is I |1 planned to Continue the contest during 1947, offering t§ 1 bigger and better prizes.
The Fisherman, incidentally, wishes to correct the 1 j| error made last week when it was stated in a brief 1 j sketch of Hal Johnson's background, that this Ceepeecee 1 I oilman was the 1945 contest winner.
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Complete set of suggested regulations follow:
District No. 1
J> Extend the boundary of salmon Purse-Seine Area No. 17, in the Gulf of Georgia, during the year 1947, to permit, in the interests of a quality pack, salmon purse-seines to obtain a reasonable proportion of the expected run of pink salmon.
District No. 2
2, Extend the Naas salmon gill-net area to permit salmon gill-net operation in the Canadian portion of Pearse and Portland Canals.
3^ That coho salmon gillnets of 60 meshes in depth be permitted in District No. 2. Qm That the tying of salmon purse-seine nets to shore during the period of a set (20 minutes), be permitted at the undernoted points:
Purse-Seine Area No. 3, Steamer Pass.
Purse-Seine Area No. 5, Ogden Channel, Granville Channel and Gil Island.
Purse-Seine Area No. 6, Whale Channel, Wright Sound and Douglas Channel.
Purse-Seine Ai'ea No. 7, Fitz-hutrh Sound.
Purse-Seine Area No. 8, Burke Channel  and  Dean Channel.
It is sueerested that nets are at times damasred and sometimes oomnletely lost through drifting on the snags while a set is beine made when the tides are strong. BJ^ That the mainland waters of District No. 2, north of Oueen Charlotte Sound, be reopened to sunken   gillnet   giayfish fishing.
District No. 3
That fishing by means of trawl nets be prohibited in the northern part of the Strait of Georgia, north of a straight line drawn between Shelter Point and Lund Island, and including Discovery Passage to Seymour Narrows; Hoskyn Inlet to Antonio Point and Mayor Point; Lewis —Continued on Page 8
lowing ports, both vessel owners and fishermen: Juneau, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, Vancouver and Seattle. Both groups met jointly on November 25, drafting mutually supported recommendations to the International Fisheries Commission. Their proposals fo«. 1947 were as follows:
1. That the 1947 season open May 1.
2. That the quota be increased 5,000,000 pounds; 2,500,000 pounds each in Areas 2 and 3.
3. That the limit of incidentally-caught halibut in Area 2 be increased from the present ratio of one pound of halibut to every seven pounds of other fish to one for every four and this increase be taken from the regular Area 2 quota.
4. That the Commission continue to prohibit landing and sale of halibut caught by nets of all kinds.
5. That vessels of all kinds and sizes landing halibut be licensed.
6. That the Commission assist in getting action in controlling sea lions.
7. That the Commission continue to prohibit the issuance of permits for landing incidentally-caught halibut by all vessels other  than   those  using  set lines.
8. That penalties for violations of regulations be equalized for buyers   and sellers.
9. That a yearly statistical report be compiled and published for the benefit of the fishing industry.
10. That the Commission prohibit the taking of halibut by vessels operating in conjunction with motherships.
11. That all recommendations made by the delegates last year which were not approved by the Commission be considered as resubmitted this year.
12. That the Commission use its best efforts to secure adequate harbor privileges for Canadian fishing vessels in U.S. waters and U.S. craft in Canadian waters.
13. That the Commission use its good offices to speed up the ratification of the halibut treaty proposed  last year.
14. That the Commission consider the advisability of holding Conference Board Meetings in January instead of in November providing such action will not delay issuance  of regulations.
On Tuesday, November 26, delegates conferred with the International Fisheries Commission in their annual meeting. Following a report from H. A. Dunlop, director of investigation, who outlined the results of the 1946 season, the meeting was thrown open   for  discussion  and further
elaboration of the delegates' joint recommendations.
It was pointed out to the Commission that some of the recommendations were duplicates of proposals made in 1945, on which the Commission to some extent based their proposals for a new treaty. It was intimated by the commission, however, that there was no indication the treaty would be concluded in time for the 1947 season.
The Fisheries Commission had a new American Commissioner at this meeting, Milton James, assistant director of U.S. Fish and Wild Life Service, successor to Charles E. Jackson, who resigned his position after holding it for six years. The meeting with the Fisheries Commission was the shortest for several years, but since recommendations of last year approving a new treaty and authorizing the extension of greater authority to the Commission had been dealt with, there was little further to add.
On Wednesday, November 27, all port delegates met in the afternoon to discuss a curtailment program for the coming season. All ports signified their favor of curtailment if they were assured enforcement of the regulation — otherwise, they felt there should be no curtailment in 1947.
Delegates from some ports proposed a lay up period as partial curtailment. However, no general approval of this proposal could be agreed upon. The Canadian delegates suggested that since the biggest problem facing the fleet was the question of the tremendous increase in small one and two men boats, whom the Commission Director reported had landed upwards of 4,000,000 pounds from Area 2 last season, they felt a curtailment program would require very strict enforce-rrfent to bring these boats under control. It was further suggested that application of the British Columbia National Products Marketing Act might be again used to good advantage in the coming season, and suggested to the other delegates that the matter would be investigated on their return to Vancouver.
They also proposed that in the event the British Columbia Act could be revised in some measure, the fleet would feel assured of proper enforcement of regulations and if this were so, that another meeting be held not later than February 15, 1947, to see if a full and complete curtailment program could be worked out for the entire coast. They further pointed out that if this were possible, it would demonstrate to the Fisheries Commission just what further could be done when they receive power to regulate under the new treaty.
East Coast Herring Quota Near End; Increase Unlikely
At noon Thursday the lower east coast herring catch stood at 38,970 tons, only 1030 tons short of the extended quota. No further extension over the 40,-000-ton figures is predicted by fisheries officials. Fall season catch from all areas
to November 30 the end of last, week totalled 46,306 tons, made up as follows:
Central ................. 739
Lower Ea*t Coast ..... 35,467
Quathiaski ............. 5,279
Upper East Coast ...... 2,397
West Coast Van. Island 2,424 Total herring pack to the same date was 745,042 cases, registering a slight drop over 1943 and 1945. The lowest figure in the last three years was in 1944 when
705,375 cases were packed. In 1943 there were 769,766 cases and in 1945 there were 759,539 cases packed.
According to the 1946-47 union agreement, herring operations will cease on December 18 at midnight for all west coast and other outside areas, and at midnight December 20 on the east coast for the Christmas lay-up. Operations will re-commence on Sunday, January 5 of the New Year.