\
salmon jtTjrse seiners' drive mazing- good headway
Br
Fish Running Poor
George Liiller, Business Agent of the Salmon Purse Seiners' Union
Our progress to the moment of writing, July 11thj has more than exceeded our expectations.
Already we have applications for more than one hundred new membership cards and we can safely sa3r that the union is established on 70/0 of the boats here.
The response we received from every boat contacted has beer, very good. All those we spoke to evinced a very great interest in trade unionism. There is a general sentiment in favor of a legitimate Seiners' Union.
Only twice have we been questioned on our American affiliation, and with due explanation our part of the trade union movement of Canads and our link-up with our American brothers satisfaction with our answers was recorded by applications to join our union.
TEE GREATEST DIFFICULT! THAT SEINERS ARE EXPERIENCING AT THE PRESENT IS THE LACK OF FISH. THE BOAT ;'SHUCHONA" WITH 1015 SOCKEYE WAS HIGH AT THE CLOSE OF THE WEEK, COVERING THE OA TO: OF FOR ALMOST SIX WEEKS.
Some ia«*a of the scarcity of fish can be gathered by last week's daily average of around 20 to 25 fish per boat, "when we consider the number of sets made in each day of heartbreaking toil to get this much fish, and the exceptionally large number of snags in the last week, we can understand why men are willing to listen to us with good natured patience.
Our contacts with the Native Fishermen's Association (Indian; have all been of the friendliest. We believe that mutually cordial discussions between our respective organizations will lay the basis for complete working agreement in the near future. We hope it will lead to the establishment of one Purse Seiners' Union of the Pacific.
Fraternally yours, GEORGE MILLER Alert Bay, July 11th, 1957.
COLONIAL PACKERS - Continued
Red Springs, large, 6,658§- lbs. at 7 cents.
White Springs, 2,240 lbs at 2 cents. Blueback round, 2,906 lbs. at 5-f- cents. Blueback dressed, 2,514 lbs. at 6--f cents. , Steelheads, 7 fish at 5 cents each. Chums, 5 fish at 10 cents each.
The other three scows are almost deserted. Very few fish are in their icehouse, aid their packers have very little work.
COLONIAL PACKERS GET MOST FISH IT CAPE I.IUDGE
Reports from Cape liudge tell of a poor catch this year, but the Col°J?'Sth Packers who signed an agreement with joint Committee are getting the most oi ix.
The following figures of sales to Colonial at Cape iludge for the mouth oi June are authentic:
Value of Bluebacks end springs, June 1st to 30th - |2,928.86 (cont. next col.)
CAPE MCDGE LOCAL TAKES UP QUESTION OF SKID ROADS
An engineer from the Public Works' Department visited Bob Stewart at Cape Mudge a few days age and said he had been sent to see about building skid roads. This was only a short time after the local had taken it up and written to the responsible authorities. They haven't got the skidroads yet, but the wheels of government have been set in motion and they are very likely to get them soon. This will help the hend trollers s lot. Fish are running very poor and they are making very little money. A few weeks' work at 50 cents an hour will give them . something of a grub-stake.
_ASSISTANT COMvIESSIONER OF _
" FISHERIES VISITS GROUPS
George J. Alexander, assistant commiscioner of fisheries left Victoria on Monday, July 12th for a two weeks' inspection teur of the fishing grounds. He will visit Smith's and Rivers Inlets, Bella Coola, Skeena and Naas district.
Major J.A. Motherwell, Chief supervisor of fisheries for B.C. left Vancouver on Thursday, July 8th, on the S. S. Malespina on his annual inspection tour of the northern fishing areas.