Invasion Of Alaskan Waters Not New;
Fishermen Were Armed Back In 1938
By Yule Chaffin
The invasion of Alaskan waters
by Russian and Japanese fishing
interests has received considerable
attention in the Kodiak Mirror in
the past couple of years.
Such invasion and the indigna
tion of American fishermen is not
new. It is interesting to note in a
little article “Battle of the Banks”
in the book, THIS WAS SEAFAR
ING, by Ralph W. Andrews and
Harry A. Kirwin, that it was going
on back in 1937. I quote from that
article:
“The invasion of Alaskan waters
by Japanese fishermen began
threatening U.S. codfishing in
1937. Several Washington packers
decided against hazardous trips to
the Bering Sea. Codfish catches
had declined the four years previ
ous owing to crab fishing by the
Japanese from Unimak Pass to
Amak Island in the Bering Sea.
“Capt. J. E. Shields, president
and manager of the Pacific Coast
Codfish Co. as well as skipper of
the schooner Sophie Christenson,
at first declined to send a vessel
north, the first time in 27 years,
feeling that the Japanese had driv
en out American ships. Later he
changed his mind.
‘We’re not going to take this
lying down after all,’ he declared.
‘We’ll be late, but we’re going.’ He
said crabs were codfish food and
the Japanese were ruining the cod
fish catch but that he would not
quit easily. The Sophie Christen
son sailed north.
“In August she returned with
Capt. Shields reporting the Japa
nese invasion of Bristol Bay con
tinued unabated and said he had
affidavits from his crew stating the
foreign vessels were setting nets
and hauling in the salmon.
“Complaints had been sent to
the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries by
American fishing concerns, about
the Japanese activities, asserting
the foreign vessels would eventual
ly deplete the salmon banks as
well as codfish.
“Again in 1938, the Sophie
Christenson sailed for the Bering
Sea. On May 25, the following story
broke in the Seattle Post-Intelli
gencer:
“U.S. SHIPS ASK ARMS IN
ALASKA FISH WAR.
Open Break With Japanese On
Bering Hinted Here.
“Threats of open warfare be
tween American and Japanese fish
ermen in Bering Sea broke yester
day with a wireless appeal for ri
fles and ammunition for two Amer
ican vessels in the north.
“The news electrified the Se
attle waterfront and brought an
announcement from the Alaska
Fishermen's Union that immediate
reinforcements would be sent
North on the steamship Mount Mc
Kinley and the La Merced today.
“A shipment of rifles and ammu
nition for the Sophie Christenson
and the Charles R. Wilson of the
Pacific Coast Codfish Company
will also be sent, G. W. Shields,
secretary of the company, declared
yesterday upon receipt of a wire
less from his brother, Capt. J. E.
Shields, announcing that the Ber
ing Sea was covered with Japa
nese fishing boats.
Bering Sea covered by Japanese
boats and nets north of Black
Hills,’ Captain Shields of the So
phie Christenson messaged his
brother.
‘No cutters around. We have
l
God-given instinct to shoot straight.
Please ship dozen high-powered ri
fles and plenty of ammunition.
Duplicate order for Wilson.’
“G. W. Shields said that the arms
would be sent, but refused to indi
cate how.
‘That will be a secret,’ he said.
‘We don’t want them intercepted
on the way.’
“Coast Guard headquarters in
Seattle said cutters and patrol
boats were on duty in Bering Sea
and Bristol Bay.
‘We will not fool around any
longer with this Japanese situa
tion,” declared William Hicker,
secretary of the Alaska Fisher
men’s Union. “The fishermen are
angry and will take action to drive
the Japanese out. Our men going
North will be ready for action.’
“Shields said that the Sophie
Christenson carries a crew of forty
three men and the Wilson carries
twenty-four, all of them “good
men.”
“Seventy fishermen will go
North on the Mount McKinley un
der charter of the Nakat Packing
Corporation, and officials inti
mated they would not look over
their baggage too carefully.
“They said there was some ques
tion as to whether the Japane .e
were fishing for salmon or crabs.
Now Ready to Serve
You With TV, Radio, and
Appliance Repairs
MARCONI’S
486-2383
If no answer 486—2382
****We are located in our building formerly occupied by
the Shoe Box — Across the street from Kraft’s Super Market.
“If they are fishing for salmon
there will be hell to pay,’ one said.
“Hicker said he had been ad
vised there were fifteen Japanese
boats within eight miles of the
American shore, and that they
were making trips to the shore
‘when no one is looking’.”
Above is the article quoted word
for word. Just thought you would
get a kick out of seeing the simi
larity of the situation — same
apathy (or seeming apathy) of the
higher powers, the fishermen get
ting angry enough to take the situ
ation in their own hands, the for
eign power in here apparently for
snooping as well as fishing, etc.
Friday
5:15—Test Pattern
5:30—Shari Lewis
5:55—Naval Station Notes
6:00—Cartoons
6:15—Air Power
6:30—Real McCoys
6:55—Weather
7:00—My Three Sons
7:30—Zane Grey
8:00—Rawhide
9:00—U ntouchables
10:00— Pier 23
Saturday
12:15—Capt. Kangaroo
1:00—Ford Show
1:30—Price Is Right
2:00—Lawrence Welk
3:00—H“ijacked”
4:00—To Tell the Truth
4:30—Canadian Travel Film
4:45—Sports Spectacular
6:00—Bonanza
7:00—Have Gun, Will Travel
7:30—Dick Van Dyke
8:00—Armstrong Circle Theatre
9:00—Bell Telephone Hour
10:00—“Grand Canyon”
Sunday
12:00—Chapel of the Air
12:30—The Christophers
1:00—Candid Camera
1:30—Merv Griffith Show
2:00—Perry Como
3:00—What’s My Line?
3:30—Danny Kaye Show
4:30—College Bowl
5:00—Mitch Miller
6:00—Perry Como Easter Special
7:00—Wagon Train
8:00—Perry Mason
9:00—Gunsmoke
9:30—Twilight Zone
10:00—“Little Big Horn”
Monday
5:15—Test Pattern
5:30—Dobie Gillls
5:55—Naval Station Notes
6:00—Cartoons
RIO—Newsreel
6:30—Magic Land
6:55—Weather
7:00—Andy Griffith
7:30—Bat Masterson
8:00—Sports
8:30—Peter Gunn
9:00—Big Story
9:30—George Gobel
10:00—“Loan Shark”
Tuesday
5:15—Test Pattern
5:30—Ted Mack Show
5:55—Naval Station Notes
6:00—Cartoons
6:15—Time In Space
6:30—20th Century
6:55—Weather
7:00—Little Giant
8:00—Wanted: Dead or Alive
8:30—I’ve Got a Secret
9:00—Wide World of Sports
10:45—Wrestling
Wednesday
5:15—Test Patterns
5:30—Big Picture
5:55—Naval Station Notes
6:00—Cartoons
6:15—Canadian Travel Film
6:30—Danny Thomas
6:55—Weather
7:00—Ed Sullivan
8:00—Science Fiction
8:30—Death Valley Days
9;00—Overseas Adventure
9:30—Steve Canyon
10:00—Perry Mason
10:00—Tonight Show
Thursday
5:15—Test Pattern
5:30—Magic Midway
5:55—Naval Station Notes
6:00—Cartoons
6:15—Great Dramas
6:30—Sea Hunt
6.55—Weather
7:00—The Texan
7:30—Lockup
3:00—Gary Moore Show
9:00—Bonanza
10:00—“Little Big Horn”
Note: All programs subject to
change without notice.
JUST ARRIVED
1963 MODELS
RADAR
FATHOMETERS
RADIO
Largest Stock in Alaska
For Complete Service Call
MARINE
ELECTRONICS
336 E. 5th Ave.
Box 355 • Phone BR 6-0851
Anchorage, Alaska
There Will Be A Dance At The
Armory on Saturday, April 20th
LIVE MUSIC! TWIST CONTEST!
BE THERE!
At 8:00 P.M.
Join the Easter Parade
In a New Ensemble
- <
* ■’ f
KRAFT’S DRY GOODS
Just Received—Anew
shipment of Boys’ Sport Coats.