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Published mqr Prldaj hj the a. N. B. Publishing Co., Petersburg »
Situet lu the Post Ofi(S i> Petersburg as Second Class matter.
WOULDN’T YOU HATE ’EM? -
On or about the night of June
3rd, the gasboat Rescue (a thirty
footer) had engine trouble in Nich
ols passage about ten miles from
Ketchikan. On the boat there were
a husband, his young wife and
another man. The wind was blow
ing 3harply from the west, and the
boat was rolling in the trough of
the sea.
All night long, the agony con
tinued. The young wife kept one
oil drum from rolling by using a
hand pump for a brace, the other
man used a crowbar in like man
ner, while the husband labored at
the engine. Cannery tenders pass
ed, but nobody stopped, until morn
ing when a large tender from one of
the biggest non-resident canneries
saw their plight and went up to
them.
The joy in the breast of the tired
people was turned to ashes when
the tender came within a few
yards, turned about and went away.
An hour later, a small seine boat
came along and played the Good
Samaritan. *
3
THE SAME OLD FIGHT
THE PREDATORY INTERESTS
NEVER QUIT
Alaska is virtually In the posi-j
tion where the predatory Interests
are satisfied. The fight now Is to
keep it there—then to extend the
"system r- to Washington and Ore
gon.
»The fight in the State of Wash
ington is only one phase of the gen
eral effort. The trapmen were In
the majority in the Fish Commis
sion. They moved fast and based
their rulings on the "Alaska regu
lations’’ enforced by Herbert Hoov
er on Henry O’Malley’s advice.
The difference is that in Wash
ington, the seiners are organized
whereas in Alaska, they are not. So
in Washington, Governor Hartley
held up the discriminatory rules
and finally forced the unfair Fish
eries Board to resign.
We quote from the Portland, Ore
gonian of June 5th:
When Governor Hartley Friday
bounced the State Fisheries Board
he parted political company with
Edgar A. Sims, State representative
from Jefferson county, who helped
to create the Board and has been
its chairman from the beginning."
It seems that the Board adoptd
the Alaska seine regulations on, the
ground that these regulations were
conservation measures. Like Hen
ry O’Malley, the Board placed no
corresponding restriction on fish
traps.
“PURSE SEINERS VICTORIOUS”
"The victory of the purse seiners
is complete, and the fish trap oper
ators and large cannery owners,
heretofore stoutly aligned in sup
port of Governor Hartley, have been
driven off the administration reser
vation along with Sims and Blake
(trap advocates on the Fisheries
Board.)
“The Fisheries Board was es
tablished with the adoption of the
civil administrative code by the
1921 legislature. Sims, Blake and
Ramwell have constituted the Board
from the beginning. At the time of
its creation the Puget Sound salmon
run was admittedly depleted for
lack of regulation. Under Board
control the run has been increasing
year by year, though still far short
of its earlier proportions.
(Note: The same group of sel
fish cannery interests who are re
sponsible for Henry O’Malley and
hence for his unfair regulations, got
Sims and Blake to adopt the “Alas
ka Regulations.” They argued that
these regulations were fair and
proved their contention by pointing 1
to the (act that the United States
of America—“The land we love”—
had ^adopted them in Alaska and
“They were working out so well in
Alaska.” The public should not
forget that conservation in Alaska
means virtual prohibition of resi
dents from fishing by closing their
fishing*9 gpunde—called “Spawning
grounds” by Henry O'Malley—and
yet placing no restrictions whatever
on fish traps—the one mile apart
rule being really in aid of traps
rather than a restriction. )
THE MIGRATION OF HERRING
TOKEN FROM BERGEN’S
TIDENDE
|
Translated from the Norwegian by
Rev. 8. Sydness.
(Continued from last week.)
In my last article an account was
given as to how by close study of
the scales of the herring, we were
able to tell what ‘school’ of herring
it belongs to, how it is possible to
identify the herring when found in
other seas wherefrom it has not
been previously found. Further
more, it is possible to come to a
conclusion as to its earlier life since
the outer “mllien” where the her
ring lives places its stamp upon the
scales in the form of smaller or
growth zones and more or less
sharply defined winter rings.
Due to these reasons it should be
possible to study and make it clear,
to what extent and where in the
ocean it is found; also to keep an
eye on the changes that takes place,
as to the distribution of the herring
from eason to season. By so doing,
the migration of herring which has
given cause to so much study and
speculation will come under the clos
est of observation.
In order that these questions may
be solved, it is taken for granted
that the ocean is examined for her
ring. This thorough examination
or sifting, as it were, of the ocean
for herring, is very difficult. On
the whole, it may be stated that
those seas alone where the herring
is so abundant that a paying fishing
industry could nave been carried
on, have been thoroughly examined.
However, it can be said with cer
tainty, that outside of these areas
in certain seasons, herring may be
found and that in collossal quanti
ties. But what is difficult to say
is this: Would it be a payable pro
position to establish fishing indus
tries in those particular places? As
to that I am not a pessimist nor an
optomist. The difficulties as well
as the possibilities are equally as
great, and what the future has In
store, no one can tell. However,
in this particular Instance, it must
be said that the so-called “storsild
fiske” is in its infancy, a child of
this century.
In regard to the Norwegian her
ring, the condition is such that the
fishing of.it takes place only when
It comes to .the coast, otherwise
not. Since the grown herring re
main nt the coast for a short time
only, and the younger herring that
develop into full grown and also,
for a number of years disappear
from the coast, it is not peculiar
that the knowledge as to the migra
tion is not as complete as one
would wish. Nevertheless we know
a little, .and in comparison to what
is .known as to other kind of her
ring, it Is a good deal.
The article from last week con
cluded with the following; What
happen* to the young herring, that
still is in the process of develop
ment, it is not found or caught
during the fishing 3eason. Where
does the 3-year herring migrate to
,hat emigrate from the Western
Doast of Norway? Or we may put
;he question thus: Why does not
he “fetsild" south from Stad
imount to anything more than it
ioes? We know that all along that
mast line there is “smaasild”
enough to make “fetsildfiske’’an im
portant factor, that is if the “smaa
nld” remain at the coast. For the
Western Coast it is not such an
important factor as it is for the
northern coast of Norway? In the
later years, the “fetsildfiske” south
from Stad has been a complete fail
ure, and everybody is asking—What
is the reason?
There are -a variety of answers
and explanations. Some blame it
on the noise of the motor boats;
This modern tool by the Devil has
scared the herring. Others again
are of the opinion that it is the
“snurpenot” that is the cause of
the calamity—therefore away with
it; and a good number are of the
opinion that this intense fishing of
“smaasild” used for fertilizer pur
pose is the root to all evil; conse
quently, down with the fertilizer
plants. As a result the passions
have been set afire, and in view of
the question involved it is not to
wonder at, and a solution is very
important as regards the outcome
At present this is not the proper
place to discuss such an important
question. While on the other side
it is evident that the result of our
investigation which has been dis
cussed in these articles, are going
to play an important part in solving
the problem. The end toward which
these things lead seem to be this,
that what has taken place in north
ern Norway, is practically the same
thing that has taken place further
south and on the West Coast nom
inally that the herring leaves the
coast before it has become full
grown “fetsild.” On the west coast
this is not thought of since it is the
usual run of things. Not so in the
northern part of Norway. There
the early “fetsild” has been a com
mon occurence—not always—but
Those great “herring years” are
many times in great quantities,
the ones that we remember—just
like those cold winters and hot sum
mers.
But where, and to what place
do they go? Every fisherman asks
this question over and over again.
In order to give a definite answer,
it is necessary to have the place,
caught and idetnified. • As yet this
has not been done. However, a lit
tle has been caught and identified.
Sample of smaller catch of this her
ring that we will have to call, due
to lack of better name—“herring
in its process of development.” Bui
this catch has not been taken in
the vicinity where this herring is
supposed to have been. Because
of this, the catch gives us only cer
tain clues toward the unravelling ol
of these problems.
Other means of guidance is to be
had by studying the maps and al
so to the more particular place ir
the ocean where herring of differ
ent kind, Norwegian of all type—
“voksensild”, “smaasild” and “smaa
sild,” and “smaafetsild” are keep
ing themselves. These areas do nol
come in under consideration a«
places of abode for this particular
kind of Norwegian herring, since
they would have been caught bj
the fishermen and recognized by ex
animation. The area around Ice
land has been established this way
it has its own different kind of her
ring schools. Likewise the sur
rounding Faroe and especially in
cluding the North Sea, beginning
from Shetland going south. This
is an exceedingly vast territory, and
intense fishing is carried on. The
fish has been examined, but not 8
sign of the Norwegian herring ir
its process of development. The
seas around Svallord Greenland anc
“Byornaya” must also be mention
ed. Very few samples of herring
have been received from these plac
es. The reason for this is thal
there is no fishing going on in thees
waters. However the scales havt
also come to our assistance. Ii
1914 a trawler, “Michael Lars” waf
fishing codfish along the coast ol
Bjornaya. The codfi3h caught, hac
fed upon herring. The herring
partly digested was examined. Thel
scales of fullgrown, old, Norwegian
herring. In other words—“stor
sild” and not herring in the “pro
cess of development." A great deal
of this kind of material, taken from
the 3tomach of the cod, were
brought home to Norway for exam
ination by Professors Iverson and
Kalfor. These gentlemen spent
their summer with this trawler for
th purpose of studying the migra
tion of the herring and the like.
The3e samples brought home re
veal a lot of scales, and these scales
are not mere digests, but they can
reveal their identity and. give in
formation of great value. So far
the examination reveals that this
fish the cod fed upon were very old
“storsild” the indications on it
are not of much use to seek in that
direction either.
My last conclusion I draw from
several facts in connection with.
How and When the Herring Comes
and appear up on the spawning
ground. It was mentioned in one
article that the herring that has
spawned before it comes to the
coast alone, not a part of the young
er set or recruits that are to spawn
for the first time. The last one3
have previocsly been herring in the
process of development and come
from their place in the sea to the
coast. Now if this area would bord
er on the area where the older
spawners are keeping themselves,
or if the paths from their different
areas in the spawning grounds
cross, it would be very peculiar that
they would not mix together. But
that is exactly what does not take
place. “Storsilden" the older spawn
er comes to the coast without any
mixture of the younger spawners
or those that spawn for the first
time. The younger set comes in to
the spawning grounds later on in
the season, and there in the spawn
ing place become mixed up with the
older set. The conclusion must be
the following: The two groups
have lived quite separate before
they met at the spawning grounds,
and furthermore their routes did not
cross each other. At present every
thing seems to be in favor of this
theory that the older herring after
spawning season is over migrate to
the area around Svallord and Bjor
noya. To support this thory we
have first the observations made
from that fact, also the fishing of
herring on the coa3t of Helgoland,
in the months of May and June, af
ter the “storsild” season was over.
This “3torsild” was thought to
be Island herring that paid us a
visit, but it certainly was Nor
wegian herring, that after the
spawning season Was over, were on
their way north and in some way
happened to come in under the
coast in the northern part of Nor
way. The road of migrations for the
Norwegian herring must be about
as follows:
A northerly migration in April
until the month of June; a stay
north in July and until the next
spawning takes place; then they
proceed south again. From this
and other reasons, it seems plausible
that this group of “herring in the
process of development” would be
found to the south and west of the
place and trails of the older spawn
i ers.
According to this suspicion is di
. rected to the area north and east of
Faroe Island in the direction of the
so-called “Battlenosefelt” in and
around this area up to the coast of
Norway. This is the place where I
think this mystical group of Nor
wegian herring may be found. How
far north on the map the lines
should be drawn is at present un
certain to say. However there are
. some indications that go to prove
that the “herring in the process of
■ developing” is found in the neigh
boring area where the so-called
. “Nordsjasild” sample of herring in
process or developing, also a fish
that is entirely foreign to the Nor
wegian herring. The mixture, how
i
ever, has beep very small. Only d
i
few individuals in a sample of a
i couple of hundred or more. But it
! has always been there. This year
l we were very fortunate in getting
; a clean, pure sample of first yeai
spawners, even in this sample
‘those foreigners”, if we should so
call them were found. By exam
inging and comparing them with
the Norwegian herring, we found
that the tscales of the Norwegian
herring has had an even growth in
those five years it had been allowed
to live, while the other has had
a rapid growth in the first two
years. Already in the third year
this process begins to influence the
growth, that finally leads to the
minimum growth of the following
six years’ nominal development of
the reproductive organs. The for
eign in a North Sea herring that
has happened by mistake, we will
say to have been mixed up with the
Norwegian herring. This one has
nothing to do on the spawning
ground, since it has already spawn
ed in the months of September—
November previous. But this and
similar herring that has by chance
come in a new area and been mixed
up with the first year spawners, has
helped to give us a more concrete
idea where the ‘‘herring in the pro
cess of developing” is to be found—
north and East of Shetland and Fa
roe.
Is it worth while to find these
herring? Personally I say yes, and
that fo rtwo reasons. In the first
place, this school of ‘‘herring in the
process of developing” is not an in
significant school. In comparing
the different schools of herring it
is found that the school consisting
of those in the ‘‘process of develop
ing” is fully as large and in some
years a good deal larger, than the
school consisting of old spawners. If
the fishing industry of these young
herring may be established, it may
be of great importance, but thi3 will
not be established before we have
found out where and why this
school at times i3 found here and
there shallow or deep in the ocean,
sometimes found very compact and
at other times spread out. In the
second place it is of importance be
cause it will give us a clue as to
the solution of these difficult ques
tions as to the course of “smaasild
forgoten” and the failure of the
“fetsildfiske”. If the school is found,
then we have a method that will
enable us to establish whether this
big ‘‘fetsild” from the northern part
of Norway, is the one or not. A
correct, sure and direct answer to
this, an answer that is binding also
for those who do not have choice
nor time, to spend in examing all
details, is what today constitutes
the foundation as to the theories of
the Norwegian herring, and is ac
cording to my opinion, the most
important problem placed before
this bureau of investigation. At
present the motion has been made
that the investigation be caried on,
but so far the money has not been
available and very likely will not
I be, before the economic condition
has become re-adjusted. Neverthe
less, one thing is certain, the ques
tion is a pressing one. A rational
and successful investigation is the
only solution regardless of what di
rection the answer may go.
| TAXATION ABSURDITY
$ -
How can any ordinary citizen be
,expected to plow his way through
the mazes of an income tax blank,
when even the government experts
foozle the job?
In 1913, P. S. Talbert, of the In
ternal Revenue Department, valued
the good will of the Ford Company
at $170,000,000. In 1919, Mr. Tal
bert valued the same at $140,000,
000 less, notwithstanding the six
years of indisputable Ford pro
gress. Now, in the income tax case,
at Detroit, Mr. Talbert is asked if
his cutting off those millions of val
uation wasn’t absurd; and his reply
is, “The idea that it might have
been absurd never occurred to me.”
The ordinary filler of tax blanks
is in about the same fix. He puts
in things which he knows are absurd
and, also, absurd things of which
he has no. idea.
When looking for absurdity, eith
or in general or detail, consult a
taxation statute.—Ex.
Advertise in THB FISHERMAN.
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