NU3RAGAK* Continued:'
Secretary McKay recommended that a corw
fersnce should be held with the officials
of the Fish and Wildlife Service and a
compromise reached so that the basis for
amendment to the closure order could be
determined. Director Day(in that confer
ence ) first offered a one day a week oper
ation and followed up with a proposal for
two dayrs fishing a week. These" offers
were rejected—both on grounds of conser
vation and because neither would afford
the economic basis for a canning operation
here. Wo made two recommendations*
First: to limit the outside fishing on
the Nushagak fish which takes thorn from
Unimak Pass to Middle Bluff and so dopletef
(the Nushagak runs that it is difficult to
obtain satisfactory escapem'cnts under any
conditions? and
Second: to authorize* a Set net oper
ation for the 1953 season on the Nushagak
Rivor.
The Fish and Wildlife Service would not
consent to closure of the Middle Bluff
area so that the conference ended with the
understanding that a set net operation
would be authorized for the Nushagak and. -
Togiak Rivers which would permit a good
escapement end still allow the residents
a fishing season consisting of C4 hours
fishing time per week.
We received notification in Seattle
that the Fish and Wildlife Service had ro
commended a two day a week operation to
the Secretary of the Interior. A lengthly
telogram of protest with an euuorsement
of the sett net operation was released in
behalf of the resident fishermen and can
nery workers by Harry Lundberg, head of
the Seafarers International Union of
North America0 Copies of this telegram
were sent to President Eisenhower, to
Senators Taft, Knowland and Corton, and
to all members of the-Congressional Sub
committee ana to the. Secretary of the In
terior* 'i?hi springs us up to date* V<e
now have to wait ana see what the amend
ment will offer us*
In closing, we wish to acknowledge our
appreciation for the sincere and un
qualified support we were given by Dele
gate Bartlett, and also for the cooper
i ation oxtended to the residents by John
Hawk and Harry Lundeberg and the members
of the Seafarers International Union who
enlisted on our behalf the support of
the American Federation of Labor*
In an Anchorage Times publication for
April 7th, Downey said the suggestion
(above expressed) for set netters was mad
to exclude boats*
Ted Nakkernd of Seattle accompanied
Downey and Emberg to Washington to repre
sent the Bristol Bay Residents at the
hear!ngs•
Present at the hearings- wero also
George Johansen., secretary-treasurer of
the Alaska Fishermen*s Union, and Jeff
Kibre, secretary treasurer of the fish
eries division of the International Long
shoremen and luarehousemen*s Union*
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