"FIXED SEAR?"
The controversial ruling arising from
the deoision by Judge Folta in Anchorage
on September^, that set nets cors*3tute
,!fixe d gear’1 has stirred up much resent
ment from the fishermen who believe that
their catch will be greatly curtailed*
The FWS has no p ower to rule on the
question which plagues fisherren of Cook
Inlet and B ristol Eay particularity as
they must follow the definition when co&*
side ring cases of this type<j
A law passed in 1924 sta*>d that fixed
gear must be placed 1800 feet apart later
ally, which means that set nets now must
be 1800 feet to the side of one another*
rather than 600 feet apart as in the past*
Most set nets in Bristol Bay are only 300*
apartl E ndwise, the nets may be maintain
ed at the present distance of 6f*0 feet*
Actually, FWS officials believe that
by shifting the nets, only 14% cf the
present number of nets will be eliminated
in some f,ro&34 The ourtailment will be
felt most in pxeae whore the flats cncl
close tc shore, making it impossible to
rearrange without sacrificing a number of
nets.
The FWS content that the catch poto.ns*
tial, and not merely the number of nebs
should be considered as in some cases
curtailment of nets may result in a
better quality oatoh,
Hrisiol Bay and Kodiak fishermen will
probably be harder hit by the new rul
ing than the Cook Inlet fishing industry
since set nets in these areas now are
even closer together than those in the
Inlet,
Bristol Bay NEEDS its sot netcl
DEM PC RAT IC C AND I DATES
TERRITORIAL
SENATE ... LONG term I
1* In Alaska Since 1939
2* Wrote "Bill creating Territorial Dept:.
TERRITORIAL HOUSE*
of Fisheries
3# Business Representative for Anchorage,.
Longshoremen* s Union
Alaska since 1947
2# President of Labor Local #341 slnoe
1947
3* Helped draft Dema Platform.
1# In Alaska over 17 years
2* Registered Mining Engineer
3. Vetern of World War II