ALASKA, 1955 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1955 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 8:40 a. m., in the Elks Club, Hon. Leo W. O'Brien (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. O'BRIEN. The hearing will come to order. I would like to explain at the outset that we have a very serious time problem. Colonel Libby says that unless we are in the air by 1 o'clock we may not be able to get into Juneau tonight. So I would appreciate it if the witnesses could be as brief as possible, and we will accept any statements you want to present to supplement your testimony. I am sure that my colleagues on this side of the table will exercise their usual restraint and not cut too much into your time. I would like to present the members of the committee. Congressman Utt of California. Congressman Sisk of California. My name is O'Brien. Of course, you know Delegate Bartlett, and the new fishing champion of Alaska, Congresswoman Pfost, of Idaho. She got a very large fish this morning, and I understand she is going to try to get another one and then she will have a set of earrings. According to the schedule which has been submitted this morning, we are to hear witnesses first on the boat harbor. The first witness will be Mr. Logan. Mr. COON. Mr. Logan will be in a little later. I will start first, if I may. Mr. O'BRIEN. Mr. Coon and other witnesses, when you begin your testimony would you give your full name and any background you want to submit for the official record. STATEMENT OF MERRILL COON, PRESIDENT, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, KODIAK, ALASKA Mr. Coon. My name is Merrill Coon. I live in Kodiak, Alaska, and I have lived here since 1936. I have a brief which was presented on the operation of the smallboat harbor in May in Washington, D. C., to the Appropriations Committee. I will turn that over to you later. It is for your immediate reference. Mr. Chairman, it has been said that one picture is worth 10,000 words, and I have worked on the small-boat-harbor project ever since I have lived in Kodiak. I will give to you here a view of one of our storms, and if you will remember, last night we passed by the outer end. I also have to show you a film which I was able to get back from the United States Engineers. It will take about 4 minutes, and with your indulgence we would like to show that one. Mr. O'BRIEN. Very well. (A film was shown.) Mr. Coon. There is one point that I would like to point out to the committee, and that is the tremendous growth of our king crabs. The figures that I mention now are from the United States Bureau of Fishery files. Also that since the increase in our production I feel that the benefit ratio of our small-boat harbor is low. I am sorry I don't have the latest figure on that, but I do have the latest figure for the construction. In 1950 there was 125,000 pounds of crab caught. In 1954 there was 4 million. The price to fishermen was 912 cents, and the estimated, conservative, employed people was 250. This year Kodiak alone, 9,526 cases of clams, 75,000 cases of salmon. In the Kodiak area there was 594,040 cases. In southeastern Alaska the total pack was 795,079 cases of salmon. In the southwestern 1,134,694 cases, and western Alaska, which includes the Bering Sea, was 382,000. The Kodiak area had the largest pack of any area last year. Our estimated cost of damage each year-and I believe the figure is very conservative-is $20,000. In 1948 the estimated damage was around $80,000. That is when we had one of these terrific storms. The damage to one boat in 1954 and 1955, which I received from the records a man in town does this work-a boat Sherry, which broke its anchorage, was $9,207. That is one boat. Mr. O'BRIEN. Do you know whether the elimination of that loss is figured in your benefit ratio? Mr. CooN. I think it was. Mr. Chairman, I think our benefit ratio was figured in 1950, if I am correct, and our crab pack at that time was 125,000 pounds. The cost of the project estimated in 1950 was $1,686,080, and the latest estimate is $1,948,000. Because of the increase of construction costs the figure has gone that high. Mr. O'BRIEN. Is this a year-round harbor? Mr. CooN. Yes, sir. I don't want to take any more time. I have my brief which I will present this committee, and Mr. Logan has a few words he would like to say. May I have that picture back? I would be glad to send more. getting a print. May I send it directly to Washington? Mr. O'BRIEN. If you would. I am Without objection, Mr. Coon's brief will be made a part of the record. (The statement referred to follows:) DATA PREPARED BY M. C. COON RELATING TO KODIAK'S SMALL BOAT HARBOR BASIN Request Funds for construction of a small-boat harbor at Kodiak, Alaska. Necessity: To protect small boats from the high, strong winds and surging swells; to prevent prohibitive repair costs and delays resulting from no harbor protection during storms. Cost of project: Latest estimate is $1,948,000. Cong., 2d sess. $1,686,080.) (Estimate Doc. No. 465, 83d Working period: Nine months of the year for crab, clams, halibut, and salmon, Bottom fishing has not been touched in the Kodiak area. There have been some developments in scallops and shrimp which have been encouraging. Cost-benefit ratio: 1.47 to 1, 1950. We do not have a new ratio since the tremendous increase in crab production. Benefits from project: (a) Will provide necessary harbor facilities for marine traffic that furnish main source of transportation (Kodiak has no roads to speak of) and the basic equiment is the fishing industry boats. (b) Will help eliminate excessive boat repair and operation delay costs. (c) A greater development of the fishing industry in the Kodiak area, creating new services which, in all, will cause a greater development of Kodiak's economy. It is estimated that there are six to seven thousand people in the immediate proximity of Kodiak, Alaska. General comments: Project would be self-liquidating. The Corps of Engineers benefit ratio 1.47 to 1, we believe, is low as compared to the tremendous increase in crab production: 125,704 pounds in 1950 and 4 million pounds in 1954. Price to the fishermen was 91⁄2 cents. Estimated conservatively, 250 people employed. This year, in Kodiak alone, 9,526 cases of clams were packed; 75,000 cases of salmon and in the Kodiak area, 594,040 cases. In southeastern Alaska, the total pack was 795,079 cases of salmon; in southwestern, 1,134,694 cases, and western Alaska, 382,247. Kodiak area had the largest pack of any area. Note above statistics on fish and crab furnished by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The estimated cost of $20,000 a year, I believe, is too conservative. In 1948, damage was estimated near $80,000. Damage to one boat in 1954–55, the Sherry, which was almost a total loss, was $9,207. Work accomplished on others by canneries and owners themselves would be hard to determine. The importance of Kodiak Harbor to national defense should not be overlooked. At the beginning of the last war, our small boats were called upon for patrol work. If we had had a small-boat harbor, many types of boats would have been stationed in Kodiak which would have been an asset for carrying capacities in case of an emergency. A small-boat harbor would afford winter storage for large cannery tenders which now go to Seattle. One of our local canneries, Island Seafoods, sent its power scow, the Seldovia and their tender, the Kasilof to Seattle. The estimated cost for sending these boats to Seattle is $5,000. Mr. Frank McConnaughy, of the Halferty Canneries, advised that he had to pay his skipper on the Yarsh $1,003 to take the boat to Seattle. This did not include the crew's wages, food, fuel, insurance or possible layups due to storms. We pray that this committee will recommend that our small-boat harbor be constructed immediately. (Statement by M. C. Coon, which was presented to the hearings before the subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives and Senate, 84th Cong., pp. 230 and 104, respectively, for this committee's immediate reference:) STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY M. C. COON RELATING TO THE KODIAK SMALL-BOAT BASIN AT KODIAK, ALASKA The people of Kodiak have been endeavoring for many, many years to secure a small-boat harbor, a haven for approximately 200 boats. A great deal has been accomplished toward its ultimate realization, but the fact remains that the project is not completed. Kodiak, Alaska, is located at the northeast end of Kodiak Island, in the North Pacific. The United States naval base, or the 17th Naval District, is located approximately 6 miles west of the town of Kodiak, at Womans Bay. Kodiak was founded in 1793 and is one of the oldest towns on the Pacific coast. It was basically a fishing village, with its basic economy being products from the sea. Before the establishment of the United States naval base at Kodiak, Alaska, the population of the town was approximately 500 people. Since the construction of the naval base the population is between 1,500 and 2,000 people. Mrs. Prost. Were you able to make that much money in the years 1954 and 1955? Mr. BERGGREN. No, I wouldn't say that. I would say $1,200 or $1,400. Mrs. Prost. You say you largely trap beaver? Mr. BERGGREN. Beaver, mink, and land otter. Mr. O'BRIEN. Do you operate on an 8-hour day in your fishing and trapping activities? Mr. BERGGREN. You mean 24 hours a day; don't you? Mrs. PrOST. How many months does it require for the season? Mr. BERGGREN. Fishing season? Mrs. ProST. Yes. Mr. BERGGREN. We only got small amount of fishing in the middle of the summer. That is when the canneries operate for canning fish. My wife and I also sold king salmon, which starts early, sold in the spring. And we sold silvers in the fall. That is, we salt them and send them to the market. There isn't enough fish to go around, so only a few of us can fish. Mrs. ProST. Your income of $1,800 was made mostly during that 1 month? Mr. BERGGREN. That 1 month. That sounds like an awful lot. but when you are going to depend on it for the whole year, that is your main income. When the bottom drops out of the 1 month, it drops out for the whole community, not just the fishermen. Mrs. ProST. Do you have a family beside your wife and yourself! Mr. BERGGREN. I have got a girl. Mrs. ProST. Does she fish, too? Mr. BERGGREN. Oh, yes. Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Berggren, we have heard it said that one reason for the depletion of the salmon in the Alaska waters is because they have migrated southward to warmer waters. I wonder if there is anything to that story or is it just an excuse that someone is giving! Mr. BERGGREN. I don't believe that at all. It has been proven that a salmon has a wonderful instinct, goes back to the particular stream where he was hatched. And there is no doubt in my mind this area in particular has been overfished. What the Japs are doing out there is a mystery. If that is our salmon, we hope something will be done about it, because, after all. they took more salmon this summer than they took in several years now. And this used to be the biggest red salmon fishing in the world. Now the Japs got 70 million this year. Mr. TAYLOR. We understand they may have been taking immature fish also, and I wonder if there is anything to that story. Mr. BERGGREN. I am glad that committee is here. I wish they could spend more time with us. We have been before the Fish and Wildlife Committee for years, and at least I got tired of going before them because we are sending recommendations and asking questions. and I asked them that particular question: Are they taking immature salmon? They referred it to one man in the group and he didn't think so. Why are they using 4-inch mesh gear. It should be at least 5, 411⁄2Mr. TAYLOR. How do you know they are using 4-inch mesh gear! Mr. BERGGREN. We have our own observer. I got a pamphlet given to me by Moore, that fishing consultant Congress sent up here, and he gave me last year's catch in his pamphlet, and he gave the meshes. Mr. BARTLETT. Thank you, Mr. Berggren. Are there any other witnesses from Naknek? I think in conclusion the committee Mr. SHAWBACK. I would like to make a little statement about the complete disregard the industry has for the regulations. Mr. BARTLETT. Identify yourself. STATEMENT OF HARRY SHAWBACK, NAKNEK, ALASKA Mr. Shawback. I am Harry Shawback. There has been established between the Naknek-Kvichak and Egebik area a closed area, sort of a no-man's land for the purpose of schooling fish. It has been more less established that the fish school there as they come in and then they separate there and go their respective rivers. So that is where all the good fishing has been for years and years. They established it as a no-man's land, illegal to fish there. At one time this year the Fish and Wildlife caught, I am pretty sure it was, 66 boats in that closed area at one time. The catch this year for the canneries was mediocre, fairly good, they made money, but no escapement. And just like I say, they caught 66 out there at one time and more caught later. Mr. O'BRIEN. They were operating for the canneries? Mr. SHAWBACK. Yes, sir, they were all company boats. There was one resident boat. Mr. O'BRIEN. What is the penalty for fishing in those waters? Mr. SHAWBACK. Well, the Commissioner handles the cases and I think they have a maximum set on the fine of $500. I am not sure. It is also subject to confiscation of boats and gear, which they never do because it is company owned. However, I am sure if it was mine they would confiscate it in 2 minutes. Mr. O'BRIEN. You have no knowledge there were 66 $500 fines and 66 confiscation of boats and equipment in that particular case? Mr. SHAWBACK. There was no confiscation of boats and equipment. I believe the first two men were fined $250 apiece and the rest of them pleaded quilty on a blanket plea and were fined $150 per man. I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure that is right. Mr. BARTLETT. There would be no legal prohibition against seizures here, would there? Mr. SHAWBACK. No, sir. Mr. BARTLETT. They were all company boats? Mr. SHAWBACK. Like I say, this one was operated by 2 resident men, but when it came out in the trial, it came out this particular company had 2 boats with the same number on it, 2 boats with number 59. So it was impossible to establish which 59 was caught. Mr. BARTLETT. One could judge then these fishermen independently decided to go out there and fish, or one could make some other decision if one cared to? Mr. SHAWBACK. Yes; you certainly could. Mr. O'BRIEN. You say there were two independents in this group? |