The Wrangell Sentinel

Editor Sentinel:

In a recent issue of the Wrangell Sentinel we notice that the Wrangell chamber of commerce has taken steps to have the Wrangell harbor and vicinity closed to herring fishing because outsiders come in here to fish herring and also pound up herring, which in their opinion interferes with the salmon, as salmon feed on herring.

I can't help but think that the Wrangell chamber of commerce made a serious mistake in asking the Bureau of Fisheries to close Wrangell harbor to herring fishing before they investigated thoroughly if such fishing would in any way interfere with salmon or salmon fishing.

I think the chamber of commerce must have acted on ill advice or misinformation, as the writer can prove that in numerous instances a herring pound has attracted salmon as well as herring from outside, and no one can state positively and truthfully that a herring pound has been a hindrance to either the movements of salmon or the catching of salmon.

On the other hand a herring pound is an asset to any fishing community.

There you may go for a mess of herring for a meal or for trolling bait or halibut bait because you know with certainty that
herring properly pounded is the best, both for human food and for bait.

As for the "outsiders" as mentioned in the Sentinel-coming in here every year fishing herring, will say that they are American citizens, residents of the Territory and almost pioneers in Alaska. We feel we have just as much right to fish as an "insider" as long as we fish legally.

And for the information of those who think herring fishing interferes with salmon, can state that I was fishing herring in Wrangell harbor in 1910 and off and on ever since and as far as I know it has neither interfered with the salmon nor the herring to such an extent that it should cause the citizens of Wrangell to make such a holler.

-Thomas Lando