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The
summer commercial Fraser River sockeye season has been and
gone. So far there was one day of salmon fishing for the
commercial fleet. The treaty Indians got about 30 hours
of fishing, starting Monday, July 31 and ending at 6 a.m.
Tuesday August 1.
That one day fishing netted a total of about 174,000 sockeye
for the treaty-Indian fishers (including those fish caught
by the Makah Indians in the straits), and about 74,000 sockeye
for the non-Indian fishers. Now the run has been down-sized,
meaning that there are fewer fish to be caught after escapement
in the Fraser River. Unless there is an increase in the
number of sockeye in test catches, the season is over.
Sport fishers have been catching salmon out in local waters.
Sport crab fishers started fishing with pots August 4 and
reports are there are a goodly number of crab to be had.
Treaty-Indian commercial crabbers were set to crab this
week, but they were rescheduled to open their crab season
at 4 p.m. Tuesday and to close at 4 p.m. Wednesday. They
will probably have a day or two of fishing per week through
the month of August.
Draggers have been fishing locally on a three days a week
schedule. There is some dragging in the straits for true
cod and also off the coast for bottom fish and turbot.
Those fishers who fished Bristol Bay for salmon this year
had a disappointing season, with not too many fish and a
very low price. The salmon fishing in southeast Alaska is
going well, with pretty good catches, but again low prices.
The Lady Washington was here in Blaine Harbor again last
week. It was a treat to see this beautiful ship coming into
harbor in full sail. She also gave us a blast of her cannons
to let us know that she was here and the noise can be pretty
impressive as it echoes around the harbor. It is always
fun to have this replica of an eighteenth century sailing
ship come to town. Many people had a chance to tour it and
also some got to go out for the sundown cruise aboard her.
There are not too many chances to have one of these tall
ships come visit, and we were lucky to have her here.
We have had an egret visiting here again this last month.
This pure white heron with gray legs and beak looks like
the blue herons, but much smaller in size. It has been hanging
out with the herons and also with seagulls on the tideflats
of Drayton Harbor.
The commercial fishing fleet has lost another integral member
of their community. Gary Westman, age 53, lost his battle
with cancer on August 6 and leaves behind many friends and
family, including his mother, his wife, his son Eythor and
daughter Tori.
He was also my brother and I am already missing him very
much. He was an owner/manager of Dakota Fisheries and all
the boats they owned, including captain on the fishing vessel
Dakota. It will never be the same again without one of the
Westman men at the helm. Good sailing, Gary and God Speed.
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