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Spring
is here at last! The birds are paired up and looking for
nesting sites. Our two white pelicans came back, fatter
than ever. It’s nice to see them, they should be here
for the summer. They don’t seem to mind that they’re
not supposed to be here, according to the bird experts.
Fishing
is slow, still lots of waiting for good weather, less windy
conditions. The local draggers and long liners for dog fish
are about the only thing happening here, although there
is some talk about pot fishing for shrimp in the islands
by Treaty Indian fishers.
The
coastal draggers have been getting some good catches, bringing
in petrale, cod and sole, mostly to Neah Bay, and some boats
have been coming here from Canada with bottom fish for Sea
K Fish Co.
There
are local fishers fishing for herring in Alaska, as well
as cod and sole in the Bering Sea. The Prince William Sound
salmon fishers are heading north now, and soon the Bristol
Bay fishers will be heading north to get ready for the sockeye
salmon run there.
The
buy-back letters from the state have gone out to those fishers
who fish for Fraser River sockeye salmon. The object is
to buy up the most active licenses first, as they are trying
to reduce the non-treaty Indian fishing fleet that fishes
this salmon run. It is now the time for those fishers who
have licenses to decide if they are going to sell out. A
later buy-back for additional salmon licenses is planned.
This is all part of the salmon treaty between U.S. and Canadian
fisheries for Fraser River sockeye.
For
those who walk their dogs at the Marine Park, but forget
to bring a plastic sack along to collect the “doggie
deposits” their pets leave behind, there are now two
dispensers put up by the city, with Mutt Mitts which are
for that purpose. It would be great if everyone remembers
to use these, putting the used ones into the garbage cans
at the park. It would make walking in the park easier for
everyone. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
The
Seafarer’s Memorial plaque has been installed with
the new names engraved. There is a possibility that the
bronze plaque will have to be re-engraved, as the spacing
is larger than intended, and not much room left for new
names. This will be decided at a later date. At least the
plaque is in place before the Blessing of the Fleet, which
is on Sunday, May 6th, 1:00, at the sawtooth dock. We hope
to see you there. Music by the Blaine High School Instrumental
Ensemble and by Rory McLeod, bagpipist, will be featured.
Besides
the blessing, the names of those who fished from Blaine
harbor and died at sea are read, and the names of local
fishers who have died in the last year are also read. If
you had a Blaine fisher from your family who died since
last May, please let us know. We try to get as many names
as we can, and don’t want anyone forgotten. Only those
who died at sea have their names inscribed on the plaque
in the memorial building, but we do want to honor all fishers
at this time. The memorial wreath will be taken out to sea
by the crab boat Sigga Lynn this year, owned and captained
by Gary Dunster.
See
you Sunday at the Sawtooth Dock!
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