Northwest History. State History Fishing Commercial. Treaties And Tariffs. United States.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1937
• Subjects: Alaskan fishing waters; Japanese officials; rebuke; United States Coast Guard; Seattle fishing vessels master; codfish company; executive; series; articles; Japanese invasion; northern fishing banks; Strong; language admittedly; Capt. J. E. Shields; Japanese naval officials; boarded; codfishing vessel; Bering Sea; information; captain; rebuked; representatives; Captain Shields; president; manager; Pacific Coast Codfish Company; Seattle; concern; pioneered; industry; skipper; sailing; Sophie Christenson; experiences; northern fishing; anchor; Cape Senavena; Japanese Navy transport; Hakayu Maru; dory; outboard motor; steamed; gold braid; bowed; scraped; cameras; moving picture; apparatus; inspect; manufacture; refused; permission; survey; coast of Alaska; nets; crabs; fishing gear; condition; damage; equipment; cost of operation; incident; Japanese Imperial Fisheries Institute; senior class; cadets; pelagic fisheries; authority; board; Commander; Bering Sea Patrol; American cutter; full statement; language; Japanese officer; favors; Northwest Pacific > History > 20th Century; United States > State History Fishing Commercial > 20th Century.; Pacific; Alaska
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/131185

Vessel Boarded By Japanese, Seattle Cod Fisher 'Cusses'. Vessel Boarded by Japanese, Seattle Cod Fisher 'Cusses' (Trouble in Alaskan fishing waters with Japanese officials and a rebuke by the United States Coast Guard are described by a Seattle fishing vessel master and codfish company executive in this, another in a series of articles dealing with Japanese invasion of northern fishing banks,) "Strong" language admittedly was used by Capt. J. E. Shields when Japanese naval officials boarded his codfish vessel in the Bering Sea and demanded information. For it, the captain was rebuked by representatives of the United States Coast Guard. Captain Shields is president and manager of the Pacific Coast Codfish Company, Seattle's only codfish concern, which pioneered the industry, and is "skipper" of the sailing codfisher Sophie Christenson, tied up this year because Captain Shields said the Japanese "drove" him out. The captain here describes one of the experiences of many years of northern fishing which discouraged him after twenty-seven years of activity. "We were at anchor outside the three-mile limit off Cape Senavena in the Bering Sea," said Captain Shields. "That was June 8, 1934. A Japanese Navy transport, the Hakayu Maru, was lying about two miles from us, also at anchor. "That afternoon I went out in a dory to try out an outboard motor. While I was about a mile from my vessel the transport lowered a boat which steamed over alongside my vessel. I immediately returned and found two Japanese naval officers on board. They had gold braid all over them. "The officers bowed and scraped and told me they were from the Hakayu Maru. They said they wished permission to bring thirty-one men from their vessel with cameras and moving picture apparatus, to 'inspect your manufacture.' I refused. "One of them said: 'We demand to know why you refuse permission to inspect your manufacture.' I still refused. "They stated they were making a survey of the coast of Alaska and were testing the bottom with nets for crabs. They said if we got our fishing gear caught in their gear, we must cut ours away, but under no condition should we damage their equipment." Captain Shields said the Japanese then asked how many fish he caught each year, how many men he carried, what his cost of operation was and asked other information. "I told them," said the captain, "to get the hell off my vessel." He Reported Incident Captain Shields said he reported the incident fully by wireless to the United States Coast Guard, and received this reply: "The vessel you mention is the training ship of the Japanese Imperial Fisheries Institute, whose senior class of cadets is studying the pelagic fisheries of Bering Sea. They have no authority to go on board your vessel without you permission. Please keep us informed of situation. (Signed) Commander Bering Sea Patrol." Captain Shields continued: "That night we moved away from them. Next day an American cutter came to us for a full statement of just what happened. I was reprimanded for having used such strong language to a Japanese officer. I was told to be sure to see to it that nothing about what happened got into any newspaper. We require some favors from the Coast Guard in the Bering Sea. They can easily turn the heat onto us. So I merely had to answer: 'All right, I will do as you tell me.' "In other words—take it and like it." (Another article in this series will appear soon.)