Item AAAB2246 - Dominic Bussanich interview

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Dominic Bussanich RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-19 SUMMARY: Dominic Bussanich was born in 1904 and started fishing when he was 13 years old with his father on a gillnetter. Used to fish 5 or 6 days a week in Canoe Pass and Rivers Inlet. Built his own boats. Fished up at Rivers Inlet for 10 or 12 years. River has changed, the channels are different and fishing on it is very difficult now (1976). No fishing at all in North Arm of Fraser any more because of too much traffic. Pollution in river is terrible. The catch has decreased in the river because the gear is so efficient but also the Americans are taking most of the fish: Canadians get only 12 hours a week to fish, Americans fish 4 and 5 days. He worked on seine boats and also built boats for a living. He prefers wood boats to fibreglass and aluminum. New equipment on boats makes fishing easier. Discusses gillnetters and seiners. Talks about Japanese fishermen and their treatment during the War. Indian fishermen. Herring fishing. He fished for B.C. Packers, Canadian Fish, Bell Irving, Nelson Bros. Formed a co-op, Canoe Pass. Co-op in 1941- 1942, gillnetters. Co-op is now (1976) about 70 members and still going. Lots of changes in Delta area. Sports fishermen also take more than their share. Need to have higher prices to pay for expensive boats. He used to drive a truck in the off-season to make ends meet and then he went into boat building. Discusses reasons for poor herring fishery of 1975: greed the main reason, trying to pack too many fish. There is a need for a 200 mile limit. Discusses fishing in the north out of Prince Rupert.