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WASHINGTON, DC -- Today Congressman David Wu and other West Coast Democratic members of Congress banded together to force the hand of Congress to provide critical economic disaster relief for salmon fishers. By interrupting proceedings in the U.S. House of Representatives, they succeeded in bringing attention to the salmon fishing season closure that is devastating Oregon and California coastal communities.
The maneuvers were successful and an amendment passed to provide $2 million for disaster relief. The amendment acts as a placeholder for more funds as Congressman Wu and others continue to work towards the estimated $81 million needed to help every affected salmon fisher and related businesses in Oregon's and Northern California's coastal communities.
"Farmers in Oregon needed assistance in 2001 and they got it less than four months later. Now, our fishermen need assistance. No one can provide for their family working just 56 days a year," said Congressman Wu. "But we couldn't just sit and wait for a day that may never come. Each day boats are docked and not out on the water, fishermen, their families, entire communities and Oregon's economy suffer. Our success today is a real step forward and will allow us to continue to build towards the $81 million needed to provide relief to Oregon's coastal communities."
Today's action follows months of conversations Congressman Wu and other members of Congress have had with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to secure an economic disaster declaration for West Coast salmon fishers. While the Members hoped for cooperation, a final meeting held yesterday with Bush administration officials quickly revealed a profound lack of understanding of the needs of coastal families as they indicated a disaster declaration was on hold until at least February of next year.
In April, NOAA completely closed commercial salmon fishing south of Florence, Oregon to Big Sur, California. North of Florence, commercial salmon fishers are restricted to a 56-day fishing season. This is a further reduction from the 96-day commercial fishing season in 2005.
NOAA says their decision to close the salmon commercial fishing season is to restore Klamath River system salmon runs. However, fishing only accounts for an estimated 5% of salmon loss.
"The situation we face today illustrates this administration's hostility to science and our way of life in Oregon. No other approach, other than a policy based on better up-river water management and habitat restoration, will ever restore the Klamath River system salmon runs," said Congressman Wu. "I will not only continue to fight for relief for Oregon coastal communities, but also for effective, long-term solutions for salmon recovery."
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