Oregon's Congressional delegation urges fishery disaster declaration

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley is leadeing his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation—Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)—in urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare a federal fishery resource disaster for the 2024 Oregon troll salmon fishery.

"We write to urge your expeditious approval of Oregon Governor Kotek’s request for a fishery resource disaster declaration under section 312(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act for the Oregon troll salmon fishery. This declaration is critical to provide economic relief to Oregon’s fisheries and coastal communities in addition to protecting the sustainability of wild salmon populations," the lawmakers state in a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce Director.

In 2024, Oregon’s troll salmon fishery struggled amid worsening effects of climate change, increased drought, shifting ocean conditions, and other impacts leading to poor salmon returns, the release states. Facing these significant challenges, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) estimates that 2024 Chinook salmon population levels were below forecasts, with 2025 Chinook salmon populations likely “not high enough to allow for target summer Chinook fisheries.

The impact salmon loss has on Oregon’s economy cannot be understated, as the state’s commercial fishing industry generates more than $640 million in economic activity each year, equivalent to 9,200 jobs, according to the release.

“Despite best efforts from our local fishermen and state and local partners, the economic consequences of this crisis threaten both salmon fishermen and the broader economy of Oregon’s coastal communities which rely on the fishery,” the lawmakers letter reads.

As the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC) undergoes the process to finalize its 2025 salmon season management recommendations, the Oregon delegation is pushing for U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to quickly grant Governor Tina Kotek’s request for a federal fishery disaster under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The action is critical to access federal funding needed to ease the economic uncertainty for Oregon’s commercial troll salmon fishery, while recognizing the immense role salmon hold in the cultural heritage of Pacific Northwest Tribes, recreation, and as a treasured natural resource across the state.

The Oregon delegation has been essential in securing past federal fishery disaster declarations in the state through a series of actions, which led to the Commerce Department sending Oregon a total of $7,050,722 for the fishery disaster declared for 2018, 2019, and 2020 Oregon Chinook salmon ocean commercial fisheries. The lawmakers said they will keep pushing for federal support for this critical industry while local, state, and federal partners continue work on long-term solutions.

“We urge you to direct your attention to Governor Kotek’s request for a fishery resource disaster declaration. We look forward to your timely response, and our offices stand ready to work with you to recover and sustain Oregon’s commercial fisheries,” the Oregon delegation letter states in its closing.

Follow developments at cgsentinel.com and in the Wednesday print edition of The Sentinel.