The Oregon Salmon Commission and coastal lawmakers want Governor Kate Brown to request federal disaster relief for the state’s coastal salmon fisheries for the past three years.
They say Oregon’s salmon industry is a cornerstone of the coast’s economy but that the 2020 season was at a historic low of $1.5 million value in landings. David Gomberg, who represents the central coast in the state legislature, told OPB’s Think Out Loud disaster relief would go beyond the industry.
:23 “This relief is going to be focused on the folks that go out there in the water and catch the fish. But let’s remember that this problem is not limited to them because we have the folks that process the fish. We’ve got the folks that sell the fish whether it’s in restaurants or in grocery stores. And, at the end of that food chain are all of us that eat the fish. So we’ve all got a stake in the outcome here.”
The salmon fishery is suffering from global problems including climate change, ocean acidification and loss of habitat. The future of salmon fishing doesn’t look good according to Mark Newell with the Oregon Salmon Commission.
Federal disasters were declared for the Oregon coastal salmon fisheries for 2016 and 2017.
Listen to the full interview on Think Out Loud here.
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