Tag: disaster

Commerce Dept. Approves Oregon Fishery Disaster Declaration
Fishermen's News Online, News

Commerce Dept. Approves Oregon Fishery Disaster Declaration

Federal authorities have approved a fishery disaster for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 at Oregon Chinook salmon ocean commercial fisheries, a decision that makes fishermen eligible to apply for disaster assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Oregon’s congressional delegation, also including five members of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced the determination on Friday, Oct. 13, saying the aid would help the state’s coastal economies recover from years of drought, changing ocean conditions, and critical habitat loss that have harmed salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest. The delegation said that the U.S. Department of Commerce has fishery disaster assistance funding available and would soon determine the allocation. “Oregon’s fishin...
Oregon Gov. Asks Commerce Dept. for Expedited Fisheries Disaster Declaration
Fishermen's News Online, News

Oregon Gov. Asks Commerce Dept. for Expedited Fisheries Disaster Declaration

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is asking the Department of Commerce for an expedited declaration of a federal fishery resource disaster, in the wake of a federal fisheries managers’ recommendation to close all commercial ocean fisheries for Chinook salmon from Cape Falcon to the California border. Due to recent droughts, returns of Chinook salmon to the Sacramento and Klamath rivers are expected to be very low this year. Anticipating drought-related impacts on salmon spawning, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is expected to close commercial ocean fisheries for Chinooks from Cape Falcon on the north Oregon coast to the California border through August. Biologists with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife have forecast an 82% reduction in the ex-vessel value of commercial troll...