Gov. Gregoire to press for federal assistance if salmon fishing emergency declared

For Immediate Release: April 7, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire said today she will press for federal economic assistance for fishing communities if the Pacific Fishery Management Council declares a shutdown or serious restriction of salmon fishing off the West Coast.

The PFMC is meeting this week in Seattle to decide whether to restrict wild salmon fishing due to the apparent collapse of wild salmon runs along the California and Oregon coasts.

�Economic assistance will be essential to deal with any closures or restrictions to our salmon fisheries,� Gregoire said. �We also recognize the need to recover, restore and manage these fisheries to ensure their long-term health and sustainability.�

Gregoire said representatives of several state agencies met with local officials in Westport last week to discuss the needs of fishermen and their communities should severe restrictions be imposed. Those agencies included the Departments of Employment Security; Community, Trade and Economic Development; and Fish and Wildlife.

�Clearly, either restrictions or a complete shutdown would impose severe hardships on our fishing communities,� Gregoire said. �If that happens, we will move quickly to press for economic assistance through the U.S. Department of Commerce and our congressional delegation.�

On March 14, Gregoire and the governors of Oregon and California wrote U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez to request that he declare a fishery resource disaster should salmon fisheries be closed or severely restricted.

The PFMC is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries three to 200 miles offshore of the U.S. coastline. The council is responsible for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.

The act provides for economic assistance to communities affected by closures or severe restrictions on fishing.

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