Gov. Gregoire�s statement on declaration of a salmon fishing emergency

For Immediate Release: April 11, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today issued the following statement on the Pacific Fishery Management Council�s decision to reduce the number of wild salmon that can be harvested off the coast of Washington this year:

�The large reductions in fishing opportunity for commercial and recreational fishing must be made to protect returning salmon this year. This will result in financial hardships for our fishing-dependent businesses and families in our coastal communities and along the lower Columbia River. In addition to providing state support for these communities, I will be pressing hard for federal economic assistance.�

The council reduced Washington�s chinook commercial and recreational fishing quotas by 60 percent, and coho commercial and recreational quotas by 78 percent, compared to a five-year average. The council issued a complete ban on salmon fishing from south of the Columbia River in Oregon through coastal California.

Gregoire said it is extremely important that the U.S. Secretary of Commerce treat this as a multistate crisis because the ban could lead to some Oregon-based fishermen moving into Washington waters, putting more pressure on coastal communities.

Gregoire said she will be working with the U.S. Department of Commerce and Washington�s congressional delegation to seek economic assistance as provided for by the federal Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976.

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