[env-trinity] Commerce Declares State of Emergency Re: Salmon

[Byron]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Thursday, August 10, 2006

Commerce Department Declares Commercial Fishery Failure for Coastal Oregon
and California


WASHINGTON, DC -Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez today declared a
commercial fishery failure has occurred for West Coast salmon fishermen this
season from Cape Falcon, Oregon, to Point Sur, California, due to low
numbers of fish caused primarily by the drought. The Commerce Department's
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversees the nation's
oceans based fishing industry and fisheries resources.

The commercial fishery failure is being declared as a result of the
information gathered by Commerce officials this season. The findings showed
a significant economic impact resulting from limited opportunity to catch
salmon due to the low number of fall Chinook salmon projected to return to
the Klamath River in northern California to spawn. 

"The evidence is clear -- our fishing communities have been significantly
impacted," said Gutierrez. "We have moved quickly to gather the necessary
facts in order to make this declaration and we will continue to work closely
with the communities and their elected leaders."

Today's decision answers requests from Oregon and California Governors,
Members of Congress and affected communities. Secretary Gutierrez led the
Department's efforts in expediting the declaration process which was
originally expected to take until February 2007. Gutierrez dispatched
Commerce officials to the region who consulted closely with state and local
officials to collect the data necessary for determining a fishery failure
declaration.

Deputy Secretary David Sampson, who was in Portland and Coos Bay, Oregon, to
personally deliver the announcement to affected communities added, "We stand
by the commercial fishing industry and will do what we can to help them
through this difficult time. We heard their calls and acted quickly."

A determination of whether a fishery failure occurred is made on a
case-by-case basis taking into account a number of economic factors
including overall revenue from caught fish, number of fishermen, degree of
dependence on alternative fishing opportunities, documented decline in the
fishery resource and other environmental data.

A commercial fishery failure triggers authorities to respond to the economic
impact of the failure and to promote the recovery of the resource. The
fishery failure determination follows a decision last month by Gutierrez to
declare a fishery resource disaster, making Small Business Administration
(SBA) loans available. Since the Secretary's resource disaster declaration
on July 6, SBA has begun receiving applications and has already approved
nearly $200,000 in loans. Gutierrez also directed that the Commerce
Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) make fishery impacted
communities a funding priority for FY'07 Economic Adjustment grants.
Additionally, Gutierrez requested that the Governors of Oregon and
California closely review their pending 2006 Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery
Fund grant applications and determine how to best channel existing resources
and speedily disburse monies to programs that can help effected fishermen.

Background/Historical Context:

A lengthy 5-year drought in the Klamath Basin has led to significantly
reduced precipitation and streamflows in the basin. These conditions have
degraded important spawning habitat, increased infestation of harmful
parasites, and thus have not provided the conditions necessary for healthy
salmon populations.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) defines the criteria for determining a
commercial fishery failure. The Secretary may declare a commercial fishery
failure due to a fishery resource disaster as a result of natural causes;
man-made causes beyond the control of fishery managers to mitigate through
conservation and management measures; or undetermined causes.

The Department of Commerce, through the NOAA Fisheries Service, is
responsible for protecting and preserving our nation's living marine
resources and their habitats through scientific research, management and
enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides effective stewardship of these
resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that
depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to
consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.

 

Andrea Purse

Press Secretary

Radio Booker, Democratic Policy Committee

Office of Representative George Miller

2205 Rayburn HOB

202-225-7387 (direct)

202-680-8816 (cell)

andrea.purse at mail.house.gov

 

 

Byron Leydecker

Chair, Friends of Trinity River

Advisor, California Trout, Inc

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810 ph

415 383 9562 fx

bwl3 at comcast.net

bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org

http://www.fotr.org

http:www.caltrout.org 

 

 

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