[env-trinity] Salmon Fisheries - Eureka Times Standard

[Byron]

SALMON FISHERIES:

Disaster relief help sought for fishermen

Eureka Times-Standard - 1/5/06

 

WASHINGTON -- On the first day of the 110th Congress, bills were introduced
in both the House and Senate to aid suffering salmon fishermen. 

 

North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, introduced legislation
to provide federal disaster relief to California and Oregon's salmon fishing
industry. 

 

The bill authorizes the appropriation of $60.4 million for the fishermen,
tribes and businesses that were impacted by the commercial fishery failure
of 2006. 

 

California Sen. Barbara Boxer also introduced companion legislation Thursday
in the Senate. 

 

Reps. Lois Capps, Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Peter DeFazio, Darlene Hooley,
George Miller, Doris Matsui, Tom Lantos, Zoe Lofgren, Lynn Woolsey and David
Wu co-authored Thompson's legislation. Boxer's legislation is co-authored by
Oregon Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden. 

 

"It is our responsibility to do everything we can to help the thousands of
families and businesses that are suffering from the largest commercial
salmon fishery disaster in our nation's history," said Thompson. "The
devastating impact this disaster has had on California's North Coast has
been obvious for years, and it is time we help bring this important industry
back to life." 

 

Boxer said: "Our coastal communities have already waited too long to get the
disaster relief they need as a result of this administration's mismanagement
of the Klamath River. By introducing this legislation on the first day of
Congress, we are letting our communities and families know that getting them
financial assistance is a top priority this year." 

 

According to Thompson's office, the fisheries disaster was due in large part
to poor federal management of the Klamath River, which caused 80,000 adult
salmon to die in 2002. Since then, the salmon population has continued to
deteriorate, forcing the Pacific Fisheries Management Council to sizably
reduce the fishing seasons in 2005 and 2006. As a result, the commercial
fishing season was cut by more than 90 percent in 2006, costing fishing
families and associated fishing businesses more than $60 million. 

 

There is also an expectation that the commercial salmon season will be
significantly reduced in 2007, as well. 

 

"Getting our fisherman and salmon businesses back on their feet is a top
priority for me and my colleagues from California and Oregon," said
Thompson. "But it is also important that we stay focused on restoring the
salmon population in the Klamath basin so this disaster does not continue
into the future. As a first step toward that goal, we passed legislation
last Congress requiring the government to implement a salmon restoration
plan, and I look forward to monitoring the government's progress."

 

 

Byron Leydecker

Friends of Trinity River, Chair

California Trout, Inc., Advisor

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810

415 383 9562 fax

bwl3 at comcast.net

bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org (secondary)

http://www.fotr.org

http://www.caltrout.org

 

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