Salem, OR – For the seventh time in less than a decade, Oregon’s commercial fishermen are turning to the federal government for help following another disastrous salmon season. The request for federal assistance comes after the 2024 coastal Chinook salmon season fell short, continuing a troubling pattern of poor harvests linked to climate change.
The Oregon Salmon Commission, which represents the state’s commercial fishermen, submitted a formal request to Governor Tina Kotek in January, urging her to seek a federal fishery resource disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Commerce. In response, Kotek reached out to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on April 1, requesting the declaration, which would unlock much-needed financial aid for the state’s struggling fishing industry.
The commission, an industry-funded group that is legally part of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, cited a combination of factors contributing to the dire situation. In a letter to Governor Kotek, Jeff Reeves, chairman of the Oregon Salmon Commission, noted that drought, wildfires, shifting ocean conditions, and the loss of crucial freshwater habitat for salmon have all contributed to the dwindling health of the state’s salmon populations.
“These impacts have deeply affected our salmon fisheries, which are a critical part of Oregon’s economy and culture,” Reeves said in the letter.
The request for a federal disaster declaration is the latest chapter in a prolonged struggle for Oregon’s commercial fishermen. Since 2016, the state has faced a series of poor salmon seasons that have resulted in economic hardships for fishermen and related businesses. The Oregon coast’s Chinook salmon catches have seen their economic value plummet by nearly two-thirds, from approximately $6.3 million annually to less than $2 million per year.
If granted, a disaster declaration would provide federal loans and financial assistance to affected fishermen, helping them stay afloat and weather the ongoing challenges of climate change. Similar disaster declarations were made for the 2016 through 2020 seasons, with the U.S. Department of Commerce providing more than $16 million in aid to Oregon and California fishermen during that period.
However, while the state received a disaster declaration for the 2023 season, Congress has yet to appropriate any funding for that declaration, leaving many businesses in limbo, according to Governor Kotek’s spokesperson, Anca Matica.
“The need for assistance is urgent,” Matica said, “and we are hopeful that the federal government will act quickly to provide the necessary resources to support our fishing communities.”
As the climate crisis continues to exacerbate environmental challenges along the Pacific Coast, Oregon’s fishing industry remains on the front lines of the battle to maintain sustainable fisheries. With ocean conditions, habitat loss, and extreme weather events becoming increasingly unpredictable, the state’s salmon fishermen are left grappling with uncertain futures. Without timely federal aid, many fear that the situation could worsen, further destabilizing the industry and threatening its future viability.
