May 1, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries announced up to $99 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund for conservation and recovery projects that support Pacific salmon.
The funding supports Administration priorities by improving habitat and other actions to increase the production of salmon and steelhead that contribute to U.S. fisheries. Stronger fisheries make the U.S. seafood sector more competitive, as described in the Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. Competitive fisheries create jobs and put more domestic seafood on American dinner plates.
“The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund has a strong track record of supporting states and tribes in completing projects that support the economy,” said Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “The projects help increase Pacific salmon populations, which sustain federal ocean fisheries and benefit tribes.”
Fishing guide Butch Smith said healthy fisheries need healthy habitat. “Habitat is our savings account—it’s our bank account that supports the salmon we rely on,” said Smith, who is also vice chair of the Pacific Fishery Management Council. “When we take care of it, we see a huge return on that investment, not just to the Northwest, but to the nation and everyone who values this great salmon resource.”