November 2, 2021 — Oregon’s coastal delegation is going to bat for the state’s salmon fishermen.
Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Reps. Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici, all democrats, are urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to grant a catastrophic regional fishery disaster declaration for Oregon, the lawmakers said in a press release. Three consecutive years of challenging weather and conditions have hit salmon populations particularly hard, they said.
“The value of salmon to Oregon cannot be overstated. In addition to the economic activity generated by this industry, salmon are an important part of the cultural heritage of Pacific Northwest tribes, generate recreational activity, and are a treasured natural resource across the state,” they wrote in a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo last week. “However, the challenging impacts of climate change, increased drought, and changing ocean conditions complicate the recovery of salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest.”
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