October 22, 2023 — With the 2024 Chinook salmon season underway, lawmakers including Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced on October 13 that the 2018-2020 Chinook salmon fishery has been declared a disaster by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The announcement allows local fishermen to apply for disaster assistance funds to help recover from low fishing returns during those years.
“This means that they’re going to be able to cover their rent, and their groceries, and their gas bill, and maybe get a pair of shoes for their kids. It’s going to help them get back on their feet,” said Wyden.
The 2023 Chinook salmon season was closed along the Pacific Northwest, aside from limited opportunities with tight catch limits.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s 14 members comprised of representatives from California, Washington, and Oregon manage salmon fishing 3-200 miles off shore and set those limits with help from fisheries managers.
Jeff Reeves, chairman of the Oregon Salmon Commission has fished Oregon’s waters the last 50 years and says the fishery’s downturn in 2018 led to a broad reaching economic wipe out among fishermen.