Saving Seafood

U.S. Department of Commerce allocates $123.6M in fishery disaster funding to Alaska, Oregon, California and Squaxin Island Tribe

June 17, 2026 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA announced the allocation of $123.6 million in fishery resource disaster funding, appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act, 2025. The funding will address fishery resource disasters that occurred in Oregon, California, the Squaxin Island tribe, and multiple Alaska fisheries between 2019 and 2023.

“Fishery resource disasters have devastating effects on local communities and our economy,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D, NOAA administrator. “This disaster funding provides much needed assistance to our fishing industry, and we will work with the affected communities to help them recover. This action demonstrates our continued commitment to hardworking American fishermen and to the President’s vision to uphold the United States as the world’s dominant seafood leader.” 

Today’s allocation announcement applies to previously declared fishery resource disasters, including:

  • 2023/2024 Bering Sea snow crab fishery in Alaska
  • 2023 Oregon ocean commercial salmon fishery
  • 2022 Chignik salmon fishery in Alaska
  • 2023 Upper Cook Inlet East Side Setnet salmon fishery in Alaska
  • 2024 State of California Sacramento River Fall Chinook and Klamath River Fall Chinook ocean and inland salmon fisheries  
  • 2023 Squaxin Island Tribe Puget Sound Fall Chum salmon fishery in Washington.

NOAA Fisheries used commercial revenue loss information to allocate funding across the eligible disasters. 

“These fishery resource disasters are of great concern for the fishing industry and the people and communities that depend on these fisheries to support their local economies,” said Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “NOAA will continue to provide guidance and resources to boost recovery and support more resilient fishing communities in the future.”

These funds will help improve the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of the impacted fisheries. Funds can be used to assist commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, charter businesses, shore-side infrastructure, subsistence users, and other impacted community groups. Activities that can be considered for funding include fishery-related infrastructure projects, habitat restoration, state-run vessel and fishing permit buybacks, job retraining and more. Certain fishery-related businesses impacted by the fishery disasters may also be eligible for assistance from the Small Business Administration. 

As delegated by the Secretary of Commerce, NOAA Fisheries will administer the funds. In the next steps, NOAA Fisheries will work with the state of Alaska, the state of California, the state of Oregon, and the Squaxin Island Tribe and/or the appropriate designated entity. Fishing communities and individuals affected by these disasters should work with their state or Tribe as appropriate.

For more information see the detailed allocations to states and learn more about fishery disaster assistance.

7 Ways El Niño and Large Marine Heatwave Could Affect West Coast Marine Species

June 15, 2026 — A large marine heatwave has bathed parts of the West Coast in very warm ocean waters over the past year, breaking temperature records in the Pacific. NOAA has also announced that El Niño has developed in the tropical Pacific and is predicted to intensify to a moderate or strong level this fall. El Niño represents another form of marine warming , though with different drivers and influences. The prolonged period of high temperatures could affect fisheries and marine life in the California Current that have already been buffeted by shifting ocean conditions over the last decade.

One factor may help dampen the impacts, though: The same strong upwelling of cool water along the coast that fuels the West Coast ecosystem with nutrients could help keep some warmer waters at bay, as happened in 2025.

We have seen these back-to-back heat events before. About a decade ago, a major marine heatwave known as “The Blob” began raising ocean temperatures off the West Coast, peaking in 2015. One of the strongest El Niños on record followed in 2015–2016, amplifying ocean warmth—as the current forecast predicts for the coming year. That was a worst-case scenario that drove changes around the world. The Pacific endured a record count of tropical cyclones and the Caribbean Sea and parts of Africa experienced severe droughts. That situation was more extreme than now, with the Blob lasting longer and affecting the entire West Coast compared to the smaller recent marine heatwave. However, research and observations during that unprecedented climatic pileup suggest the kind of changes we may see in the coming months along the West Coast. Though these changes are centered in the Pacific, they have far-reaching impacts.

Here are some of the ways warming water can impact marine life, coastal communities, and economies.

1. Shifting Fisheries

Research found that some commercial West Coast species, such as market squid, may be sensitive to these long-term and episodic changes in ocean temperatures. The shift of market squid north along the West Coast in response to warming from the Blob and subsequent El Niño created new fishing opportunities in Oregon and Washington during the Blob that remained afterward. Squid landings in Oregon rose from none in 2015 to nearly 3 million pounds worth more than $1 million in 2016 and continued to grow rapidly through 2020. This provided new opportunities for purse seine vessels whose opportunities in other fisheries affected by the Blob—such as sardine, Alaska herring, and Alaska salmon—had dwindled. Seafood processors in Oregon scaled up to handle more squid, and Oregon fisheries managers developed their first regulations for the emerging squid fishery. Market squid had been the largest commercial fishery by volume in California, but California landings dropped by more than half from 2014 to 2015. They remain substantially lower than they were prior to the Blob and El Niño.

Meanwhile, tropical species such as whale sharks and hammerhead sharks made northerly appearances off Southern California while fishing vessels caught albacore tuna much closer to shore as far north as Washington. Fishing boats caught a skipjack tuna off the Copper River in Alaska, and surveys turned up an ocean sunfish and thresher shark off southeast Alaska. Pacific bluefin tuna increased in number and size in U.S. waters, exciting recreational anglers and generating new revenue for the charter fleet. This year, Southern California anglers have begun catching dorado and yellowfin tuna much earlier in the year than usual, suggesting these northerly shifts may have begun.

2. Hungry California Sea Lion Pups

Higher sea surface temperatures also affect other fish species, including sardines and anchovy. These fish are high-energy staple foods for California sea lions that breed in Southern California’s Channel Islands, but declined with warming ocean temperatures. Sea lions turned to lower quality forage species such as rockfish and squid. Nursing sea lion mothers had to travel farther to find the food their pups needed, forcing pups to fast for longer periods at the rookery. The weight of sea lion pups declined, according to long-term studies in the Channel Islands . In El Niño years, many hungry pups set off on their own in search of food before their usual weaning time. In 2013–2016, as many as 4,000 pups arrived on California beaches, skinny and hungry. These extreme events taxed rehabilitation facilities and prompted NOAA Fisheries to declare an Unusual Mortality Event for the species. Researchers later estimated that an increase of 1 degree Celsius in sea surface temperatures could reduce the growth rate of the sea lion population to zero. A 2-degree rise would reduce the population size by about 7 percent.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

OREGON: USDA Announces Office of Seafood

June 11, 2026 — The following was released by the Oregon Department of Agriculture:

Oregon fishers, crabbers, clammers and shrimpers will greatly benefit from the newly established Office of Seafood, recently announced by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a move that signals a stronger federal commitment to support and revitalize America’s seafood Industry.

From Newport to Astoria to Coos Bay, Oregon’s fishermen drive coastal economies and help feed the nation. The Office of Seafood will ensure they have the necessary federal programs and services needed to keep their legacy and livelihood alive and remain competitive in the global market for the next generation. Oregon’s fishermen are essential to our state’s economy and America’s food supply. This effort is about putting these Fishermen First and cutting barriers through delivery of the support they need to stay competitive and profitable.

Local leaders and seafood business owners applaud USDA’s Office of Seafood with widespread support.

“The creation of the USDA Office of Seafood is exactly the kind of bold, coordinated action our fishing communities have needed for years,” said Oregon State Senator Dick Anderson representing Newport, one of Oregon’s largest fishing ports. Senator Anderson further points out the huge disparity of foreign imports that flood local markets.

Restrictions such as low catch limits, selling fishing grounds for foreign countries, inaccurate and outdated fisheries data and delayed adoption of modern technology have prohibited Oregon’s fish economy from fully realizing its huge economic potential.

“As large and important as Oregon’s fishing industry already is, we must also recognize the tremendous, untapped potential ahead of us. The Office of Seafood will keep fishermen fishing,” said Oregon State Senator Suzanne Weber.

Oregon’s seafood industry already lands hundreds of millions of pounds annually, generating more than $600 million in dockside value and supporting thousands of jobs tied to harvesting, processing, and distribution, according to NOAA Fisheries. For decades Oregon fishers have lost market share and the ability to make a family wage living due to Federal government overregulation.

“Providing sustainable food products for the people of America along with responsible natural resource stewardship for our nation will provide and nurture future generations,” said Steve Fick of Fishhawk Fisheries, who runs boats out of Astoria, on the northern Oregon coast.

Oregon’s shrimp fleet is thankful to Secretary Rollins. “USDA Office of Seafood will pave the way for our pink shrimp to be further implemented into the USDA food service programs,” said Nick Edwards, from Jordani Pink Shrimp Fishery, Coos Bay, Or, who operates the second largest pink shrimp fishery in Oregon.

That’s where the Office of Seafood comes in. The initiative marks a new era where Oregon, and American fishermen will be recognized by USDA as key part of the U.S. food supply that supports rural and coastal communities. The office will focus on infrastructure, marketing and trade, workforce development, and stronger risk management and disaster assistance.

Pacific Seafood, one of Oregon’s largest seafood processors, is excited about the Office of Seafood. “We are thrilled about this opportunity that will give West Coast seafood communities a stronger voice and help connect local harvesters and producers to the families and students who rely on nutritious high-quality food,” said Bella Johnson, Pacific Seafoods Spokesperson.

Standing up an Office of Seafood supports existing tools already available to producers of farm-raised fish through USDA’s Farm Service Agency, including farm loans for equipment and operations, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program offering risk management and disaster recovery, and the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program to support critical cold storage infrastructure. In addition, the Office of Seafood is leading coordinated interagency efforts to reduce regulatory hurdles faced by American seafood producers, and leading efforts to discover and implement new practices that promote strong coastal communities.

With USDA working alongside Interior, Commerce, and Health and Human Services, this coordinated approach delivers the kind of support Oregon’s fisherman have long needed, and deserve, bringing a holistic approach to federal government support that is much needed and long overdue.

 

OREGON: Reconnecting Rivers Boosts Oregon Coast Coho Recovery

June 5, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries supports one of the most ambitious salmon restoration projects on Oregon’s coast: the Salmon SuperHwy. This partnership of more than a dozen organizations works across the Tillamook, Nestucca, and Sand Lake watersheds. It works to restore fish passage at dozens of stream barriers, such as failing road culverts and tide gates. When complete, salmon and steelhead will be able to access 180 miles of habitat that had been blocked for decades.

The benefits of the Salmon SuperHwy project and other coastal restoration work are not just theoretical. Threatened Oregon Coast coho salmon have experienced a dramatic rebound in recent years. NOAA Fisheries Oregon Coast Branch Supervisor Lance Kruzic believes that restoring rivers and streams has helped more coho survive their juvenile life stage and return as adults to spawn.

“Over the last 30 years, substantial funding has been invested in restoring freshwater habitat, and coho have been benefiting,” said Kruzic. “For example, the Tillamook area—which was once one of the toughest places for coho to reach the habitat they needed—is now a bright spot for coho recovery. There’s been a total flip.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

OREGON: Whale permit uncertainty drives changes in Oregon crab fishery

May 20, 2026 — Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery is facing additional regulatory changes as the state works to address whale entanglements and move forward with a federal permit that could shape future fishing operations.

Many of the recent changes in the fishery are tied to conservation plan required for Oregon to obtain an incidental take permit under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act. The permit would allow the fishery to have some level of impact on endangered humpback whale populations, according to reporting from KMUN. State fishery managers said the application process is underway, but it could take several years before a permit is issued.

At an industry meeting in Astoria, hosted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, staff briefed commercial crabbers on potential regulatory changes connected to the conservation plan. Those under consideration include electronic vessel monitoring, the use of experimental fishing gear, and making a temporary early closure of the fishery permanent.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

OREGON: Questions about federal permit hang over commercial crab fishery

May 18, 2026 — Oregon’s valuable commercial Dungeness crab fishery has seen significant changes in recent years as the state looks to minimize and monitor whale entanglements involving gear used in the fishery.

Now more changes are on the horizon. And looming over everything is uncertainty around the details of a federal permit the state is seeking that would allow the fishery to have some degree of impact on endangered humpback populations.

Many of the recent tweaks and additions to Dungeness crab fishery operations are in fact tied to a conservation plan the state is required to complete in order to obtain the incidental take permit under Section 10 of the federal Endangered Species Act. This permit could provide some certainty to fishermen that even if their gear is implicated in humpback whale entanglements, fishing won’t immediately be shut down. The submittal process is underway now, but state fishery managers say it could be several years before a permit is issued.

An industry meeting in Astoria on Thursday hosted by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff was intended to brief local commercial crabbers and gather input from them ahead of a meeting in August where Oregon Fish and Wildlife commissioners are expected to consider a suite of new regulations connected to the conservation plan, including the possibility of electronic vessel monitoring for the upcoming season, the use of experimental fishing gear and making what had been a temporary rule to close the fishery a month early permanent.

But the main question on crabbers’ minds was the federal take permit and how many whales NOAA Fisheries might allow the state fishery to impact. For them it is the question that nearly everything else revolves around.

Read the full article at KMUN

OREGON: Humpback tangled in fishing gear spotted near Oregon coast

May 18, 2026 — A humpback whale entangled in fishing gear was spotted Friday west of Winchester Bay, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday.

Justin Ainsworth, a marine resources program manager with the state agency, said in an email that the gear has a commercial crab buoy tag, but its owner hasn’t been identified because officials haven’t been able to make out the vessel name and permit number.

The whale, Ainsworth said, “appeared to be in good health and was quite mobile.”

He said the National Marine Fisheries Service is ultimately responsible for “gear attributions and entanglement accounting,” but that he expects the gear to be linked to the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab fishery. If that’s the case, he said, it would be the second confirmed humpback entanglement in fishery gear in 2026.

Read the full article at the Seattle Times

Rising fuel costs ripple through Northwest’s fishing industry

May 15, 2026 — On a sunny morning in Garibaldi, Oregon, Jesse Coon offloads his catch. Men in waterproof fishing bibs pack salmon into ice and hose out the boat, named Steel Fin.

Standing next to stacked coolers of freshly caught fish, Coon pulls out one of the Chinook salmon his crew just caught and explains how it senses bait in the water.

“If you look at it really close, there’s actually pores — holes right there — and that’s their nervous system. And they can sense electricity that’s put off by bait fish, and every living creature,” he said.

But to find salmon, Coon has to travel miles offshore, searching for dense shoals and burning lots of fuel. Oregon’s commercial troll salmon season opened April 14, but the biggest catches typically arrive later in the summer. It’s still early in the season, and it’s hard to know how good the fishing will be.

Since the war in Iran began in late February, another factor is compounding that risk. Diesel costs have surged, cutting thousands of dollars from already thin margins.

“ It just makes your decision-making harder on when to go and when not to go, and whether to go a little early in the season when the fishing might not be quite as good. It just really feels like a gamble,” he said.

Read the full article at OPB

 

WASHINGTON: Washington state reclassifying golden mussels as a banned invasive species

April 27, 2026 — The U.S. state of Washington is taking emergency action to reclassify golden mussels as a Prohibited Level 1 invasive species following the discovery of the species in Oregon earlier in the month.

Originally from China and Southeast Asia, golden mussels are an invasive species in the U.S. that are known to cause damage to infrastructure and reduce water quality, harming local fishing operations. The species was first detected in California in 2024, but a second instance was detected in Oregon in April 2026. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), a watercraft was intercepted at the Ashland Boat Inspection Station carrying golden mussels.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Whale deaths are up on Oregon and Washington coasts, but what’s causing them?

April 22, 2026 — A stranded whale was found on Seaside Beach last week. It was the fourth whale found on the Oregon Coast this year.

The number of whales washing up on Oregon and Washington coasts have started to raise concerns for both scientists and beachgoers alike, who wonder why the giant mammals seem to be dying more frequently.

“The last month has started to get a little unusual in terms of the number of strandings of gray whales in particular,” said Michael Milstein, a spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Science Center.

Two of the whales found in Oregon recently were Gray whales. In Washington, there have been 13.

Read the full article at KOIN