Oregon lawmakers urge Trump administration to declare fishery disaster
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A group of Oregon Democratic lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to declare a fishery disaster in the state after a drop in the salmon population.
In an April 11 letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the lawmakers asked the administration to approve Governor Tina Kotek's disaster declaration request after Oregon's troll salmon fishery struggled from the worsening effects of climate change in 2024 -- from increased drought to shifting ocean conditions and to other impacts leading to poor salmon returns.
Struggling fisheries pose an economic and cultural threat to Oregon, the lawmakers said, noting the state's commercial fishing industry garners more than $640 million in economic activity every year.
“This declaration is critical to provide economic relief to Oregon’s fisheries and coastal communities in addition to protecting the sustainability of wild salmon populations,” the lawmakers wrote to Secretary Lutnick. “Despite best efforts from our local fishermen and state and local partners, the economic consequences of this crisis threaten both salmon fishermen and the broader economy of Oregon’s coastal communities which rely on the fishery."
The delegation pointed to a February report from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, estimating the 2024 Chinook salmon population levels were below forecasts and say the 2025 levels are "not high enough to allow for target summer Chinook fisheries."
"The 2025 upriver spring Chinook run (i.e., Chinook destined to pass upstream of Bonneville Dam) is expected to be 122,500 adult fish which is like the 2024 forecast but would be slightly higher than the estimated 2024 return (it is still well below the 10-year average)," ODFW said. "The 2024 upriver summer Chinook return came in below last year's forecast, and the 2025 forecasted abundance of 38,000 is probably not high enough to allow for target summer Chinook fisheries in the mainstem Columbia downstream of Priest Rapids Dam in 2025."
The letter was sent by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) along with Congresswomen Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Andrea Salinas (OR-06).
KOIN 6 News reached out to Oregon Republican Congressman Cliff Bentz, who did not sign the letter. This story will be updated if we receive a response.
The disaster declaration would provide the state funding to help fisheries recover and implement measures to avoid future disasters.
This disaster declaration request comes after Oregon previously received $7 million for the fishery disaster declared for 2018, 2019 and 2020 Oregon Chinook salmon ocean commercial fisheries.