Dwindling supply estimated to have cost fishers millions

By David Whitney

McCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - Emergency aid for salmon fishers is high on the agenda of West Coast lawmakers and industry groups as Congress returns to work after its August recess.

Enduring the worst season closures to protect dwindling stocks from the Klamath River, fishers received a big boost recently when Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez declared a fishery failure because catches are expected to fall by 88 percent of average.

Now comes the hard part of determining damages, and coaxing the money out of Congress.

Gutierrez estimated that the closures have directly harmed commercial fishers to the tune of $16 million. Oregon and California say they believe the damage could top $80 million when all the impacts are calculated.

Commercial fishers think an additional $40 million or $45 million should be added to begin fixing the Klamath River so it's more hospitable to salmon.

"We need to keep these people from losing their boats and livelihoods," said Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. "But the more important thing is fixing the problems with the river so that it is again producing fish like it's capable of doing."

Congress is a long way from those numbers.

The House added $2 million in disaster assistance to a 2007 funding bill for the Commerce Department, which includes federal fishery programs. The Senate kicked that number up to $10 million.

A campaign is now under way in the House and Senate to add more as the two chambers prepare to meet in a conference committee to work out their differences on the bill.

Last month, senators from California, Oregon and Washington were joined by the governors of those states in a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee leaders seeking help in "providing necessary emergency funding."

An amount was not specified, but in July they said Congress should provide $73 million, because California was contributing $5 million and Oregon $3.2 million.

"I don't know if there is a dollar figure yet, but I think it will be in the $80 million range," said Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena.

Others agreed that the costs are mounting.

"On the Central Coast, businesses are closing and fishermen can't pay bills or put food on the table for their families because of the devastating salmon fishing season," said Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara. "Congress has to deliver emergency funding."

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