Fishing-related disaster relief now available

By Nicholas Grube

Triplicate staff writer

Disaster relief money is now available for fishermen and businesses affected by this year's closure of the ocean commercial salmon fishing season.

On Wednesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service released $100 million of $170 million allocated to offset the economic loss incurred by those dependent on the fishery.

Some salmon advocates and congressional Democrats decried the decision to hold back $70 million of the allotment and blamed it on partisan politics.

"This year's closure left thousands of fishermen and dependent businesses struggling to make ends meet," U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez said. "This disaster aid package of $100 million will help them get back on their feet."

The collapse of the Sacramento River's chinook salmon population is the major factor that led to the elimination of this year's commercial season. The Sacramento River provides one of the most abundant stocks of chinook salmon on the West Coast, and the estimated return of fish during the fall run is about two-thirds less than a sustainable population.

While the ocean closure has benefited in-river recreational salmon fishing on the Klamath River — resulting in the second largest catch quota in 30 years — there are a number of commercial fishermen and businesses that suffered in Del Norte County due to the lack of the ocean salmon season.

"In general it affects a lot of people," Crescent City Harbor Commissioner Garry Young said. "It just trickles down."

Some of the businesses that lost out, he said, include local grocers, Englund Marine Supply Co., Pacific Choice Seafood and Renner Petroleum, which has a fuel dock in the harbor.

"They all play a part in this," he said. "When there's no salmon season they all hurt."

The $100 million was granted to the Pacific State Marine Fisheries Commission to administer the the payments. On Tuesday, the commission sent out more than 4,200 applications to fishermen, processors, wholesalers and charter boat owners.

Affected businesses, on the other hand, will have to download the applications from the commission's web site or call a salmon disaster relief hot line.

Of the $100 million that is currently available, about $63 million is slated for California, with about $25 million allotted to Oregon, and $12 million for Washington.

"It was principally California fishermen who were affected," said Brian Gorman, a spokesman for the NOAA Fisheries Service. "It's been the Californians who have suffered the most."

He said the remaining $70 million in disaster relief is expected to come at a later date in the year, at which point California will be the main beneficiary, receiving a grand total of more than $120 million of the $170 million that was approved by Congress.

Congressional critics complained that the Bush administration was shortchanging fishermen in the three states by $70 million. Congress approved $170 million in disaster relief as part of the recent farm bill.

Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., accused the Bush administration of "trying to steal money from salmon fishermen to give it to an incompetent defense contractor" that is overseeing the 2010 census.

The Bush administration announced in June that it wants to divert $70 million from the salmon relief fund to help pay for higher-than-expected costs of the conducting the census. The Commerce Department oversees the Census Bureau and NOAA Fisheries, the federal agency responsible for salmon recovery and planning.

Bob Lohn, northwest administrator of NOAA Fisheries, said the salmon money was not being diverted, but merely delayed until the new budget year begins in October.

"The full $100 million is available now," Lohn said, adding that based on current applications for federal assistance filed in the three states, the money being released "is certainly enough to cover the immediate need and then some."

Over the next few months, the remaining money will be made available to fishermen as they apply for assistance, Lohn said. He denied that the administration was engaged in any accounting tricks or attempts to shortchange fishermen.

"Will the money be there when the people apply for it? The answer is yes," he told reporters on a conference call Wednesday.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., called Lohn's explanation about the payment schedule a "song and dance" that showed the Bush administration doesn't care about fishermen or the communities where they live.

"It's just a terrible thing, and it's going to hurt a lot of people," Thompson said.

Fishermen in his Northern California district and up and down the West Coast "have been economically harmed," Thompson said. "They were caught in a disaster, Congress responded, and the Bush administration has once again failed the American public."

Thompson and other Democrats hinted that partisan politics were behind the decision, noting that the lion's share of the $70 million being withheld was targeted for California.

Under the plan announced Wednesday, California will receive roughly half of the $121 million it was scheduled to receive under the farm bill. Oregon will lose about $1 million and Washington state about $10 million.

Asked why there was such a large a discrepancy in the amounts being withheld, Thompson cited "a hot Senate race" in Oregon, where two-term Republican Gordon Smith is defending his seat in a close contest with Democrat Jeff Merkley.

Gorman scoffed at Thompson's remark.

"There isn't any conspiracy to hold back the money and pretend it doesn't exist," Gorman said. "All of that money will go out the door to qualified applicants."

Thompson was unimpressed.

"Maybe," he said, "we should go to OMB (the White House budget office) and withhold over 30 percent of their salaries and tell them, 'Don't worry. In time you'll get it back.'"

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Reach Nicholas Grube at ngrube@triplicate.com.