By office of Governor Kulongoski
July 3, 2006
Salem, Oregon - At a Friday press conference, Governor Ted Kulongoski announced the details of the state's plan to help idled salmon trollers with direct cash payments and job opportunities, but expressed disappointment over the federal government's slow progress in providing direct aid.
"I am pleased to announce that as a result of quick action and work by my administration, we will file temporary rules on Monday, July 10, outlining the criteria and eligibility requirements for salmon fishermen to qualify for financial assistance," the Governor said.
The state will provide direct financial help to salmon troll fishers who are most in need of support, the Governor reported. Allowable expenses include payments to maintain the infrastructure of the commercial troll salmon fishing fleet, such as license fees, moorage fees, boat loan payments, boat insurance, and safety equipment. The aid will go to those who harvested salmon during the 2003, 2004, or 2005 seasons.
The state will distribute applications for financial assistance through the Oregon Salmon Commission, the Governor said. The applications will be available no later than July 17, with an application deadline of July 28.
A screening review committee appointed by the Department of Agriculture will determine eligible Oregon commercial troll salmon fishermen. The committee will also determine eligible expenses, and it will recommend the amount of financial assistance for each applicant.
The Director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture will make the final approval of the applications. The state will then distribute financial assistance based on available funding, the total number of eligible fishermen and the number of eligible applications received. The Department of Agriculture plans to distribute payments by mid-August.
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board will use $2.2 million to provide employment for fishers in four projects aimed at helping salmon recover. The projects include collecting information about specific types of salmon in coastal waters, restoring fish habitats, developing restoration projects, increasing community participation in salmon recovery efforts.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture will provide $500,000 in direct relief.
The Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation will allocate $162,780 to 12 seasonal positions within the Department, opening them to displaced fisherman and other people in affected coastal communities.
Following a conference call late Thursday with US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, the Governor expressed disappointment over the Bush administration's lack of progress in providing direct aid to salmon fishers after the near-total closure of this year's commercial salmon season along Oregon's coast.
"The administration should do more than offer words," the Governor said. "They should step up and offer some real help, as I've done. Many fishers and their families are desperate, but the administration has been slow to provide what they really need direct payments that enable them to feed their families, maintain their homes, and keep their boats intact."
Thursday's conference call included Gutierrez, the Governors of Oregon and California, and members of both states' congressional delegations. The call followed an earlier conference call with Gutierrez on July 3.
Though the Governor had repeatedly pressed for timely, direct help from the federal government, the administration has promised only SBA low-interest loans. "Loans and debt are not what the fishers need," the Governor said. "They need direct financial aid."
Gutierrez promised to send the director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, William Hogarth, to the West Coast within the coming week to assess the situation and make recommendations concerning a higher-level declaration that would enable Congress to appropriate money to help the fishers.
"We don't need more assessments," the Governor said. "It should be clear to the administration that many people on Oregon's coast are hurting financially. Further delay is unacceptable."
Earlier this year, the federal government closed a 700-mile stretch of coastal waters to commercial salmon fishing because of concerns over the health of Klamath River salmon. Coastal communities have suffered major economic damage as a result of the closure.
"Working Oregonians in these communities are desperate for relief," the Governor said. "Since April, I've been working at the state level to provide direct help to the fishing industry, and I'm heartened that Oregon's leaders have worked together in a bipartisan way to get the job done."
Since early this year, the Governor has taken the following steps as part of his ongoing effort to deliver relief for these hard hit communities:
The Emergency Board awarded $2.2 million for Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) projects to help the fishermen. The Governor had directed OWEB to submit this request, which provides employment opportunities for displaced salmon trollers to engage in fisheries research and coastal watershed enhancement projects.
To contact Governor Kulongoski, go to
http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/contact_us.shtml