Jared Huffman seeks disaster aid after salmon fishery closure
North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) has co-authored a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo asking for a federal declaration of fishery disaster.
This comes after the Pacific Fishery Management Council closed the 2023 salmon season in California because of low counts of salmon.
In an interview last month, Tim Klassen of Reel Steel fishing in Eureka said federal relief from another fishery disaster took three years to be distributed.
“They tried to do it as fair and equitably as possible — people that lost the most get the most kind of thing. That took them a long time to sort that out, especially with the commercial fishermen,” he said.
Klassen says that many in the industry had been forced to find other jobs by the time they received the relief.
“I mean, it took years to disperse the money,” he said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom requested a federal declaration of a fishery disaster for the season on Thursday. The letter argues more speed is necessary to relieve people who rely on salmon for their livelihood.
The letter is signed by members of the Senate and congresspeople, including Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Dianne Feinstein (D-San Francisco).
“The closure of this vital fishery will have far-reaching consequences for commercial, recreational, and charter fishers, tribes, businesses, restaurants, and families who depend upon a healthy salmon fishery for subsistence,” says the letter.
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By: Sage Alexander
Source: Eureka Times Standard
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