Oregon Watchdog: Hooley Urging Quick Action on Salmon Disaster

U. S. Congresswoman Darlene hooley
Oregon 5th District

Press Release: April 18, 2008
Contact: Joan Mooney Evans, (202) 225-5711

Hooley Leads West Coast Members in Urging Quick Action on Salmon Disaster

West Coast Members Join Hooley in urging Commerce Secretary Gutierrez to Immediately
Declare a “Fishery Failure” for the Region: Make the West Coast Eligible for Disaster Assistance

Washington, DC – Today Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (OR-5) was joined by her West Coast Colleagues in urging Secretary Gutierrez to declare a “fishery failure” for the region. The declaration makes the region eligible under the Magnuson Act for Congressionally appropriated disaster assistance for the commercial and recreational salmon fishermen along the Oregon and California coasts in this year’s emergency supplemental appropriations bill.

The Pacific Marine Fisheries Council recently recommended the largest single commercial and recreational salmon fishery closure. Without the declaration by the Department of Commerce, however, disaster assistance available under the Magnuson Act is not triggered.

“Bureaucratic red tape cannot hold up disaster assistance,” said Hooley. “Now is the time to act to provide bridge funding for fishers and fishing related businesses to make it through this difficult time.”

Hooley and her colleagues emphasized the impact of the fishery failure on their districts.

Congresswoman Hooley’s letter to Secretary Gutierrez was also signed by U.S. Representatives Darlene Hooley, Mike Thompson, Peter DeFazio, David Wu, Jim McDermott, Earl Blumenauer, Norman Dicks, Anna Eshoo, Lynn Woolsey and Greg Walden.
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