Four West Coast senators are calling on the Trump administration to declare a salmon fishery emergency and provide aid to economically struggling coastal communities.
Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon — as well as Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris from California — released a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross Friday calling for the declaration. It comes in the wake of a similar appeal two weeks ago from the two states' governors, Kate Brown of Oregon and Jerry Brown of California.
So far, the Trump administration has not publicly responded.
Concerns about idled salmon fishing fleets this year were raised after recommendations to restrict salmon fishing off the coasts of California and Oregon.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council is predicting the lowest return of spawning chinook salmon on record for the Klamath River. It is one of the West Coast’s major salmon-producing river basins.