The Klamath River was once the third most productive salmon fishery in the continental United States. Tragically, 80,000 adult salmon died in 2002, due in large part to poor federal management of the Klamath River. Since then, the salmon population has continued to deteriorate, forcing the Pacific Fisheries Management Council to sizably reduce the fishing seasons in 2005 and 2006. As a result, the commercial fishing season has been cut by more than 90 percent in 2006 and by 40 percent in 2007, costing fishing families and associated fishing businesses millions.
Recent Action
On the first day of the 110th Congress, North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced legislation to provide federal disaster relief to California and Oregon’s salmon fishing industry. The bill authorized the appropriation of $60.4 million for the fishermen, tribes and businesses that were impacted by the commercial fishery failure of 2006. In May, this funding was included by the House in a larger spending bill, and it was signed by the president in June.
