12.02.16

Cantwell, Murray Push to Declare Six Fisheries Disasters in Washington State

Commerce Secretary’s designation would provide relief to Coho, Sockeye, and Dungeness fishermen and their communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker calling for a declaration of commercial fisheries failures for six pending fishery disaster requests.

Fishing communities up and down Washington’s coast have suffered through several years of lower-than-expected catch. A federal fishery disaster declaration would make communities eligible for funding for projects such as fisheries recovery, job training, and infrastructure investments in the communities hardest hit.

Washington’s maritime industry supports almost 60,000 jobs directly and contributes $30 billion in economic activity each year, not including the shipbuilders, hotels, restaurants, manufacturers, and outfitters that benefit indirectly. The fisheries are also of tremendous significance to the state’s Tribal fishermen, who have been harvesting fish on Washington’s coast for thousands of years.

“Commercial, recreational, charter and tribal fisheries are an integral part of Washington’s maritime economy, as well as our culture and heritage,” the Senators wrote. “Prompt declaration of these disasters will help meet the needs of communities struggling as a result of these disasters. We appreciate your full and fair consideration of these requests.”

The outstanding requests currently before the Department of Commerce include:

  • 2014 Fraser River sockeye salmon. Requested in January 2015 by Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chairman Brian Cladoosby, Makah Tribal Council Chairman Timothy Greene, Sr., and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Chairwoman Frances Charles.
  • 2015 Grays Harbor coho salmon. Requested by Quinault Indian Nation President Fawn Sharp on November 23, 2015.
  • 2015 South Puget Sound coho salmon. Requested by Squaxin Island Tribe Natural Resources Policy Representative Joseph Peters in May 2016, by Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Chairman Jeromy Sullivan on June 22, 2016, and by Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Chairman W. Ron Allen on July 5, 2016.
  • 2015 Dungeness crab. Requested by Quileute Tribal Council Chairman Charles Woodruff on June 23, 2016.
  • 2015 statewide coho salmon. Requested by Washington Governor Jay Inslee on September, 14, 2016.
  • 2016 statewide coho salmon. Requested by Washington Governor Jay Inslee on September, 14, 2016.

Full text of the letter can be found below.

The Honorable Penny Pritzker

Secretary of Commerce

United States Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20230

Dear Secretary Pritzker:

We write to urge you to use your authority under Section 312 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. § 1861a) to declare commercial fishery failures for six pending Washington state fishery disaster requests. The importance of these fisheries to the Pacific Northwest is enormous, and their failure has far reaching consequences for tribal, commercial and recreational fishermen across Washington state and the Pacific Northwest.

Commercial, recreational, charter and tribal fisheries are an integral part of Washington’s maritime economy, as well as our culture and heritage. The maritime industry in Washington state alone directly employs 57,700 people and contributes $30 billion in economic activity annually. In turn, fisheries support industries such as shipbuilders, hotels, restaurants, gear manufacturers, and outfitters. However, several years of lower-than-expected returns have compounded the economic and cultural effects that local fishery disasters have had on coastal communities.

In addition to the economic impacts on the commercial maritime industry, fishery disasters limit the opportunity for Tribal subsistence and ceremonial harvests. Fishery disasters result in a significant nutritional, cultural and financial burden for Washington state tribes, adding to the importance of a swift response to fishery disasters. Tribes have been fishing the coastal waters of Washington state for thousands of years and the federal government has a responsibility to uphold their treaty fishing rights.

Given the vast impact that these disasters have had on communities across Washington state, we request an expedited review of the following requests, currently before the Department of Commerce:

  • 2014 Fraser River sockeye salmon. Requested in January 2015 by Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Chairman Brian Cladoosby, Makah Tribal Council Chairman Timothy Greene, Sr., and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Chairwoman Frances Charles.
  • 2015 Grays Harbor coho salmon. Requested by Quinault Indian Nation President Fawn Sharp on November 23, 2015.
  • 2015 South Puget Sound coho salmon. Requested by Squaxin Island Tribe Natural Resources Policy Representative Joseph Peters in May 2016, by Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Chairman Jeromy Sullivan on June 22, 2016, and by Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Chairman W. Ron Allen on July 5, 2016.
  • 2015 Dungeness crab. Requested by Quileute Tribal Council Chairman Charles Woodruff on June 23, 2016.
  • 2015 statewide coho salmon. Requested by Washington Governor Jay Inslee on September, 14, 2016.
  • 2016 statewide coho salmon. Requested by Washington Governor Jay Inslee on September, 14, 2016.

Prompt declaration of these disasters will help meet the needs of communities struggling as a result of these disasters. We appreciate your full and fair consideration of these requests