On Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis announced a request for a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration to support impacted fishing communities after regional supervisors recommended a full closure of ocean salmon season for the second year in a row.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which oversees fishing off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, voiced unanimous support on Wednesday for closing California's commercial and recreational chinook salmon fisheries until the end of the year.
These recommendations are similar to those made in 2023, the first time such a closure occurred in 14 years.
Council chair Brad Pettinger said in a statement released on Wednesday that this year's forecasts for chinook returning to California rivers are very low.
He claimed that despite improved drought conditions, the freshwater environment contributing to these low forecasted returns may still impact the overall chinook returns.
According to the governor's office, Newsom's request on Thursday would financially help affected communities while preserving salmon populations and bolstering the regional fishing industry.
Newsom added that they will continue working with the Biden administration and Congress to support California's fisheries and impacted communities during this critical time.
The request, addressed to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, states that the expected closure of 2024 California salmon fisheries will result in a loss of 100% of the direct revenue these fisheries generate.
In a letter written on Newsom's behalf, Kounalakis stressed that California values a similar funding request in 2023, which predicted losses of more than $47 million this year.
Kounalakis said that this request is a critical tool to support impacted Californians, and they look forward to getting families the help they need.
Despite the state's consecutive rainy winters, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham emphasized that the fish that will benefit from these conditions are not expected to return to California until around 2026 or 2027.
Bonham continued that the current salmon for this year's season was impacted by the difficult environmental factors present three to five years ago.
