Newsom Admin. Requests Federal Fishery Disaster Ahead of Salmon Season Closure

SACRAMENTO  —  Gov. Gavin Newsom and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis April 6 announced a request for a Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration to support the salmon fishing industry as it faces a closure for the 2023 salmon season. This action follows projections that indicate California’s Chinook salmon abundance is at historic lows.

Recognizing the importance of salmon to California’s commercial fisheries, Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis, on behalf of Gov. Newsom, submitted the request to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo immediately after the Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended a full closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon season — a recommendation the National Marine Fisheries Service is expected to implement next month.

If approved, the Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration would begin the process of providing needed relief to fishing communities financially impacted by a closure.  

How we got here: 

Prolonged drought, severe wildfires, and associated impacts to spawning and rearing habitat, harmful algal blooms and ocean forage shifts have combined to result in some of the lowest stock abundance forecasts on record for Sacramento River Fall Chinook and Klamath River Fall Chinook. (In large part, the low returns and abundance forecasts are due to difficult environmental factors faced by salmon on their initial journey out to the ocean three years ago). 

The low ocean abundance forecasts, coupled with low 2022 returns, led the Pacific Fishery Management Council to recommend full closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries.  

Commercial fishing in southern Oregon is also projected to face closures through the end of 2023.