WASHINGTON — The Bush administration Wednesday released $100 million in disaster relief to West Coast salmon fishermen — $70 million less than the amount Congress approved to help those hurt by the sudden collapse of the Pacific Coast salmon industry.
The collapse left thousands of fishermen and dependent businesses struggling to make ends meet, said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, adding: “This disaster aid package of $100 million will help them get back on their feet.”
Of the initial $100 million, about $63 million will go to California, $25 million to Oregon and $12 million to Washington state, officials said. The breakdown is based on the projected economic impacts of the fishing shutdown in each state.
But salmon advocates and congressional Democrats complained that the Bush administration was shortchanging fishermen in the three states by $70 million. Congress approved $170 million in disaster relief as part of the recent farm bill.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., accused the Bush administration of “trying to steal money from salmon fishermen to give it to an incompetent defense contractor” that is overseeing the 2010 census.
The Bush administration announced in June that it wants to divert $70 million from the salmon relief fund to help pay for higher-than-expected costs of the conducting the census. The Commerce Department oversees the Census Bureau and NOAA Fisheries, the federal agency responsible for salmon recovery and planning.
Bob Lohn, northwest administrator of NOAA Fisheries, said the salmon money was not being diverted, but merely delayed until the new budget year begins in October.
“The full $100 million is available now,” Lohn said.
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