National Marine Fisheries Service

11/22/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/22/2024 13:11

Secretary of Commerce Determines Fishery Resource Disasters for the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s 2020 Salmon Fisheries

The Secretary of Commerce determined that a commercial fishery failure occurred in two
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe fisheries:

  • 2020 Fraser River sockeye salmon fishery
  • 2020 Puget Sound fall chum salmon fishery

This determination is in response to requests from late Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe Chairman, Jeromy Sullivan.

Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo, working with NOAA Fisheries, evaluates each fishery resource disaster request based primarily on data submitted by the requesting official. A fishery resource disaster determination must meet specific requirements under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. For example, there must be an unexpected, large decrease in fish stock biomass or
other change resulting in significant loss of access to the fishery resource due to specific allowable causes. In addition, there must be economic or subsistence impacts.

This positive determination makes these fisheries eligible for disaster assistance. Fishery participants may also qualify for disaster assistance from the Small Business Administration.