4 minute read
A Fishy Business
Economically, Fishers Are Facing Rough Seas
almon are big business in Washington state, Washington accounts for more than halfof the West Coast (Washington, Oregon, and California) salmon industry, which in 1992 brought in about $400 million, and employed the equivalent of8,400 full-time fishers, but salmon provide income for many workers.
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One fisherman told me that he was getting paid 30 cents a pound for chum salmon, while the store price was currently $4.50. Along the way, processors, truckers and marketers made another $4.20 per pound for the salmon.
Catches have drastically declined around the state. For this reason, ocean fisheries were closed in this year. In the Puget Sound, fishing seasons were the most restricted ever. For some, the closing ofcommercial salmon fisheries has caused considerable economic hardship.
Probably the most affected group are Native American fishers. In Washington only 2,000 tribal fishers caught salmon commercially in 1993 compared to 3,000 in 1990, due largely to fishery closures. Tribal revenues from salmon fisheries declined $ 13 million from 1992 to 1993. These figures are especially troubling considering that the average Native American per capita income in the state was only $6,646, according to the 1990 census.
There simply aren’t enough salmon being caught in Washington to supply larger businesses. I asked Karen Evich, a representative ofOcean Star, a local fish processor, how the decreasing catches affected her firm. She said, "We don’t rely on salmon caught here [in the state]." Their business is staying afloat because they get salmon elsewhere, such as from Alaska. Ocean Star has the sole state contract to buy spawned-out hatchery salmon and infertile eggs. These spawned-out salmon are processed or breaded, and some may end up in our state prisons.
Some salmon processors get most oftheir fish from Washington. I contacted Butch Smith of San Juan Seafoods, another local business. San Juan Seafoods is the largest salmon buyer in the state, and they get most oftheir salmon from Puget Sound. They bought about 7 million pounds ofsalmon last year, and are expecting to purchase about 4.5 million this year (a decrease due mostly to the absence of
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The fishing boats at Squalicum harborwill not be navigating Washington and Oregon waters as much as in the past.
pink salmon, which run only on odd years).
When I asked how business was doing. Butch replied that it has gotten somewhat worse overthe last few years. He pointed out that this is partly attributable to the drop in the price ofsalmon worldwide. A number offactors are involved, he said, including the value ofthe dollar, the state ofthe world economy, and the number offish available. The yields from aquaculture have led to a drop in prices. The advent ofthese fish farms and their growth around the world has made it even more difficult for commercial fishers to make a living. As Butch put it, "Farmed salmon hurts fishermen, in general."
Things are not all bad. The salmon stocks from Fraser River runs, which supply Puget Sound fishers, are healthier. On a hopeful note. Butch Smith added, "Some ofthese enhancement groups are helping improve fisheries."
The federal government has finally decided to do something about the salmon fshery debacle. On June 3 ofthis year the Secretary ofCommerce declared that a "natural fishery resource disaster" ofsalmon stocks exists in Washington, Oregon, and California. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has established the Northwest Emergency Assistance Plan (NEAP) to provide assistance to commercial fishers. NEAP will assist with $12 million (ofwhich Washington state gets 55 percent), and other agencies (EDA, USDA, SBA, FHA) will add another $3 million, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department ofLabor will provide unemployment assistance ofup to $14 million.
I met with Steve Freese of NMFS, who is part ofthe team designing these plans. He told me about some interesting solutions that will be instituted. The main type ofaid to commercial fishers will take the form ofa vessel permit buyout program, established by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fishers will be essentially paid to stop fishing, becaue Steve said there are presently "too many fishermen." The Soil Conservation program, providingjobs for displaced fishers, and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission will manage a data collectionjobs program.
While these plans, which are still under development, are a good first step, they certainly have problems. Steve characterized the amount ofbureaucratic involvement as "a confiasing and overlapping checkerboard ofagencies." He also said that, "One weakness is that aid will only be provided to commercial fishermen, but not recreational fishing areas or towns." Of course, many fishers are not happy with the vessel buyout program, and would rather receive grants. Unfortunately there is just not enough money for grants to be given to everyone.
The salmon's hope lies in its popularity. People may be willing to pay attention to the threatened salmon because they are part ofthe economy. Unlike the policies involved in protecting other diminishing species, saving salmon, for the most part, means preservingjobs. In addition to environmental lobbying, fishers are encouraging politicians to protect salmon and their habitat, because the fish suppon a worldwide multibillion industry.
Erich Raudebaugh
Erich Raudebaugh
Services ofthe USDA will manage a habitat restoration
