BY ANDY WALGAMOTT, NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE
The Bonneville Power Administration will provide funding for a critical Lower Columbia hatchery salmon program for one more year, a huge relief for state and county partners who operate it and will be able to collect broodstock this fall.
But it’s also just temporary reprieve, as BPA says that after September 2027 there will be no more federal money for the program and it will have to be funded other ways.
It’s yet another dramatic reversal in the saga of the Select Area Fishery Enhancement Program, which produces spring and fall Chinook and coho for recreational and commercial fisheries in the estuary of the big river and off the Northwest Coast.
Early this year, BPA said it “would continue to provide partial funding” for the program, then in mid-June surprised the Oregon and Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Clatsop County Fisheries by saying that its funding would end on September 30.
That left ODFW in particular with a $2-plus million hole that was not immediately fillable and put the fate of 7 million young salmon in limbo and could have led to the closure of a hatchery that supports the program.
But salmon fishing organizations rallied their fleets, and there was strong backing for the program from in particular Governor Tina Kotek (D), as well as Governor Bob Ferguson (D) and the Northwest congressional delegation.
“Salmon are central to the economic health of our coastal communities and to long-held fishing traditions of the Columbia River and our coast,” said Governor Kotek in a press release out this afternoon. “When I heard that a federal funding decision could put millions of salmon and fishing opportunities at risk, resulting in economic harm to Oregon communities, I knew we needed to act. I appreciate Administrator Kavulla’s willingness to listen and change course. This one-year reprieve gives us time to keep working toward a long-term solution.”
This afternoon’s news follows meetings in recent days between Kotek – who is running against Republican Senator Christine Drazan to be the state’s governor for the next four years – and new BPA Administrator Travis Kavulla, who took heed of the pushback and directed that the federal contract be extended through September 2027.
“The intent of this extension is to provide additional time for the State of Oregon and its local partners to plan a transition away from BPA funding,” a letter from BPA states.
BPA doesn’t believe SAFE mitigates impacts caused by all the federal dams on the Columbia River system or benefits stocks weakened by that development. While most of the Northwest salmon world found itself on the side of SAFE, the Wild Fish Conservancy supported ending BPA funding.
That today’s developments came to pass pleased ODFW – “Great news for your Friday: We can all celebrate a win for salmon and for fishing!” the agency posted on Facebook – and Director Debbie Colbert.
“This was an all-hands-on-deck situation for everyone who loves salmon and fishing,” Colbert said in a press release. “I am grateful to the Governor, our Congressional delegation and state legislators for their help in getting this decision reversed. I continue to be blown away by the passion of Oregon’s fishing community and could not be more grateful for their advocacy.”
A newsletter from the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association out late this afternoon said its policy director, Liz Hamilton, also met with Administrator Kavulla this week, describing the confab as “positive” and including a pic of Hamilton with Kavulla and his staff. NSIA also credited Governor Kotek and the Northwest delegation for their work, in particular Representative Cliff Bentz (R), who put “focused attention to this issue.”
