Federal diaster declared for Frasier River sockeye

Federal diaster declared for Frasier River sockeye

By GARY CHITTIM


TULALIP, Wash. – On Friday, the federal government recognized what Puget Sound fisherman have known for years.
The sockeye salmon are gone.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce declared a disaster for Frasier River sockeye. The announcement clears the way for federal aid to fishing tribes and communities where the boats come home empty of sockeye.
"It’s their living and they need to make it and if there's nothing out there to catch, they can't make a living,” said James Edwards, Tulalip Marina.


For centuries, fishing boats have picked off sockeye returning to Canada's Frasier River as they pass through Puget Sound. Sockeye are much more valuable than chum and have been a dependable staple on the annual salmon rotation. But in the last few years, not so much.
"We haven't had a sockeye fishery in a couple years right now, so we had one this year, but it was only for a day we didn't catch anything that day,” said Mike McLean, Tulalip tribal fisherman.

Many fishermen say they don't have much faith in the sockeye or the federal disaster dollars showing up any time soon. But that money may be showing up sooner than they think. Unlike most disaster declarations, this one already has money appropriated for it and could be distributed very soon.

Too many stories of shutdowns in Cali, I feel bad for the Indians and comms who make their living from those fish.

Hopefully help will come soon however, never depend on the government, they take too long.