Oregon Public Broadcasting

All six Northwest Senators voted in favor of the compromise Farm Bill when Congress sent the package to the president Thursday.  The measure includes $170 million in cash assistance for coastal salmon fishing communities.  Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

The salmon disaster relief money was a last minute addition to the Farm Bill.   Western Congress members asked for aid after the feds shut down salmon fishing off Oregon and California and greatly restricted Washington State’s ocean catch.

Jeff Reeves: “The sooner the better.  We could use it now.”

Commercial fisherman Jeff Reeves normally trolls for salmon off Coos Bay.

He’s happy that Congress approved more than twice as much cash relief as it did after a 2006 fishing shutdown.  But Reeves notes charter boat owners should get a slice this time around, which they didn’t before.

Jeff Reeves: “There will be many more people to take care of in our unique coastal societies.  The impacts of the salmon fisheries failure in my opinion are the worst in recorded history.”

President Bush has threatened to veto the Farm Bill for other reasons.  A veto override fight may slow down the distribution of checks. 

Washington Democrat Patty Murray says she’s added salmon disaster relief to an Iraq War funding bill as well.