Salmon disaster relief funds updates for the 2023 season
2023 SALMON DISASTER UPDATES as we get them
4th update: Tuesday, March 18
The California King Salmon Council held a Zoom call with the salmon fishing industry to help with the 2023 Salmon Disaster Relief funds application process.
CLICK HERE to dowload the CDFW’s Powerpoint Slideshow they gave during this meeting.
Questions for help: CAFishDisaster@psmfc.org
or CDFW: salmondisaster@wildlife.ca.gov
or contact the CA King Salmon Council CEO David Goldenberg <golden59@pacbell.net>
3rd update: Sunday, March 2
Visit www.psmfc.org for more info
• Disaster Spend Plan, click here to download PDF file
Notifications with instructions and unique IDs necessary for application will be sent out during the week of February 24th to eligible individuals/entities in the troll, buyer, and charter sectors.
In-river salmon guides who purchased a guide license between 2020-2023 and expressed their intent to target salmon will receive a similar notification. However, guides must provide documentation of a gross revenue loss for their businesses to qualify. Additionally, guides will receive an affidavit and loss worksheet, which must be completed before applying for relief online.
2nd update
NCGASA is happy to report that we FINALLY have some updates on the 2023 Salmon Disaster Relief! We wish to thank our commercial fleet and charter boat fleet for engaging with our organization representing the inland guide sector in this process for the past two plus years.
Funds were received by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) in January, and CDFW and PSMFC have been working since then to finalize the application process. CLICK HERE to apply.
A 90-day application period is mandatory and non-negotiable. We have been informed that the application window is expected to open on March 3rd at Noon and will close at 11:59 p.m. on June 1st. Direct inquiries to CAFishDisaster@psmfc.org or salmondisaster@wildlife.ca.gov
During this time, any affected party or business will be able to object to not being included in the application process directly to the department.
Notifications and instructions, including unique IDs necessary for the application process, should be mailed to qualifying entities next week. The process is expected to be simple and straightforward for applicants and should not take long to complete.
Be on the lookout for application information that should be mailed to your physical address.
There is no guaranteed timeline for payments following the application process, but we have been assured that they will work as quickly as possible. The PSMFC is currently targeting mid-July or sooner for disbursements.
NCGASA will be working with NOAA, CDFW, CA Salmon Council, and PSMFC to provide more updates as they become available. This is the most current information we have so it’s looking like most of the funds will be distributed around July.
We appreciate everyone patience in this manner. Our organization has been engaged in this topic since the beginning and will be until the end of the process. Please consider renewing your Guide Membership so we can keep you in the loop.
There are no updates on the 2024 Salmon Disaster Relief. At this point and it looks to be two to three years out according to sources in the Department of Commerce prior to the 2024 election.
James Stone
NCGASA President
jstone@ncgasa.org
(530) 923-9440
NorCalGuides YouTube Channel
Please renew your Guide Membership
for 2025 so we can keep you posted
1st update
Dear California Salmon Council Board and Other Interested Individuals,
First, we want to acknowledge the fishery fleet and those who are suffering from two years of no salmon fishing opportunities, and the delay in the Dungeness Crab fishery. In addition, we want to further offer our condolences for the loss of life, property and businesses in Southern California for the recent devastation from the LA fires. These are certainly tough times for our residents and our consumers.
There is a lot of information and rumors as to the timing of the 2023 salmon disaster funds. We’ve tried to report credible information when known. There has been some recent movement in the disaster relief that we need to report. Some may know and most probably don’t so listed below is the latest information from Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) and from a recent telephone call with Frank Lockhart, NOAA.
The 2023 salmon disaster contract from NOAA was received and signed by PSMFC on January 8. This now allows PSMFC to work on the distribution of funds. The California Department of Fish & Wildlife is working on sending the necessary information on fishermen and buyers to Pacific States. Forms will be sent to those eligible for review and signature. A deadline will be set by Pacific States for all the forms to be returned. At that time checks will be sent to the approved parties. It’s too early to know exactly when the deadline will be set, nor checks mailed. It will probably take several months to complete the forms, get them returned, verified and checks mailed. We’ll stay on top of this as the process develops. At least there is a finality to it and the funds will be disbursed as quickly as possible.
The Department of Commerce recently approved the 2024 salmon disaster request. Apparently NOAA requested additional information about economic loss than they had for the 2023 disaster. Nevertheless, the 120 day declaration deadline has the caveat that the clock starts with a completed application. The added questions from NOAA kept the clock from starting, hence it too much longer than expected.
The approval letter from Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is attached for your review. The letter was dated December 12, but this just recently came to our attention in early January. The letter states that disaster funds can be released when Congress funds the agency.
CLICK HERE FOR LETTER
I have not heard if the Disaster Account was funded with the recent Appropriations Bill. HR 9026 Text – H.R.9026 – 118th Congress (2023-2024): Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 and S 4795 Text – S.4795 – 118th Congress (2023-2024): Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 both appropriate $300,000 for the disaster administration, but have not appropriated funds. We’ll try to see if there was a subsequent appropriation or if Congress is waiting for the new Administration. We do know Congress passed a continuing resolution a few weeks ago to keep the government running.
We hope this information is useful. We’ll stay on top of the situation and continue to report further developments as they become known.
David Goldenberg,
California Salmon Council
P.O. Box 2255
Folsom, CA 95763-2255
Phone (916) 933-7050
FAX (916) 933-7055
info@calkingsalmon.org
