Oregon Public Broadcasting

The federal government said Wednesday it hopes to begin mailing checks on October 1st to commercial fishermen, charter boat captains, and related businesses affected by this year’s sharp cutbacks in ocean salmon fishing.  Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

Earlier this year, fisheries managers cut ocean salmon fishing way back to protect dwindling runs headed for the Sacramento River.

Now, the federal government is accepting applications for disaster aid from coastal communities. 

The government expects around 4000 commercial fishers, salmon processors, charter boat owners, and guides to ask to be made whole.

In a conference call with reporters, the administrator of the relief program, Randy Fisher, said even businesses like bait shops or small marinas can apply.

Randy Fisher: “I can assure you that there is still a lot of interest from the fishermen and everybody else on the coast to find out when they’re going to get paid.  If the amount of phone calls we’ve been getting is any reflection of that, I can tell you there is still a lot of need out there."

The Bush Administration would like to take some of the $170 million in disaster aid and divert to the 2010 Census.

That adjustment assumes the need for aid on the West Coast is lower than Congress budgeted.