Salmon fishery closed for two months

This year’s salmon season, the shortest ever, is being shut down for a couple of months, reports the County Times. But it’s so bad, that maybe it’s just being put out of its misery.  Julia Scott’s report notes that relief for the fishermen is unlikely because the Republicans in Congress are loath to admit that the Bush administration mismanaged the Klamath River.

"It’s kind of been a bust so far. The only thing that’s kept us going has been the high price we’ve "I’ve been working my butt off, and I’m just losing money," said Matt Forve, a 30-year-old fishermen from Oregon. "I’ve caught 94 fish, and that doesn’t even pay for fuel. I haven’t paid my rent in two months."

Even in hard times, the salmon industry is a major economic boon to California. The $12 million value generated by commercial salmon stocks in 2005 doesn’t include the industry’s ripple effect on community businesses that also depend on a long and profitable season. Last year’s haul brought $20 million worth of business to the Bay Area alone, according to the Pacific Fishery Management Council. That number will shrink to $9 million after this year’s drastic cutbacks.