Merkley Leads Oregon, Washington Lawmakers to Urge Continued Support for West Coast Fishermen and Oregon’s Seafood Industry

Washington, D.C. - Today, Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led a bipartisan group of Oregon and Washington lawmakers in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins that calls on the USDA to deliver critical federal support to West Coast fishermen and seafood harvesters, processors, and distributors by purchasing Pacific Hake (whiting) fillets under its Section 32 purchase program.

"Historically, Pacific whiting exports to Ukraine, one of the largest whiting fillet markets, reached up to nearly $95 million per year, but instability in the region as a result of war has put that market in jeopardy and caused significant impacts to the supply chain. Compounded by trade embargoes, increased imported competition from low-cost proteins, inflationary pressures, rising operational costs, and more, these factors threaten the long-term stability and viability of this once-booming market and create uncertainty for coastal economies that rely on the whiting fishery's success for their livelihoods," wrote the lawmakers.

The lawmakers' bipartisan letter calls on USDA to include whiting in this year's Section 32 purchases, supporting harvesters, processors, and coastal economies along the West Coast during a period of significant market disruption and strengthening the resiliency of America's food systems by supporting domestic protein production and distribution.

They stressed, "Over the last several years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has worked with the West Coast seafood industry to support domestic distribution of surplus product and ensure that our food supply chain and fisheries operations aren't wholly disrupted by fluctuations or complete loss of markets abroad. We ask the USDA to continue that partnership by addressing these sustained market losses that have created vast economic strains and challenges for our seafood industry."

In addition to Merkley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Emily Randall (WA-06).

Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here.

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