Administration: Salmon disaster money on its way

By MATTHEW DALY, Capital Press 9/17/07

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration says it is putting $100 million into disaster relief for West Coast salmon fishermen.

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said Wednesday the money should help fishermen hurt by the closure of the Pacific Coast salmon fishing industry.

The amount is $70 million less than Congress approved as part of the recent farm bill.

Administration officials say that money was needed to pay for higher-than-expected costs of the 2010 census.

They say that more money will be made available for salmon fishermen in California, Oregon and Washington when the new budget year begins in October.

But Democratic Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon says the Bush administration is stealing from the fishermen.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.