02.10.16

Cantwell Praises Administration’s Investment for Pacific Salmon Recovery

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) praised the Obama Administration for including $65 million in the FY2017 budget request for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF). The PCSRF is central to Washington state salmon recovery strategy, funding nearly $30 million each year in grants to Washington state.

“Pacific salmon are an economic driver in the Pacific Northwest,” Cantwell said.  “We must continue to protect and restore our iconic wild salmon fisheries. Investing in salmon habitat restoration today is an investment in our economic and cultural future.”

Cantwell has consistently supported investments in conservation and recovery of salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act. To that end, PCSRF has been a long time priority. The PCSRF was estab­lished by Congress in 2000 to restore and conserve Pacific salmon populations and their habitats. PCSRF supports the conservation and recovery of Pacific salmon in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and California. Since its inception, PCSRF has restored more than 1,031,000 acres of essential salmon and steelhead habitat and opened 8,700 miles of streams for fish passage.

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