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Clatsop County officials push federal partners after BPA moves to stop SAFE fisheries funding
Summary
County Manager Chuck G told the board that the Bonneville Power Administration notified partners it will cease contributions to the Select Area Fisheries Enhancement (SAFE) program, prompting Clatsop County leaders to organize letters and federal advocacy before federal funding ends on Sept. 30.
County Manager Chuck G told the Clatsop County Board during a work session that the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has notified program partners it will stop contributing to the Select Area Fisheries Enhancement (SAFE) program, a long‑running mitigation effort that funds hatcheries and net pens serving the Columbia River system.
"We did receive notice ... that they would be ceasing contributions that they have been making to the Select Area Fisheries Enhancement program," Chuck G said, explaining the county has been coordinating with Washington, Oregon and local partners in response and sent a letter to BPA.
The county manager said the SAFE program has operated for roughly 30 years and provides fish stocking and other support that benefits terminal fisheries in Youngs Bay and economic activity across the Columbia River region. He described the county's typical share as "around a half a million dollars" in recent years; he said Clatsop County budgeted $810,000 this year because of resources unlocked when a net‑pen site was decommissioned.
A board member who led the response called the BPA notice abrupt and urged full advocacy to reverse the decision, saying, "you've got 7 million fish that are hanging in the balance." The board said the potential loss affects commercial gillnetters, recreational anglers and broader fisheries that depend on SAFE‑supported production.
County staff said BPA views the SAFE program as no longer fitting certain mitigation requirements tied to hydropower operations on the Columbia River, which is why BPA is re‑allocating mitigation funds. The county described the SAFE contribution as a small portion of BPA's overall mitigation budget but significant to local hatchery and net‑pen operations.
Next steps, the county said, include an 11 a.m. coordination meeting with state and local partners, continued outreach to federal legislators, and a lobbying campaign aimed at BPA and other decision‑makers before federal funds to SAFE cease on Sept. 30. County officials urged a coordinated multistate response and said they will keep the board informed.
The board did not take a formal vote at the work session. The county's advocacy and any proposed budget adjustments will return to the board for future consideration.
