Due to the decline in important fishing stocks on the west and east coasts, many fishing communities are suffering unexpected losses that seriously threaten their livelihoods. In Long Island Sound, the lobster catch has fallen sharply this year. On the west coast, in Oregon, Washington, and California, there has been a serious decline in groundfish stocks.
The economic threat to fishing communities is severe. I am asking Congress to provide emergency assistance of $56 million to provide aid to those whose economic welfare is threatened by this crisis and to fund research to identify the causes and potential solutions to these problems to restore the long-term health of our vital fishing industry. I urge Congress to act quickly to provide relief to communities that are clearly in need.
NOTE: A portion of the President's statement was also made available on the White House Press Office Actuality Line.
William J. Clinton, Statement on Emergency Assistance to Fishing Communities Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/226959