What the Proposed ODFW 2027–29 Budget Means for Recreational Fishing in Oregon

Hatchery Resiliency and Infrastructure Improvements

ODFW is proposing a series of bond-funded capital packages—POPs 111, 112, 113, and 114—to address hatchery resiliency, deferred maintenance, and agency infrastructure. The agency notes that the use of $30 million in general obligation bonds under POP 111 would be informed by the 2025 Hatchery Resiliency Study, underscoring the importance of modernizing hatchery facilities and improving their ability to withstand future challenges.

For the recreational fishing community, this is one of the most consequential parts of the proposed budget. Hatcheries remain central to many of Oregon’s salmon and steelhead fisheries, and investments that improve facility reliability, water systems, raceways, and long-term operational resilience can directly affect the state’s ability to sustain angling opportunity.

Rock Creek Hatchery and Umpqua Basin Capacity

One of the most closely watched items is POP 117 ($71,190,000), which would use a combination of insurance proceeds and FEMA funding to rebuild hatchery capacity in the Umpqua Basin after the destruction of Rock Creek Hatchery in the 2020 wildfires. The package would fund continued operation of Rock Creek Hatchery in a limited capacity during construction, while also supporting a partial rebuild of Rock Creek Hatchery and development of a new South Umpqua facility to be co-managed with the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.

This is NOT a simple rebuild of the existing facility, this is a strategic redesign of how the hatchery system functions on the Umpqua for long term sustainability.

This is a major issue for the Northwest Steelheaders and other anglers who have long advocated for rebuilding sustainable hatchery capacity in southwest Oregon. POP 117 drew both support and opposition during public comment, reflecting how important it is for members of the Association of Northwest Steelheaders to weigh in on hatchery policy.

Fish Passage and Screening Investments

ODFW’s budget also includes POP 116 ($9,000,000), a request to continue using Lottery Revenue Bonds for priority fish screening and passage construction projects. This would build on a similar package approved in the 2023 legislative session and continue investments in infrastructure that helps fish move safely through Oregon’s waterways.

For anglers, fish passage work is more than a habitat issue—it is a long-term fisheries issue. Improved passage and screening can help increase survival for salmon, steelhead, and other native fish by reducing losses at diversion structures and reconnecting habitat.

Klamath Hatchery Expansion

Another significant fish-related item is POP 115 ($5,445,700), which would use one-time funding from the Yurok Tribe to build new raceways at Klamath Hatchery and increase capacity to support anadromous fish reintroduction efforts in the Klamath Basin. The project is tied to the long-term effort to restore fish runs following dam removal and is consistent with the 2021 reintroduction plan adopted by ODFW and the Klamath Tribes.

Although this package is framed primarily around reintroduction and basin restoration, it also has long-term implications for salmon and steelhead recovery and future fishing opportunity.

Recreational Shellfish Investments

For Oregon’s saltwater and shellfish anglers, POP 105 ($891,808) is a noteworthy addition. ODFW expects recent shellfish license fee increases to generate additional revenue, allowing the agency to propose new investment in the Recreational Shellfish Program. POP 105 would support enhanced stock assessments, estuarine habitat surveys, and improved public outreach.

While shellfish management is often discussed separately from sport fisheries, it is still an important part of Oregon’s broader recreational fishing portfolio and reflects a willingness to reinvest dedicated user dollars back into recreational opportunity and resource management.

HB 4134 Is a Major Conservation Win—But It Is Not a Cure-All for Fish Programs

The proposed budget also shows how ODFW plans to use the new funding from HB 4134, which increased the transient lodging tax by 1.25% and dedicated portions of that revenue to wildlife conservation, wildlife connectivity, wildlife stewardship, and the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund. ODFW forecasts that this funding will generate approximately:/p>

• $55.7 million for the Recovering Oregon’s Wildlife Fund
• $3.1 million for the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund
• $3.1 million for Wildlife Connectivity
• $1.2 million for Wildlife Stewardship

These investments are significant and deserve support. Healthy habitats, resilient ecosystems, and connected landscapes ultimately benefit fish as well as wildlife. But the ARB also makes clear that HB 4134 was not designed as a direct fix for all of ODFW’s hatchery and recreational fishery funding needs. Most of the new money is directed toward wildlife and habitat-oriented programs, not core hatchery operations or license-funded recreational fisheries.

That distinction matters. Oregon anglers should celebrate the passage of HB 4134 while also recognizing that the state still needs a durable long-term strategy for hatchery maintenance, fish production, and recreational fisheries investments.

A Note on the Orca Salmon Proposal

The agency summary also addresses one of the more controversial issues in the budget discussion: whether transient lodging tax dollars should be used to support hatchery salmon production for Southern Resident orcas. ODFW reports that it received numerous concerns about that proposal under POP 101, and the draft budget summary provided to the Commission does not include that expenditure, with the department stating it is exploring other funding options.

That is an important development for anglers following the debate over hatchery fish, predator-prey needs, and the proper use of newly dedicated conservation funding.

Bonneville Power Administration Cuts Funding for Commercial and Recreational Hatchery Program

The broader budget conversation also comes as Oregon faces new uncertainty around hatchery-supported fishing opportunity on the Lower Columbia. ODFW recently warned that the future of the Select Area Fisheries Enhancement (SAFE) program is in jeopardy after the Bonneville Power Administration notified the agency that it plans to end roughly $2.4 million in annual support for the program effective September 30. SAFE produces millions of hatchery salmon each year for release into Lower Columbia tributaries and off-channel areas, creating important recreational and commercial harvest opportunity while helping reduce pressure on ESA-listed wild fish by directing harvest toward hatchery returns. ODFW has estimated the program generated roughly $6 million in economic benefits for fishing communities last year, and agency officials have cautioned that without BPA support, the program—and the approximately 7 million salmon currently being raised for release next spring—could be at serious risk. For recreational anglers, the proposed loss of SAFE funding is a reminder that even as ODFW pursues major hatchery infrastructure and fishery investments in the 2027–29 budget, key salmon programs remain vulnerable when long-standing federal funding sources become unstable.

What Comes Next

The ODFW Commission reviewed and approved the agency’s requested budget at their last meeting on June 26. The agency is now in the process of submitting to the Governor. From there, the Governor will use the ARB to develop a Governor’s Recommended Budget, and the Legislature will ultimately decide what makes it into the final 2027–29 state budget.

For the Association of Northwest Steelheaders, this proposed budget contains both encouraging investments and important warning signs. It includes meaningful commitments to hatchery infrastructure, fish passage, Rock Creek Hatchery rebuilding, and shellfish program improvements. At the same time, it confirms that license-funded recreational fisheries remain financially constrained, even after recent fee increases, and that many of the largest new investments are one-time capital packages rather than expanded long-term fishery operations.

In the months ahead, NW Steelheaders will continue to monitor the budget process closely and advocate for the policies and investments needed to sustain Oregon’s salmon, steelhead, and recreational fishing heritage. That includes continued support for rebuilding hatchery capacity where appropriate, improving fish passage and public access, and ensuring that anglers’ license dollars are used effectively to protect and expand opportunity for the next generation of Oregon sportsmen and women.