Christie Scott (971) 673-6038   
Fax: (971) 673-6070

CLACKAMAS, Ore.— Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will donate nearly 50,000 hatchery spring chinook and coho salmon fillets to the Oregon Food Bank.

Since 2001, when ODFW started the program, nearly 350,000 salmon fillets have been donated to the Oregon Food Bank, creating over one million six-ounce servings to hungry Oregonians. Eating salmon promotes a heart-healthy diet as a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids and lean protein.

The salmon fillets are distributed frozen and ready to cook to needy families in every county across the state. The Oregon Food Bank uses a network of 20 regional food banks and hundreds of hunger-relief organizations for distribution. 

The donated chinook and coho salmon are surplus hatchery-reared fish that have returned to Oregon's hatcheries from the ocean to complete their life cycle. In the past several years, ODFW has had a surplus of fish return thereby creating this opportunity to help.

The fish donated are processed in accordance with federal food handling guidelines by American/Canadian Fisheries, Inc., a company based in Bellingham, Washington. American/Canadian provides all the staff and equipment at no charge to ODFW and the food bank in exchange for the opportunity to market by-products of the filleting process in international markets.