Governor Declares Salmon Disaster
By John Driscoll, Eureka Times-Standard
June 7, 2006

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for 10 Northern California counties whose salmon fishing fleet has been put out of work from an anticipated paltry run of fish in the Klamath River this year.

The governor's action provides guarantees to leverage some $9.2 million in small business loans for fishermen economically harmed by fishery closures and restrictions. It also follows Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski's request for a federal disaster declaration, further bolstering Schwarzenegger's similar April appeal.

”Salmon fishing is the economic lifeblood of many Northern California communities,” Schwarzenegger said in a news release. “By proclaiming a state of emergency, we are helping the fishermen and communities recover from the hardship and economic loss caused by the severely restricted salmon season.”

Humboldt, Del Norte, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Sonoma and Siskiyou counties qualify under the declaration.

Many fishermen on the North Coast have fished longer than usual for Dungeness crab, or have opted to travel far out of the area to participate in other fisheries.

Aaron Newman, a Eureka fisherman and president of the Humboldt Fisherman's Marketing Association, spent $30,000 for an Alaska salmon fishing permit. He'll soon motor his boat, the Maria Isabel, north, a significant financial risk with fuel at more than $3 per gallon.

Newman said that small business loans might help fishermen, but paying back the money could be daunting.

”When the government screws up and puts you out of business,” Newman said, “you don't really want to take out loans.”

The declaration appropriates $778,000 to guarantee loans from three financial development corporations.

Fishermen who can't otherwise get credit can qualify for up to $500,000 at between the prime interest rate to the prime interest rate plus 3 percent, according to information from the governor's office.

Schwarzenegger's news release and an April 6 letter to the U.S. commerce secretary put the action to restrict the fishery in April in part at the feet of water management and dams in the Klamath basin. Since 2002, there have been several major fish kills of both juvenile and adult fish, just some of the chronic problems in the river.

The emergency declaration comes on the same day that Assemblywoman Patty Berg and other state legislators of both parties pressed the governor's office for action.

”Your declaration of a disaster is the first step needed in pursuing a federal disaster declaration,” the group said in a letter, though it conceded that there was no guarantee of that.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, said getting the governor to make the declaration was an important step, but voiced concern about a faltering bipartisan effort to bring federal measures.

”The idea that we'll give these guys a loan doesn't make them whole,” Thompson said.

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