The Democratic Speaker of the Democratic CA Assembly is
stonewalling a disaster relief bill that would send millions of dollars in
no-interest loans and grants to commercial salmon fishermen who are at
risk of losing their livelihoods due to government mismanagement of the
Klamath River.
NEWS RELEASE from the
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations
PO Box 29370, San Francisco, CA 94129-0370
Tel: (415) 561-5080 Fax: (415) 561-5464
Distribution: All Media Press Release: 3-06
Contact: Zeke Grader (415) 561-5080 Release Date: 31 August 2006
Cell: (415) 606-5140
Dave Bitts: (707) 498-3512
Salmon Disaster Relief Bill in Danger of Sinking
During Final Hours of Legislative Session
San Francisco, August 31 - Legislation aimed at providing some state aide
to California’s beleaguered salmon fishing families and their dependent
communities and businesses, is in danger of sinking in the final hours of
this year’s California legislative session
A relief package, similar to one put in place earlier this year by Oregon,
had been crafted by the Governor and a bi-partisan group of legislators
but has run afoul of the Assembly Speaker’s office that has refused to
grant the legislation a hearing or let any funds for salmon disaster
relief off the Assembly floor.
“The salmon fishery along the West Coast is reeling from the devastating
closures that were imposed due to massive fish die-offs that have occurred
in the Klamath River since 2002,” said Zeke Grader, Executive Director
of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. “The fish
kills were not the fault of fishermen, but the federal government’s
response was to severely restrict fishing along the West Coast resulting
in a loss of 90 percent or more of salmon fishermen’s income.”
In response to the restrictions placed on the fishery last year and the
even more severe restrictions placed on commercial and tribal fishermen
this year, the governors of California and Oregon declared their states’
fisheries a disaster. The U.S. Secretary of Commerce subsequently declared
a fishery failure for West Coast salmon that may help to open up some
forms of badly-needed federal financial help for fishermen.
Working with the Governor’s office, a bill was crafted, SB 1127,
sponsored by Senators Wes Chesbro (D-Arcata), Sam Aanestad (R-Grass
Valley) and Assemblymember Patty Berg (D-Eureka), to provide approximately
$25 million in loans and grants to help fishing families and businesses.
The measure had broad bi-partisan support and included many coastal
co-authors. A problem with one of the bill’s funding sources, the
Boating & Waterways revolving loan fund account, was resolved when a
transfer of monies from that fund was dropped and there was no known
opposition to the relief package.
Although the state funds are seen as just part of an overall package aimed
at financially assisting fishing communities and fixing the fish problems
in the Klamath that are the root cause of the disaster, they are
considered important said Grader.
“It will be hard to argue for the millions we need in federal assistance
for the West Coast if California does nothing,” said Grader. “Oregon
has put up state funds and now it’s California’s turn.”
At stake, says the fishing association, are the boats, the homes, and the
futures of hundreds of fishermen who have worked long and hard to rebuild
salmon stocks. Fishermen and legislative leaders are expressing anger and
frustration over the actions of the Department of Commerce and its
National Marine Fisheries Service in causing the Klamath fish disaster in
the first place and then failing to acknowledge the problem for more than
two years. Now some of that anger is being voiced against the Speaker and
his staff for their insensitivity on the issue.
“I can’t believe a Democratic leader of a Democratic-led legislature
would turn his back on a whole class of working people and basically
abandon them to die,” said Eureka fisherman Dave Bitts. “Disaster
relief is a bi-partisan cause, involving two governors from different
parties and legislators from both sides of the aisle. For the Speaker to
try to blame the Governor for the failure to get this much needed relief
passed stinks of the kind of partisan bickering and gamesmanship that has
the whole state disgusted with Sacramento and everyone in the town.”
Grader said he was still hopeful the Speaker would agree to a disaster
package, but said “hopes are dimming with every hour that goes by as we
wind down the Legislative session this evening.”
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