[env-trinity] County Seeks Disaster Dec

[Patrick Truman]

      Article Launched: 04/19/2006 04:18:27 AM PDT 

County seeks disaster declaration for Klamath Basin
      James Faulk The Times-Standard 

     
      EUREKA -- The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is pushing for a federal disaster declaration after the Pacific Fisheries Management Council proposed a dramatically curtailed commercial and sport salmon season that could cut deep into the pocket books of local businesses. 

      "This year is probably one of the most devastating reductions in harvest opportunity that we've ever seen," said 1st District Supervisor Jimmy Smith. 

      The board voted unanimously Tuesday to pass a resolution asking the U.S. Department of Commerce to expedite a disaster declaration and adopt a restoration plan for the Klamath Basin. 

      Smith thanked 5th District Supervisor Jill Geist for her work on developing long-term solutions to the problem, like the removal of dams from the river. 

      Dennis Mayo told the board that a method for anglers to identify where fish originate would be helpful. 

      Pat Higgins, fisheries biologist and candidate for 5th District supervisor, also thanked his opponent Geist for working on the removal of dams. But he also criticized the board for not being more fully engaged in the issue. 

      "Folks, this is crunch time," he said. 

      The state and federal governments are failing, he said, so the responsibility falls to the county. 

      "You have to have more engagement 

      than just writing a letter once in a while on this," he said. 

      Smith said the board is engaged, and described hours he's spent on the phone dealing with issues surrounding the Klamath and Trinity rivers. 

      Geist said that when she first took office, the county lacked the infrastructure and staff to deal with these issues appropriately, but a natural resources planner is being brought on board to help with water quality issues. 

      "The poor returns of salmon on the Klamath River in Northern California and Oregon is causing a near closure of the commercial and recreational salmon season along most of the Pacific Coast," said a county staff report. 

      Cutting back the year's season by more than 90 percent "will have an immediate and devastating impact on commercial, tribal and recreational fisheries," it reads. 

      The direct impact from the closures could be as high as $100 million. 
     
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