Rep. Huffman Talks Crab Crisis

February 19, 2016

U.S. Congressman Jared Huffman came to Crescent City's Harbor District Thursday to discuss dredging the Federal Channel and the status of relief for the beleaguered crab industry.

Huffman didn't have good news for crab crew members. Huffman said federal relief for hourly workers doesn't offer much hope.

"The first wave of relief was the SBA loan program. In the next wave of relief there may be money for the hourly workers but I have no idea how much would be cash."

Disaster aid is a three-stage process, he said.

"First Governor Brown declares it a disaster, which he did. Now the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker has to agree, then Congress decides how much to appropriate," Huffman said. "Right now we are waiting for... Pritzker to agree. Congresswoman Jackie Speier and I are working on all those fronts."

Brown sent a letter to Pritzker last week asking her to declare a disaster, and a commercial fishery failure for the state's $90 million a year crab fishing industry. The delay has already cost the California economy more than $48 million, according to Brown.

In 2014, the Crescent City crab fishery alone, produced over 11 million pounds of Dungeness crab worth over $30 million dollars.

The disaster declaration includes a component that could bring relief to hourly workers but it is unlikely to happen even in the next year and it remains to be seen what Congress will appropriate to provide relief, Huffman said.

In an effort to provide some relief, and acting under its own authority, the Small Business Administration declared a disaster following a request received Jan. 27 from Brown's designated representative.

The SBA came to Crescent City at the beginning of February, offering working capital loans of up to $2 million at 4 percent interest for small businesses and 2.625 percent for private, non-profit organizations with terms up to 30 years.

Although the SBA loans may help some of the crab boat owners, and business owners that rely on the crab industry, it doesn't offer any help to the hourly workers, or anyone that can't afford to take on more debt, especially debt against a season that may never happen.

Others in the industry that depend on the crab season for their livelihoods are very frustrated with the lack of timely relief.

One local crab worker, Raymond Clayburn, shared his frustration.

"There's no help for the workers," Clayburn said during the February Del Norte County Board of Supervisors meeting and an interview after.

Clayburn says he's already burned through his unemployment, like the rest of his co-workers, and he's worried, and he's mad.

"Who's helping the hourly guys? And there are a lot of us. The company I work for can apply for a loan," Clayburn said. "The boat owners can apply for a loan - but what about me."

Clayburn went to speak to supervisors he said because, "they represent me. Deckhands can go to Alaska, boat owners can have different permits and fish out of state. They take the same taxes out of my check. Where is my help. I'd take a loan. I'd take help. But where is it?"

The Harbor district is planning a crab-industry fundraiser as a part of Tsunami Safe Days, March 19 - 25. Scott Feller, executive director of Rural Human Services, said he is working with the district helping to put the event together.

"There are a lot of ideas going around on how to put together a fundraiser but nothing has been nailed down yet," Feller said.

Dredging the Harbor

Harbormaster Charlie Helms said the Harbor is within its advertised depths and looking good. He said there was a slight discrepancy, according to Huffman, in when the Army Corps of Engineers was planning to begin the next round of dredging on Federal Channel, which runs from the entrance of the harbor to the marina at Citizens Dock.

Helms was under the impression the corps was scheduled to dredge the channel in 2017 but was told by Huffman the agency is backed up and it may not happen by then.

Helms said he will follow up on the situation and give a full report at the next Harbor District meeting in March.

The Harbor District also needs to figure out where to dump an estimated 60 to 80 cubic yards of dredged material filling up the Harbor's dredge-sludge settling pond.

Helms said the material is not toxic, and may be good for gardening, but other than that they just need to get rid of it.


Source: by David Anderson