NEWS RELEASE

San Luis Obispo, CA, July 7, 2006 – In response to a request by the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator David Edge, Governor Schwarzenegger added San Luis Obispo County to a proclamation of a State of Emergency due to the impact of the federal government's severe restrictions on salmon fishing along the coasts of California and Oregon.

Local fishermen are suffering severe economic losses, as are fishermen throughout the State due to these restrictions. On June 29, Schwarzeneggar added San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties to the previous list of ten counties included in a June 6 proclamation of a State of Emergency due to the impact of the restrictions. The Governor’s proclamation included direction to activate the Small Business Disaster Assistance Loan Guarantee Program to guarantee loans to prevent business insolvencies and loss of employment.

In addition to the Governor’s proclamation, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez declared on July 6 that a fishery resource disaster exists as a result of the salmon restrictions and related issues. This declaration is a major step toward providing critical federal assistance to the salmon industry in California.

County Office of Emergency Services Coordinator Ron Alsop noted that the impact of the restrictions affects not only salmon fishermen and their families, but also individuals and businesses that rely on providing support services to the fishing fleet.

Additional information can be found on the County OES Web site at http://www.slocountyoes.com

Editor’s Note: Information on the Department of Commerce disaster declaration can be found at http://www.osec.doc.gov; once there, click on their “Newsroom” link for the announcement "Gutierrez Announces Klamath River 'Fishery Resource Disaster,' Immediate Steps to Help Fishing Communities”, dated July 6, 2006. At the bottom of that announcement is a link to the actual declaration document.

A direct link to the Governor’s July 6 news release, comments, and related information can be found on the County OES Web site at http://www.slocountyoes.com