Members of the West Coast Seafood Processors Association (WCSPA) have joined with fishermen, the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in an effort to make Oregon's ocean waters a little cleaner and safer for Dungeness crab and other marine species.

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was signed into law earlier this year, NOAA has granted nearly $700,000 to ODFW and industry partners to remove derelict crab gear from the ocean. Crab pots often are lost during fierce winter storms that are all too common during crab fishing season. The project will employ crab fishermen to remove the pots from the ocean bottom and bring them to processing plants where they will be unloaded and stored before disposal.

"We are all partners in providing healthy seafood from Oregon's ocean waters to consumers throughout the United States and we all need to work together to keep our waters clean," said Rod Moore, Executive Director of WCSPA. "This project demonstrates how cooperation between the seafood industry and our government is good for the environment and good for our economy."

WCSPA was one of several groups that encouraged ODFW to seek recovery funds from NOAA for this project. Four WCSPA member companies - Hallmark Fisheries in Charleston, Pacific Shrimp in Newport, Bandon Pacific in Charleston, and Bornstein Seafoods in Astoria - have volunteered their dock space and personnel for the project.

"Pacific Seafood is committed to the environment," said Dave Wright, General Manager of Pacific Shrimp and Bandon Pacific, two plants operated under the Pacific Seafood Group umbrella, which is headquartered in Clackamas. "We're heavily involved in the annual beach cleanup and are proud to help sponsor the derelict crab pot cleanup."

"The crab fleet appreciates the participation of their processor partners on this project," said Nick Furman, Executive Director of the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission. "We hope this will be the catalyst for an annual industry-driven clean-up effort that not only solves a problem, but demonstrates good stewardship of our ocean resources."

The grant was formally celebrated today at a ceremony on Pacific Shrimp's dock in Newport, Oregon, attended by industry members and state and federal officials including Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce and Administrator of NOAA.

For more info: Rod Moore, Executive Director, WCSPA: 503.227.5076
Nick Furman, Executive Director, ODCC: 541.267.5810