More than 200 people attended this May 10th rally representing interests across the seafood industry – from harvesters and processors, to supply companies, scientists, and consumers. The message was unified: offshore wind development should not displace commercial fishing.
The Commercial Fishing Users Group (CFUG) believes it is important for the Port of Newport to consider taking a position to prioritize current ocean users and stakeholders over offshore wind development companies as the process moves forward. The process begins with a discussion about offshore wind and its impacts.
For those in the world of commercial fishing, sustainability is an ever-present part of the thought process when selecting new gear, targeting certain fishing grounds, and making decisions about the future of these multi-generational businesses. After all, without sustainability, future generations won’t have a fishing business to take over.
Even without floating offshore wind farms, the ocean off Oregon is an obstacle course, not an open grassy plain. As the harvesters of healthy seafood for the nation who simultaneously support thousands of Oregon jobs both onshore and on the water, the concerns of the fishing industry regarding offshore energy development must be acknowledged and minimized.
Today’s trawl cod catcher vessel boat owners and the captains and crew are forward thinking, they are technologically savvy, they care deeply for our natural resources and minimizing incidental catch. The Council process worked exactly as it was intended, resulting in a responsible federal fisheries management action that we can all be proud of.
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On March 4, I had the opportunity to provide testimony to the Pacific Fishery Management Council and wanted to share that with those who are interested in our work at MTC.
There’s a special group of fishermen who reside in Oregon but who spend part of their year fishing the waters off Alaska.