Tag Archives: Oregon fishing industry
Oregon Fishing Industry Fed Up With Agency ‘Ignoring’ Their Offshore Wind Concerns
The West Coast Seafood Processors Association, the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative and the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission claim their concerns about proposed offshore wind project call areas, areas where the agency is seeking public comment, and their impact on key fish populations due to the turbines’ electromagnetic field (EMF) cables, have been ignored by BOEM. They also worry about the impact offshore winds would have on their businesses and the entire state’s economy. “BOEM has told us that if Oregon doesn’t want this, they will back off and pursue other offshore wind areas, and we’ve made it pretty clear to them that Oregon doesn’t want this, and they’re still pushing forward,” Lori Steele, executive director of the seafood trade group West Coast Seafood Processors Association, told the DCNF. “They are giving us nothing but lip service,” she added. >click to read< 09:43
Coronavirus: Oregon fishing industry weathering the storm
For the people who fish, the distributors, and the restaurants, Gov. Brown’s stay-home order has been costly. “The hardest part about all of this is the uncertainty,” said commercial fisherman Mike Retherford. Normally, you’d find Retherford out on his boat the Winona J. But these days he’s spending a lot more time at his home in Newport sheltering in place. “If this goes on for too long you could see business down 40-50%,” he said. But what was looking really grim a couple weeks ago when crab prices dropped from about $7 a pound down to about $2 is now looking a bit better. The price of crab has rebounded as distributors find new ways to market. >click to read< 07:52
Despite average pay of between $50,000 and $150,000 a year, commercial fishing operations have trouble luring workers
John Corbin is the manager and partner at Buck & Ann Fisheries in Warrenton, where he’s worked for 29 years. The company operates three boats that fish black and pacific cod as well as shrimp. The company employs about 13 people. We spoke with Corbin — who is also chairman of the Oregon Crab Commission — about labor challenges in the fisheries industry. In December you spoke out about the labor shortage in the fisheries industry. Has there been any relief? No, there really hasn’t. In fact, the more people I talk to, it’s becoming more and more of an issue. >click to read<17:41
