After many months of planning, the F/V Western was removed from Coos Bay on December 21, 2016. The work to remove the vessel occurred over the last two weeks by Billeter Marine. The Western, a 70 foot long, 78 gross ton wood-hulled fishing vessel built in 1934, sank near the Empire boat ramp in January, 2015. In August, the Oregon State Marine Board was awarded a $55,000 grant from the NOAA Marine Debris Program. The project, titled, “A partnership for the removal and prevention of abandoned and derelict fishing vessels along the Oregon Coast,” includes $17,500 matching cash from the Marine Board and $22,500 from the Department of State Lands, as well as in-kind services from Oregon SeaGrant, and staff from the coastal public ports and marinas. Billeter Marine successfully lifted the F/V Western from the water and disposed of the vessel through approved methods on land. The Marine Board will be seeking reimbursement from the owner for the disposal costs. Abandoned and derelict vessels are a growing concern on the Oregon coast and the Marine Board convened an Abandoned and Derelict Commercial Vessel Task Force with participation from Oregon coastal ports, law enforcement, commercial vessel owners, and other stakeholders to address key issues. A majority of coastal ports struggle with commercial fishing vessels that are no longer in use and have not been maintained for seaworthiness, left abandoned or in derelict condition. The end result of the task force’s work is to issue a report that quantifies the scope of problem, identifies barriers to removing and recycling derelict/abandoned boats, recommends potential incentives, and proposes funding mechanisms for future removal efforts. The task force’s next meeting is tentatively scheduled for January 20, 2017, in Tillamook. The NOAA Marine Debris Program’s “Community-based Marine Debris Removal” federal funding program provides funding to support locally-driven, marine debris assessment and removal projects that benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and NOAA trust resources. Projects awarded through this grant competition implement on-the-ground marine debris removal activities, with priority for those targeting medium- to large-scale debris, including derelict fishing gear and abandoned and derelict vessels.
