A federal judge in Oregon has placed a restraining order on Pacific Seafood Group’s attempt to purchase Ocean Gold Seafoods in Westport, WA. Judge Owen Panner’s decision was reached Jan. 23, following a telephone conference call between attorneys for the Clackamas-based processor and commercial fishermen who filed the lawsuit. A hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 9, when the judge will determine whether or not to place a preliminary injunction against Pacific Seafood until a trial is held. Ocean Gold is a large processing facility that hires up to 400 employees during the peak seasons. It processes Dungeness crab, sardines, Pacific whiting, and tuna. Pacific Seafood has 38 locations from Alaska to Texas, including eight in Oregon. Seafood processing plants along the Oregon Coast are located in Brookings, Coos Bay, Newport, Garibaldi, Bay City, and Warrenton.
