Kudos for Clam Diggers
Fellow clam diggers and crabbers the Clam Diggers Association of Oregon proactive position on the NOAA project at Yaquina Bay has paid off for the members of the clam digging and crabbing community. Last Thursday morning I had the pleasure meeting with the Port of Newport manager Don Mann, Port Commissioner Dean Fleck, ODFW District Fish Biologist, Bob Buckman, Shellfish Project Manager Leslee Parr and members of her staff.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss mitigation for the loss of recreational opportunity and the mitigation for the loss of essential marine habitat as the result of the development of the NOAA Home Port facility in Yaquina Bay. Don Mann stated that the Port, ODFW and NOAA have modified the set backs of the exclusion zone around the NOAA facility to 50 feet and are considering a number of measures to mitigate the loss of recreational opportunity that include: construction of steps to access the tidal flats in the area underneath the Hwy 101 bridge and to the tidal flats adjacent to the Gas Plant road just east of town. In addition the construction of an improved gravel boat ramp between the Port Terminal and the Gas Plant for car top boats. The Port is also considering public access to the Port Terminals for recreational crabbing but permission for access is dependant on the cooperation with owner of the private portion of the terminal dock. Don Mann believes that the Port and the private owner will come to an agreement. ODFW and NOAA have developed a plan to mitigate the loss of essential marine habitat. Only time and the tides will tell if the plan is successful, but their plan looks promising.
We the Clam Diggers Association of Oregon congratulate the Port or Newport, ODFW and NOAA for considering the contribution that recreational clam digging and crabbing contribute to society in their decision to mitigate the loss of recreational opportunity in Yaquina Bay and to develop a plan to minimize the projects impact on essential marine habitat. Thanks for a job we done, Bill Lackner for the Clam Diggers Association of Oregon.
