The Ocean Companies, including the four independent business units of Ocean Gold Seafoods, Ocean Protein, Ocean Cold and Ocean Express, recently joined forces with the Washington CoastSavers to explore ways to better support community understanding of our coastal resources and the impact of marine debris to our environment.
The seafood company first collaborated with the CoastSavers when they co-sponsored the July 10 beach cleanup with Twin Harbor State Parks. Since then, the two groups have met to discuss how their shared interest in coastal resource management, sustainable fishing and community education might be better served as a partnership.
“The fishing industry has a great deal of experience as stewards of the sea,” says Dennis Rydman, president of Ocean Gold Seafoods. “It is in our own best interest to ensure that we take care of the ocean today so that have a livelihood tomorrow. Partnering with a group like the Washington CoastSavers improves our ability to make a bigger impact on one of our core business focuses, Clean Oceans.”
The Washington CoastSavers program is organized by a broad spectrum of nonprofits, community groups, corporations, and public agencies working together as members of the Washington Clean Coast Alliance. The Washington Clean Coast Alliance is steered by an informal committee of representatives from the Clallam Bay-Sekiu Lions Club, Discover Your Northwest, Grass Roots Garbage Gang, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Olympic National Park, Surfrider Foundation, and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
“It is the diversity of our group that makes us strong,” explained David Lindau, Associate Director of CoastSavers. “We all share the common goal of clean oceans and the different perspectives, experiences and skills we each bring to the table allow us to approach that goal most effectively.”
“We see marine debris as an especially serious threat,” added Rydman. “It kills our coastal marine life and poses a deadly challenge to our very livelihood. By joining forces with the CoastSavers program, we hope to increase awareness of this threat and get more people actively involved not only in stewarding our coastal environment but in growing their understanding of the proactive role commercial fishing has already played in improving coastal resource management.”
In addition to the beach clean up collaborations, other programs are currently under development with both the organization and other partners within the CoastSaver network. The two groups aim to build a task force committed to growing community outreach and education opportunities in the near future.
