Tony Zentgraf
Exploring the Source with Port Orford Sustainable Seafood
I was introduced to Aaron of Port Orford Sustainable Seafood through Positively Groundfish. I have wanted to do an Exploring the Source Interview with Port Orford Sustainable Seafood for some time.
An Industry Connection
Positively Groundfish, an industry group that supports the groundfish industry’s long term economic success. Through government studies conducted before 2002, it was determined that several of the 90 species of groundfish were being overfished. Port Orford fishermen along with the groundfishing industry up and down the west coast were faced with potential government closures of fishing areas. Mandates were coming for marine reserves that could drastically affect the long term economy of the groundfish industry.
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Learn about what is unique about Port Orford
Recipes with Fish from Port Orford Sustainable Seafood
Seared Lingcod with Citrus Infused Compound Butter
Seared Halibut with Crab & Coconut Red Curry Sauce
Taking the Bull by the Horns
The forty or so fishermen of Port Orford came together and formed Port Orford Ocean Resource Team. Fishermen took the bull by the horns, working to get ahead of the government research.
They began by pulling out maps, debated on what would be the best areas to identify that would meet the criteria for a marine reserve. This was unheard of at the time for fishermen to want to create a marine reserve. They viewed this as a way to have a bank account of fish that would mature and become available catches in the future.
Port Orford Ocean Resource Team and Oregon State University collected data that identified a region that should be turned into a marine reserve. A few miles south of Port Orford, now known as Redfish Rocks, is a breeding and habitat area for groundfish and other species of fish, urchins and starfish.
Port Orford Sustainable Seafood Interview
with Aaron Longton and Kean Fleming & their newest addition: The Galley
Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve was established in 2012 and restricts fishing and harvesting within the designated 2.6 square miles. As a result, the marine reserve restricts fishing of any kind for recreation as well as commercial fishermen.
Along with the marine reserve, there was a Marine Protected Area added that extends out to sea another 5.1 square miles. This area allows crabbing and trolling for salmon but no other fishing.
This marine reserve protects the vertical ‘Haystacks’ or pinnacles that reach up from the ocean floor. Many fish, especially young groundfish, use this area for protection or breeding purposes. Some species need the vertical columns or even the underneath of a section of rock to adhere for breeding.
Establishing Port Orford Sustainable Seafood
Port Orford Ocean Resource Team was dissolved after almost 20 years of service to the fishing community. Port Orford Sustainable Seafood was created as a way to potentially mitigate any loss that would be expected from the 7 square mile reduction of their potential fishing grounds.
Before P.O.S.S was created, most all fish brought to port were sold to the commercial buyers. Fish sold to buyers did not have a name of face attached to it.
Now, each package of fish that is sold by Port Orford Sustainable Seafood has the name of the captain and boat to identify who caught it.
Sustainably Caught and Quality Processing
Port Orford Sustainable Seafood prides themselves on buying as much local caught seafood from the fishermen of Port Orford. Fish is brought to their processing facility; the fish is iced overnight to firm up the flesh.
Over the next day they process and portion the fish. The fish gets cryovaced into predetermined weights and then flash frozen to -30°. The packaged portions get moved to a -10° freezer where they hold the fish after being flash frozen. The portioned and packaged fish are then put into their online inventory for their members to purchase the fish.
Community Supported Fishery
Their (Community Supported Fishery) CSF Members purchase shares online. The customer places an order in the portal on the P.O.S.S. website called ‘The Dock’. Once a month the customer’s orders are delivered frozen to local pickup locations around the state.
Many of the pickup locations are at businesses. There is a mutual benefit for both P.O.S.S. and the pickup location. Both businesses potentially get sales as the customer can shop while they pick up their fish. For more info on the CSF Program and how it works, visit Port Orford Sustainable Seafood at the link below.
Port Orford, Oregon is the westernmost incorporated city in the continental United States. This gives the forty or so fishermen who dock there a bit of advantage when targeting certain fish. Port Orford is closer to the edge of the continental shelf than other ports in Oregon. Because of this, it allows the fishermen to work as day boats, going out to fish for groundfish. When tuna season and halibut season come around they may spend two to three days at sea. Mostly they are day boats and come home to their families at the end of the day.
Port Orford’s Unique Dock
When you think of a port, you generally think of docks along a waterfront with boats lined up in the water. Port Orford doesn’t have a traditional docking system. They have what some affectionately call the ‘hook’.
‘Dolly Dock’ – One of Two in the Country
Port Orford is home to one of two ‘Dolly Docks’ in the United States and one of only six in the world. The harbor is too shallow for safe mooring of a traditional dock. The port hoists the boats out of the harbor onto custom or homemade trailers. The boats are drydocked, lined up side by side awaiting their next hoist for the next fishing trip.
Click below for more information on the organizations mentioned –
Port Orford Sustainable Seafood
