Fishermen's Appreciation And Crab Recycling

Local commercial fishermen and their families can enjoy a free breakfast and barbecue Friday, Nov. 6, while also connecting with health, safety and business resources at the annual Newport Fishermen’s Wives Appreciation Day. There will also be an opportunity to recyle crab fishing line at England Marine on Friday November 6th and 7th.

The day begins with breakfast at 9 a.m., including biscuits and gravy, doughnuts and coffee. A barbecue hosted by the Port of Newport is planned for noon, with burgers and hot dogs. Fishermen who attend can also receive free T-shirts.

The event has grown in recent years to include community services and information for fishing families. Offerings include survival-suit testing with Oregon Sea Grant, vessel-inspection guidance from the U.S. Coast Guard, blood-pressure checks, flu vaccinations, business advice and recovery resources. Free children’s books and life jackets designed for fishermen will also be available.

Carrie Brandburg with the Oregon Crab Association and Newport Fishermen’s Wives, said the event is timed for when fishermen are preparing their gear for crab season. She said the organization has continued adding resources because fishermen use them, and because the gathering can introduce people to services they might not otherwise know about.

Safety gear checks and life jackets

The life jackets offered through the program are working vests developed with fishermen’s input. They are intended to provide added flotation protection while fishermen work, in case an emergency happens before they have time to put on a survival suit or another personal flotation device.

Carrie noted that the vests are not necessarily Coast Guard-approved life jackets, and described them as an additional safety measure—not a replacement for required safety equipment. These jackets are smaller and lighter and help the fishermen to be safe while doing their work on the boat that may be difficult with regular cumbersome life jackets.

The event will also offer survival-suit testing. Oregon Sea Grant uses an air-inflation device to check suits for leaks, which may be difficult to detect otherwise. Carrie said every person aboard must have a survival suit under Coast Guard requirements, making it important to check that suits are in serviceable condition ahead of crab season.

Crab-line recycling drive

Fishermen can also bring survival suits for testing to check for leaks before the upcoming crab season. Newport Fishermen’s Wives said its work is supported largely through community donations, along with some county and state grants.

A crab-line recycling drive, called “Clean Oceans, Clean Communities,” will take place Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6–7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at England Marine near Port Dock Seven. The effort is being organized with the Oregon Coast Crab Association and Net Your Problem.

The drive will accept crab-style line, including coiled blue steel, floating and sinking line. Organizers say the project is intended to keep discarded line out of landfills by sorting it for reuse in products such as fuel. The effort comes as Oregon crabbers prepare to switch to yellow-and-black line under new rules, a change expected to leave old line to dispose of.

Community members are welcome to volunteer to help sort line.