Fishing for Energy initiative, a program providing commercial fishermen a cost-free way to recycle old and unusable fishing gear, has expanded its scope to include the Oregon port of Astoria.
Fishing for Energy, a partnership between Covanta Energy, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program, and Schnitzer Steel Industries, has been designed to provide fishermen a cost-free way to recycle old fishing gear.
The partnership includes the installation of the collection bins for old, abandoned or lost fishing gear from area commercial fishermen at the Boat Yard location and at Tongue’s Point in Astoria and also at Hammond, making it easy for fishermen to participate in the recycling program.
Astoria will collect the gear at the port and send them to be stripped of metals for recycling with the help of Schnitzer Steel and processed into renewable energy at the Covanta Marion Facility in Brooks, Oregon.
Fishing for Energy initiative will address marine environmental issue by enabling excess removal of gear out of the marine environment into the collection bins at the port, reducing the financial burden on the fishermen towards disposal and subsequent reduction of gears in the US coastal waters.
Schnitzler Steel regional director Jamie Wilson said that Schnitzer Steel is proud to be able to contribute to the Fishing for Energy partnership as the company believes that it is its responsibility to pitch in where it can to improve the natural environment.