Coos County commissioners send letter opposing additional Dungeness crab restrictions; fishing families urge caution
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Summary
The Coos County Board of Commissioners voted to sign and submit a letter opposing a petition before the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that would add regulatory requirements to the Dungeness crab fishery. Local fishers told commissioners the proposal could destabilize small operators and urged the county to press the state commission for full economic review.
The Coos County Board of Commissioners voted to send a letter to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife opposing a petition filed by several conservation organizations seeking additional restrictions on the Oregon Dungeness crab fishery.
Commissioner (unnamed on the record) introduced the late agenda item and said the petition — from the Center for Biological Diversity, Oceana, NRDC and the American Cetacean Society — would impose more rules before recently adopted whale-entanglement measures have been evaluated. The commissioner said the board would submit a formal opposition letter and planned to be represented at the state hearing.
Carrie Silva, co-owner of the fishing vessel Jeanette Marie of Charleston, told the commissioners the petition would create uncertainty for multigenerational fishing families who have already invested to comply with existing rules. “The petition proposes additional regulatory requirements for the Oregon Dungeness crab fishery before recently adopted whale entanglement risk measures have had time to be evaluated,” Silva said, adding that the fishery supports processors, fuel docks and small businesses across the county.
County staff and commissioners described potential local economic effects, with one commissioner saying the proposal could force about one-third of Oregon’s crabbing fleet out of business because of retooling costs. The board noted a public hearing scheduled in Springfield and encouraged local participation at that meeting.
The board’s letter opposes the petition and asks the state commission to consider the potential economic harm to small operators and working waterfronts before imposing additional regulations. The board formalized and approved the letter during the meeting and will transmit it to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission ahead of the scheduled hearing.
Next steps: the petition will be heard at a public meeting in Springfield at 8 a.m.; county officials and affected fishers said they plan to attend and testify.
