New website up and running.
The Ocean Companies, including Ocean Gold Seafoods, Ocean Protein, Ocean Cold and Ocean Express, have united behind a common focus: Keep Grays Harbor Fishing. The new campaign launched August 2nd with the website: www.keepgraysharborfishing.com.
Each company represents different areas of the fishing industry that directly affect the local economy of Grays Harbor Couty and they want to ensure the community, its leaders, and other area businesses recognize how critical fishing is to our region.
“While a lot of people recognize Westport for its fishing history,” said Dennis Rydman, president of Ocean Gold and longtime participant in the fishery, “The details of just how significant fishing is not only to Westport but to our entire county often surprises people.”
Westport is one of the largest ports for edible landed catch in the country, and it is the largest for Pacific whiting on the entire west coast. Commercial chart and recreational fishermen call Westport their homeport, many of whom live throughout the county outside of the fishing season.
In an independent economic study conducted by DeSCo www.descosolutions.com) in 2008, the combined economic impact of Ocean Gold and Ocean Protein was calculated to provide more than $20 million in total value-added gains. Since then, both Ocean Cold and Ocean Express have launched, giving the companies and the fishing industry an even deeper and more integrated connection to the local economy and its coastal community heritage.
As part of the company’s mission to Keep Grays Harbor Fishing, it has highlighted three areas of focus: Good Jobs; Clean Oceans; and Strong Communities.
The Ocean Companies integration with processing, cold storage and transportation has built new opportunities for local workers making it their second largest employer in the county during the fishing season.
In mid-July, the company co-sponsored a beach cleanup and barbecue with Washington State Parks and CoastSavers. It’s looking to doing similar projects in the future. It is also looking at experimental gear to reduce at-sea waste and is finding new partnerships with a host of environmental, educational and community groups.
The company has always been active in community events, whether it’s providing crab or fish for fundraisers or supporting library expansions and community events. The Ocean Companies look to expand those efforts with new plans to work with local schools nd other groups to help spread the word on the importance of fishing to our region and our legacy of pioneering sustainable practices in our own back yard.
“These are not new areas of interest for us,” said Rydman. “We are simply taking a public stance now on just how critical jobs, sustainability and community are to us and to our mission to Keep Grays Harbor Fishing. Our region’s connection to fishing is something we should all be proud of and we should al be able to unite around in the future,” he said.
The community is welcome to also find Keep Grays Harbor Fishing on Twitter @KeepGHfishing) and on Facebook facebook.com/keepgraysharborfishing.
The organization is open to hearing all ideas for how we can work together as an industry and community and can be contacted with suggestions as info@oceancos.com.
