Symposium and Learning Festival outline opportunities for Fort Bragg
FORT BRAGG, CA — On May 19 and 20, the City of Fort Bragg held the Blue Economy Symposium, with a Learning Festival taking place on May 21 and 22. During the symposium, attendees filled the town hall to listen to speakers discuss Fort Bragg’s future blue economy. The symposium was also live-streamed via Zoom, and locations such as the West Business Development Center held watch parties for the public to attend.
“How do we diversify industry while positioning a rural community for resilience through intensifying climate events?” Vice Mayor Jessica Morsell-Hayes asked during the opening ceremonies. “How do we build infrastructure to enable innovation, restoration, and adaptability while leveraging existing skillsets within our community?”
The speakers addressed these questions from a range of angles, from discussing the infrastructure of the harbor itself, the future of commercial fisheries and aquaculture, and the necessary education and job force training that will be needed.
Harbormaster Anne Neumann discussed the upcoming projects for the harbor, mainly focusing on the need for a fuel dock and an icehouse.
Without a proper fuel dock, the boats must go to the tidelands and call for a fuel truck. The fuel truck strings a line down to the boats to refuel. According to Neumann, she isn’t aware of any other marina in California that doesn’t have a fuel dock. A public icehouse is also needed for the fishers to keep their catch fresh.
During the fisheries panel, local commercial fishers agreed that usability concerning fuel and ice was a challenge. They also discussed other challenges, such as the kelp forest collapse in 2014. When the bull kelp disappeared, the urchin industry nearly collapsed, and the abalone industry disappeared. Most of the divers lost their jobs, and the other fisheries were hurt.
The fishers also discussed permitting, a common theme of nearly every speaker’s discussion. Entry-level fishers, in particular, struggle with getting the necessary permits. However, long wait times for permits don’t just impact the fishers. From San Diego to Humboldt Bay, with nearly every industry, getting the required permits takes more money and time than most businesses have.
For example, Paula Sylvia, the aquaculture and blue technology program manager for the Port of San Diego, discussed the restorative Olympia oysters project. This particular project took seven years to permit; most companies starting into aquaculture don’t have that much time.
Conservation and commercial aquaculture were also discussed, ranging from kelp to oysters to purple urchins. While permitting is one of the most significant hurdles, some aquaculture industries, such as abalone, have also been hit with diseases.
While there are hurdles to growing Fort Bragg’s blue economy, there are also opportunities. Congressman Jared Huffman discussed his administration was able to allocate $2.5 million to the Greater Farallones Kelp Restoration Program.
He also discussed his work pushing for a $300 million special initiative for the blue economy in a reauthorization bill for the US Economic Development Administration. According to Huffman, the blue economy contributes $373 billion to the nation’s economy.
The symposium also discussed how education and job force training would play into the blue economy. Shauna Oh, the California Sea Grant job force training director, discussed the California commercial fishing apprenticeship program launched in 2020. This program gets entry-level fishers into the industry, where they work as they learn. This also makes navigating the complex permitting process more accessible as well.
After the symposium, there was a reception at the Guest House Museum, where abalone and oysters were served. The Learning Festival, held on May 21 and 22, had a variety of activities throughout the town that focused on different ocean-related themes.
By: MEGAN WUTZKE
Source: Fort Bragg News Advocate
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