Fishing for Energy is hooking up the City of Portland to facilitate the disposal of unusable fishing gear from the area''s fishermen serviced by the Portland Fish Exchange.
Portland is the first fishing community in Maine to partner with Fishing for Energy, an innovative partnership that provides a no-cost solution for fishermen to dispose of old fishing gear which is then turned into energy. A bin has been placed at 6 Portland Fish Pier and will provide a cost-free method for fishing gear to be collected and subsequently converted into clean, renewable energy at a Covanta Energy-from-Waste facility.
The Fishing for Energy partnership is an initiative between Covanta Energy (Covanta), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, and Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. It provides a cost-free solution for fishermen to dispose of old, derelict or unusable fishing gear. Fishing equipment, if it becomes derelict, can threaten marine life, impair navigational safety, and have serious economic repercussions on shipping enterprises and, most importantly, coastal communities. The program has collected more than 180 tons of old fishing gear since launching in 2008, a significant portion of which has been retrieved, in some areas, directly from the marine environment by helpful fishermen.
"Improving the environment of our harbour and sea coast is a critical priority for the city and in keeping with our sustainability objectives," said Mayor Jill Duson. "This project is an excellent example of how the city, state, and federal government can successfully partner with local industry to reach common goals - improve the environment, reduce energy dependency and support the local economy."
In 2009, the Fishing for Energy partnership will expand to work with ports on both the east and west coasts of the United States, hosting a series of launch events which aim to promote retired or derelict fishing gear collection through community education and outreach, and will promote this through a small grants program later in the year.
