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Portland Fish Exchange Welcomes 'Fishing for Energy' Partnership

Posted on: Friday, 19 June 2009, 09:39 CDT

Innovative fishing gear disposal program hosts inaugural event in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine, June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 harbor 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."

The Fishing for Energy partnership thrives on immense cooperation between local organizations and fishermen to collect or retrieve derelict fishing gear and dispose of it properly in the cost-free Covanta collection bin. In Portland, the agencies, local organizations and fishermen groups making the cleanup effort possible are the City of Portland and the Maine Coastal Program. These groups have worked collaboratively with the partnership to implement the disposal of the collected gear at Portland Fish Pier in the hopes of reducing any financial and environmental burdens that may be realized by the need to dispose of this gear.

"Marine debris is a significant problem for our coastal waters, affecting commercial fisherman and fishing companies, as well as marine wildlife habitats," said Colin Kelly, of Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. "On behalf of Schnitzer Steel, NOAA, Covanta Energy, and NFWF, we are all pleased to be partnering with the marine community of Maine to work towards the disposal of this gear as a source of energy to power the region's homes and businesses. We as a leader in the recycling business look for opportunities like this program while always believing our strength and success are directly related to our focus on sustainability."

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. For more information on the partnership visit: www.nfwf.org/fishingforenergy.

About the Portland Fish Exchange

The Portland Fish Exchange is America's first all-display fresh seafood auction. A non-profit organization owned by the City of Portland, the Exchange opened in 1986. The Exchange is managed by a Board of Directors representing seafood buyers and sellers, and City residents and government leaders. The Exchange supports Maine's seafood industry by providing buyers and sellers with impartial grading and weighing services to the commercial fishing industry, and advocating for sustainable fisheries and Maine's seafood industry at the state, regional, and federal levels.

About Covanta

Covanta Energy is an internationally recognized owner and operator of large-scale Energy-from-Waste and renewable energy projects and a recipient of the Energy Innovator Award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Covanta's 38 Energy-from-Waste facilities provide communities with an environmentally sound solution to their solid waste disposal needs by using that municipal solid waste to generate clean, renewable energy. Annually, Covanta's modern Energy-from-Waste facilities safely and securely convert more than 17 million tons of waste into more than 8 million megawatt hours of clean renewable electricity and create 10 billion pounds of steam that are sold to a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.covantaenergy.com.

About National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the Nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded nearly 9,500 grants to over 3,000 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged -- with its partners -- more than $400 million in federal funds into more than $1.3 billion for on-the-ground conservation. For more information, visit www.nfwf.org.

About NOAA

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program, housed within the Office of Response & Restoration, coordinates, strengthens, and increases the visibility of marine debris issues and efforts within the agency, its partners, and the public. The program supports activities at both a national and international level focused on identifying, reducing and preventing debris from entering the marine environment. NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) protects coastal and marine resources, mitigates threats, reduces harm, and restores ecological function. The Office provides comprehensive solutions to environmental hazards caused by oil, chemicals, and marine debris. For more information, visit: www.noaa.gov.

About Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.

Schnitzer Steel, Inc. was founded in 1906 as a one-man scrap recovery operation and has evolved into one of the country's leading providers of used and recycled auto parts and a manufacturer of finished steel products. Our strength and success is directly related to our focus on sustainability. All of our businesses are constantly working on reducing our environmental footprint. Over the years, we've improved our processes and controls, invested capital to increase our efficiency and decrease our energy use, and fostered a culture of resourcefulness and accountability. We've worked hard over the years to integrate that focus into every layer of our culture. Recycling metal instead of using virgin ore to create new steel products saves energy and natural resources. www.schnitzersteel.com

SOURCE Fishing for Energy

Source: PR Newswire

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