Innovative program to recycle and dispose of old fishing gear expands with
first permanent collection site on Long Island
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Fishing for Energy has caught on in
New York. Southampton will be the latest port community in the northeast to
participate in the innovative partnership that provides a cost-free solution
for fishermen to dispose of old fishing gear that is then processed into
clean, renewable energy - in this case, at Covanta Hempstead, an
Energy-from-Waste facility located in Westbury.
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., the Fishing for
Energy partnership will place collection bins at the Town of Southampton's
Shinnecock Commercial Fishing Dock to collect old, abandoned or lost fishing
gear. The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County Marine Program
(Cornell) is also partnering with the program, resulting in a diverse,
community-focused partnership aimed at reducing the burden of fishing gear
disposal on area fishermen. Abandoned or lost fishing equipment can threaten
marine life, impact navigational safety, and have economic repercussions on
fishing and shipping enterprises and, most importantly, coastal communities.
"In its short life, the Fishing for Energy program is proving to be of great
value to 17 of our nation's busiest commercial fishing ports," said Jeff
Trandahl, executive director of National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "We
have been impressed with how our local port partners have invited the program
into their communities and made it a success. The fact that over 200 tons of
gear has been collected so far shows the interest in dealing with marine
debris and the need for this important partnership."
The Fishing for Energy partnership will kick off the marine debris collection
program with a dock-wide cleanup of old fishing gear and a launch ceremony on
Friday, November 13 at the Shinnecock Commercial Dock, Dune Road, Hampton
Bays, NY beginning at 1:00 p.m.
"The Town of Southampton is very grateful for the opportunity to participate
in this program," said Allyn F. Jackson, Southampton Superintendent of Parks
and Recreation. "Reducing marine debris in our coastal waters and providing
free disposal of old gear will greatly benefit the Shinnecock Commercial
Dock."
The partnership depends on extensive cooperation between local organizations
and the fishing community. In Southampton, the Town, Cornell and the Parks and
Recreation Department collaborated with the partnership to raise awareness
within the Long Island fishing community of the new no-cost disposal option
and to place a convenient collection bin at the Shinnecock dock. Because
disposal is free and the collection bin will remain in place permanently, it's
easy for fisherman and ports to participate, significantly increasing the
likelihood that derelict gear does not end up in the marine environment.
"Covanta is proud to help expand Fishing for Energy to a community with such a
strong fishing history and we are grateful to our partners on Long Island who
have joined with us to address the harmful effects of derelict fishing gear
and marine debris," said John G. Waffenschmidt, Vice President of
Environmental Science & Community Affairs for Covanta Energy. "This
partnership is a true example of what can be done when public and private
entities come together to solve an environmental issue."
Since launching in 2008, the Fishing for Energy partnership has reeled in more
than 200 tons of old fishing gear, a portion of which has been retrieved
directly from the ocean by fishermen. This year the partnership has expanded
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. For more
information on the partnership visit: www.nfwf.org/fishingforenergy.
About Cornell Cooperative Extension
Our waters are an integral part of life for us, making Long Island a desirable
place to live. The Marine Program, which became part of CCE in 1985, is known
and respected nationally and internationally. Its mission is to protect our
waters, providing a clean environment for our fish, fowl and plants.
Our researchers and educators are busy working to inform Long Islanders how we
can each do our part to safeguard our environment. Projects have been
designed to bring back our eelgrasses and once thriving shell fish
populations, provide public education about environmental consequences of
storm water runoff, conduct cooperative research with the commercial fishing
industry and introduce our young people to marine sciences and marine life on
Long Island.
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 44 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 approximately 20 million tons of waste
into more than 9 million megawatt hours of clean renewable electricity and
create over 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 Industries, Inc. is one of the largest manufacturers and
exporters of recycled ferrous metal products in the United States.
Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Schnitzer Steel operates 42 facilities in
13 states, including seven export facilities on both the East and West coasts,
as well as in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The company's vertically integrated
operating platform also includes its auto parts and steel manufacturing
businesses. The auto parts business sells used auto parts through its 38
self-service facilities and 18 full-service facilities located in 16 states
and western Canada. With an annual production capacity of nearly 800,000
tons, Schnitzer's steel manufacturing business produces finished steel
products, including rebar, wire rod and other specialty products. Schnitzer
Steel Industries commenced its 103rd year of operations in 2009.
SOURCE Fishing for Energy
Media, James Regan, Covanta Energy, +1-973-882-7152, jregan@CovantaEnergy.com;
or Port Contact: Tom Barry, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,
+1-202-857-0166, tom.barry@nfwf.org
