Oregon’s commercial fishing industry is celebrating news that the federal government will once again buy millions of dollars worth of Pacific seafood.
The purchase by the US Department of Agriculture includes rockfish, whiting and Pacific salad shrimp. Much of the $16.5 million in products will be sourced from Oregon, and it follows a similar buy earlier this year.
“It’s a pretty remarkable purchase," said Yelena Nowak, executive director of the Oregon Trawl Commission. "It’s very substantial.”
Nowak said the fishing industry has been hurt by the sharp downturn in people eating out over the past 18 months.
“It’s been a long ride," she said. "We are so ready to be done with COVID.”
The USDA’s purchase will go to food banks and other nutrition assistance programs.
"Essentially, the USDA is helping stabilize markets for certain commodities that they choose to purchase," said Nowak. "And at the same time, they are delivering high-quality, domestically-produced food to American families in need."
