10/19/2008: "Lethal Derelict Fishing Nets"

ConocoPhillips and the Northwest Straits Foundation announced a $20,375 grant from ConocoPhillips to remove derelict gillnets that entangle marine animals and smother underwater habitat.

Derelict fishing nets kill fish, shellfish, marine birds and mammals, and pose a safety threat to recreational divers.

The ConocoPhillips donation will be leveraged by funds from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and other sources to increase the scope of the project, allowing the Northwest Straits Foundation to remove 45 acres of derelict fishing nets.

Removal operations will focus on the marine waters in and around the Washington Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Complex (73 sites mostly in San Juan county), created to protect marine birds and mammals by protecting nesting and haul out sites.

“Through our Spirit of Conservation partnership with the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, ConocoPhillips is working to preserve and restore habitat for migratory birds throughout North America and other parts of the world,” said Jeff Callender, regional public affairs director for ConocoPhillips. “We are excited about the opportunity to improve our local marine environment and protect wildlife here in northwest Washington.”

“ConocoPhillips support comes at an important time. We need to clean the nets off these important bird refuge areas,” said Ginny Broadhurst, secretary of the Northwest Straits Foundation. “This funding will save thousands of marine animals and restore many acres of habitat.”
The Northwest Straits Initiative has an ongoing derelict fishing gear removal program. To date, over 900 derelict nets have been removed from Puget Sound waters including hundreds around the Washington Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Complex. An estimated 4,000 nets remain.

About ConocoPhillips: ConocoPhillips is an international, integrated energy company with interests around the world. In Whatcom County, ConocoPhillips employs more than 400 people at its Ferndale Refinery. For more information, go to www.conocophillips.com.

About the Northwest Straits Foundation: The Northwest Straits Foundation serves to protect and restore the marine resources of the Northwest Straits region by supporting research, monitoring, restoration, stewardship, conservation and education programs. The Foundation has established a goal of eliminating harm from derelict gear in Puget Sound by removing 80-90% of gear from high priority areas by 2012. For more information, go to www.nwstraits.org.

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