OCTOBER 17, 2008 - PROVINCETOWN WELCOMES "FISHING FOR ENERGY" PARTNERSHIP; INNOVATIVE MARINE DEBRIS RECOVERY PROGRAM CHOOSES PROVINCETOWN AS ITS EIGHTH PORT
PROVINCETOWN, MA - October 17, 2008 - Provincetown, one of the most historic fishing communities in the United States, today welcomed the “Fishing for Energy” partnership to its waters. This marks the eighth port joining the program, an innovative collaboration aimed at recovering old fishing gear and turning it into energy, since its inception in February 2008.
The “Fishing for Energy” partnership is an initiative between Covanta Energy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. Working together, these organizations are providing a cost-free solution for fishermen to dispose of old, derelict or unusable fishing gear. Derelict fishing equipment threatens marine life, impairs navigational safety, and has serious adverse economic repercussions on shipping enterprises and coastal communities. To date, the program has collected over 57 tons of old fishing gear, a significant portion of which has been retrieved from the marine environment by fishermen.“
The waters of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary are home to a myriad of marine animals and organisms, and they are also an important area for our commercial fishing fleet,” said Richard Delaney, Executive Director of the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. “Protecting these waters by recovering and recycling derelict marine debris is integral to ensuring the future of both the natural habitat and the region’s commercial fishing industry. We are thrilled to welcome the Fishing for Energy program to our community and look forward to contributing to the long term success of this important initiative.”
The Town of Provincetown, Stellwagen Alive!, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies and the Massachusetts Environmental Trust Fund have worked collaboratively with the “Fishing for Energy” partnership to implement the program and to provide education and information to the commercial fishing community on the outer Cape.
Provincetown, incorporated in 1727, sits on the outermost tip of Cape Cod and has a long history as an important commercial fishing port. At present, Provincetown’s commercial fleet numbers 55 boats, and 100s of tons of fish are landed there annually. It is also located on the doorstep of New England’s only national marine sanctuary, home to more than 80 species of fish and 22 species of marine mammals among other wildlife.
“The Provincetown coastal community has rallied behind this program,” said Dr. Holly Bamford, Director of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, “Marine debris is a significant problem for our coastal waters, affecting commercial fisherman as well as marine wildlife habitats. On behalf of NOAA, Covanta Energy, NFWF and Schnitzer Steel, we are all pleased to be partnering with others who share a passion to tackle the problem of marine debris, first by removing abandoned gear from local waters and second by reusing it as a source of energy to power the region’s homes and businesses.”
The Provincetown “Fishing for Energy” program depends on the cooperation of local organizations and fishermen who will retrieve derelict fishing gear in the sanctuary and state waters and dispose of it for free in Covanta’s recycle bin. Collected gear will be taken to the Schnitzer Steel facility in Johnston, Rhode Island, where it will be shredded and then transported to Covanta’s SEMASS Energy-from-Waste facility in Wareham, MA, where it will be converted into electricity ultimately used by New England families and businesses.
About the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving marine mammals and ecosystems in the Gulf of Maine through research, education, public policy initiatives, and management strategies. PCCS delivers measurable results including establishment of the Atlantic Large Whale Disentanglement Network, rescuing over 97 large whales from entanglement since 1984 and continuous work to develop whale-safe fishing gear. PCCS played a key role in the federal designation of Stellwagen Bank as a national marine sanctuary and Cape Cod Bay as a critical habitat for the North Atlantic right whale. To learn about our research, programs and results, please visit www.coastalstudies.org.
About Stellwagen Alive!
Stellwagen Alive! is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to build public awareness and advance partnerships in support of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS). SBNMS was designated as a sanctuary in 1992 because of its rich biological diversity and ecological significance. This prominent underwater plateau is home to many marine mammals, such as the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale and humpback whale, endangered sea turtles and fish populations including cod, herring and tuna.
About Massachusetts Environmental Trust
Since 1988, the Trust has dispensed over $17 million through nearly 650 grants to organizations which have in turn made a remarkable impact on protecting and enhancing the state's water resources. Grants have been awarded to nonprofit organizations, municipalities and educational institutions in support of their efforts to restore and protect the ecosystems of the state's more than 10,000 miles of rivers and streams, 1,638 ponds and lakes, 1,519 miles of coastline, 48,000 acres of salt marsh, over 40,000 acres of tidal flats and estuaries, ocean resources, and 27 watersheds.
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 approximately 16 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 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 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.
Contact
Vera Carley, Covanta Energy
(973) 882-2439
vcarley@covantaenergy.com
Port Contact
Tom Barry, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
(202) 857-0166
tom.barry@nfwf.org