Like many rural towns, Port Orford, on Oregon鈥檚 south coast, has struggled with shifting economic tides. The Port of Port Orford has long been a key economic driver in the town, providing essential infrastructure to the local commercial fishing fleet. But the decrepit wooden building which houses much of that infrastructure won鈥檛 last much longer.
Now, many in town are pinning their hopes for Port Orford鈥檚 renewal on an ambitious replacement project, which would take the port in new directions.
Steve Courtier opens the padlock on a large, battered wooden door at the Port of Port Orford 鈥�
鈥淪o, this is the monstrosity we鈥檙e trying to get rid of,鈥� he says.
Courtier is the port manager. Inside the cavernous wooden structure is a collection of huge plastic fish tanks, connected to pumps and coolers. Turns out Port Orford has the largest live fish fishery on the West Coast.
鈥淎ll these fishermen go out here and they catch live fish; the ling cod, the blacks, the chinas 鈥� all of them are live. And there鈥檚 a huge market for that down in San Francisco,鈥� he says.
These tanks hold the fish till they鈥檙e delivered, alive, typically to high-end Asian restaurants.
This operation is run by the Oakland-based Norcal Seafoods, which buys the fish. But Courtier says in its heyday, this old whitewashed building housed a bustling cannery.
"This was all chock-full of steamers, and women with these giant long tables,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd they were shucking crab. And they had these giant boilers and they鈥檇 boil the crab and can it all right here.鈥�
Many decades later, the place is clearly on its last legs. The roof sags, insulation hangs from the ceiling. And Courtier says the port鈥檚 Job #1 is replacing the thing with a larger, more modern facility.
Norcal Seafoods would remain the anchor tenant. The Oregon State University Field Station just up the hill wants space for a wet-lab for marine research. The local kayak tour outfitter is interested. There鈥檚 talk of a fresh fish market, as well, something which Port Orford lacks. And other sea-related enterprises are eager to set up shop in the new facility, too 鈥�
Out on the dock at the port, James Weimar is tending a collection of large plastic tanks full of water and what appears to be reddish-brown leaves. Turns out he鈥檚 growing about a half ton of a sea vegetable called dulse.
鈥淒ulse is a red algae,鈥� he explains. It鈥檚 tasty. Would you like to try a piece?鈥�
It鈥檚 crisp with a salty, slightly nutty taste 鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 more nutritious for you than kale,鈥� he says. "I like the taste fresh out of the seawater. You can rinse it.鈥�
Weimar works for Oregon Sea Farms, which cultures and collects what it calls 鈥渟pecialized sea crops,鈥� dulse being the newest addition to the company鈥檚 product line. Oregon Sea Farms is another potential tenant for the new building at the port.
Now, remember Tom Calvanese, the biologist who heads OSU鈥檚 Port Orford field station? Well, he鈥檚 also president of the Port of Port Orford commission. And he says the port has embraced an economic development vision that goes beyond the commercial fishing fleet to include specialty seafoods, outdoor recreation, science, education and retail.
鈥淲e鈥檝e evolved and expanded our economic portfolio to include the support of these other activities,鈥� he says. "And we want to see our infrastructure reflect that.鈥�
Hence, the need for a new facility that will accommodate it all. The rub, of course, is money. Estimates for the project run as high as $8 million.
That鈥檚 obviously not money the port can raise from the 1,100 residents of Port Orford. Grants from several non-profit foundations have paid for much of the preliminary analysis and design work, and port officials are in talks with a variety of state and federal agencies to raise the rest.
The port has a lot riding on this project. Calvanese calls the port 鈥渢he heart of Port Orford.鈥�
And, he says, 鈥淚 believe that if we are able to execute the project correctly and successfully, we can actually improve the health of the heart of our town a great deal.鈥�
It would be cheaper to just replace the ancient cannery building with a stripped-down facility to house the Norcal operation and call it good. But Calvanese believes the new, more expansive building is a vital part of Port Orford鈥檚 future. And he says his biology training tells him that trying to retreat into the perceived safety of the past doesn鈥檛 work.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the age-old meme; adapt or die. And that鈥檚 what you see in the living world around us. It鈥檚 been going on for eons.鈥�
And, Calvanese says, that leaves him basically optimistic about the future of Port Orford.
鈥淚f you apply that principle to a community, to a place like this, I think we鈥檙e doing it. I think it鈥檚 happening."
