Event: Newly Updated Fisheries Exhibit Revealed February 4th at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center Event Date & Time: Sunday February 4, 2024, 11 am – 4 PM
Exhibition run dates: for the foreseeable future.
Newly Updated Fisheries Exhibit Revealed February 4th at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center
The past, present, and future of the region’s commercial fisheries comes to life at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center when it reveals the update of its seminal exhibit: Beautiful and Wild Oregon Fisheries, 150 years of Innovation. The new version of this exhibit, originally released in 2016, has been updated to include new data and information and is now being rereleased to the public. Whether you work in Oregon’s fisheries, or are new to the seafood table, this exhibit has something for everyone.
The story told in this exhibit is of Oregon’s successful emergence as a world leader in sustainable seafood and the very sound reasons for eating local seafood. This is the story of our fishermen, fish processors, fishery managers, scientists, conservation groups and port communities meeting the challenges and opportunities of wild harvest fisheries to feed a growing population.
Museum visitors will be afforded a rare opportunity to be immersed in the fascinating and little understood story behind Oregon and the Yaquina Bay’s far reaching and economically vital commercial fishing fleet. The largest fisheries in Oregon: Dungeness crab, pink shrimp, albacore tuna, Chinook salmon, groundfish, and pacific whiting are central to this exhibit. Politics, regulations, globalization, consumer food preferences, environmental conservation, and old fashion seat-of-your pants ingenuity have all shaped the region’s commercial fishing fleet and maritime culture. Oregon contributes a small part of the global fish catch, but it is a huge part of our coastal economy. By minimizing habitat impacts and being selective in catching target species, Oregon has some of the best-managed fisheries in the world.
Local fishermen, scientists, environmentalists, educators, photographers, and fisheries regulators all played an active part in developing this community exhibit. The Pacific Maritime Heritage Center is located on Newport’s historic Bayfront, directly across the street from Newport’s Commercial Fishing Fleet providing a beautiful vantage point for viewing the fleet, Yaquina Bay and the Yaquina Bay Bridge. The exhibit update was funded in part by Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association, the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition, the Oregon Cultural Trust and the Lincoln County Historical Society.
The February 4 event at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center (PMHC) is free and open to the public. Participants will be able to sample seaweed shortbread cookies made from Oregon Seaweed’s dried dulse product and enjoy hands on craft activities for children and the young at heart. The event is being held in conjunction with the Winter Waters PNW Kickoff event, Feb 2-4 in Newport. The Newport Winter Waters PNW event is a collaboration with: Newport Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln County Historical Society, Local Ocean Seafoods and the Central Coast Food Web. The Beautiful & Wild exhibit will remain an important feature inside the PMHC for the foreseeable future.
About the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center
The Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, located at 333 SE Bay Blvd in Newport’s Historic Bayfront, is one of two historic properties operated by the nonprofit Lincoln County Historical Society. The 30,000 sq ft flagship site, features panoramic views of Yaquina Bay, two changing exhibit galleries, three permanent galleries, the 121 seat Doerfler Family Theater and a Museum Store. The theater includes an 18 ft screen and a self-serve menu of 18 custom made short historic films for the museum visitor to select from. Hours of operation are Tuesday – Sunday 11 am – 4 PM. Onsite parking is available. Admission rates apply. Admission is free to LCHS Members, Active-Duty military, and children 12 & under. Family and group rates available.
Serving the public since 1948, the LCHS preserves the collective memory of Lincoln County and includes the Log Cabin Research Library Archive and 1895 Burrows House located at 545 SW 9th St., Newport. A sampling of historic images from the LCHS collection can be seen at: oregondigital.org. For more information visit: oregoncoasthistory.org or call 541-265-7509. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @lincolnco.historicalsociety or Twitter @maritime_center.