June 9, 2020 — Positive COVID-19 tests for 124 employees of Pacific Seafood and its contractors have led the company to suspend operations at its five processing facilities in Newport, Oregon, U.S.A.
The Clackamas, Oregon-based company said 53 of its employees and an additional 71 locally-based contractors tested positive for COVID-19, out of 376 workers tested, as of Sunday, 7 June.
March 31, 2017 — The following was released by Pacific Seafood:
Pacific Seafood Group, a vertically integrated seafood harvesting, processing and distribution company headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon, recently hired former Ventura County Commercial Fishermen’s Association President, Jon Gonzalez, to handle national fisheries policy advocacy for the company.
Gonzalez, a former graphic designer, found himself drawn into federal fish policy a decade ago when serving as Assistant Director of the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center. “I signed up to help stranded sea lions,” said Gonzalez, “and next thing I knew I was in the middle of a controversy between environmentalists and fishermen.”
Jon’s time as volunteer shaped his view of industry. “I discovered that there is a lot of misinformation out there, and that America’s fishing industry is filled with people who care deeply about the environment but also want to protect coastal jobs and communities.”
Gonzalez became a leading voice for commercial fishermen in California, advocating for them at the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the State Legislature, and in dozens of government and community forums. He launched the website and blog eatUSseafood.com dedicated to protecting and promoting U.S. fisheries, and consulted with the Santa Barbara Sustainable Seafood Program to promote markets for domestically harvested seafood.
“We spotted Jon’s passion,” said Dan Occhipinti, Pacific Seafood’s General Counsel. “His talent and his dedication to promoting sustainably managed American fisheries—that’s what we’re all about. We are very excited to have him speak for Pacific Seafood.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled to represent Pacific Seafood. And marine mammals all across the globe should be thrilled too because when you support US fishermen, you are inherently saving marine mammals since US fisheries are arguably the most responsibly managed fisheries in the world” said Gonzalez.