Public Comment - Exhibit F
From: Brent Paine To: Commission-Public-Records Subject: [EXTERNAL] PUBLIC COMMENT for Port of Seattle May 11, 2021 Meeting - Agenda Item 8f, Fisherman"s Terminal MInC Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 9:36:38 AM WARNING: External email. Links or attachments may be unsafe. Dear Seattle Port Commissioners, I wish to provide a few comments for your consideration at your May 11, 2021 meeting with regard to the Seattle Ship Building redevelopment project agenda item. I am the Executive Director of United Catcher Boats (UCB). United Catcher Boats is a Seattle based vessel owner's trade association that has been a tenant of the Port at Fisherman's Terminal since January of 1995. UCB represents the interests of the owners of 72 trawl catcher vessels that participate in the federally managed Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska and West Coast catcher vessel trawl fisheries. The majority of our member vessels are home ported at Fisherman's Terminal in Seattle and many have used the Port facilities for over forty years. We have watched with interest the Port's plans for the redevelopment of some of the Fisherman's Terminal buildings over the past couple of years and attended some of the outreach sessions. UCB supports the efforts of the Port and the State of Washington in the development of a Maritime Blue Accelerator program as well as the redevelopment of the Ship Supply Building into a Maritime Innovation Center (MInC). Given the almost $20 million price tag associated with the rebuilding of Ship Supply Building, we ask that the Port Commission consider amending the design or function of the new MInC to allow for a building that be used as a facility to more than just the Maritime Blue Accelerator program. The Washington based commercial fishing industry 501(c) not-for-profit trade associations are pretty much all based in and around the Fisherman's Terminal. Current trade association tenants of the Port include: Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers Association, Fishing Vessel Owners Association, Pacific Seafood Processors Association and the Puget Sound Seiners Association. Associations that are located in private buildings close to Fisherman's Terminal include At- Sea Processors Association, Groundfish Forum, and the Freezer Longline Coalition. Combined, these trade associations represent fishing companies that produce well over a billion dollars worth of seafood products annually. Our trade associations have struggled over the years to have a facility or location in which to hold meetings for larger gatherings than just their individual Boards of Directors. At times throughout the year, the NOAA Fisheries West Coast and Alaska Fisheries Science Centers will hold public meetings for interested industry and ENGO participants. In addition, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) will search for meeting facilities for their committee meetings. And lastly, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's representatives on the NPFMC and PFMC will at times host meetings for the federal fishery participants. It seems its always a struggle to find a nice meeting place to hold and host these meetings. The existing Nordby meeting room is simply not a meeting place for the above mentioned meetings. Perhaps you might consider including in your design and function of the new Seattle Ship Supply building a meeting facility that would be a show piece of the Seattle based federal fisheries? I am not sure if the Port Commission is intent on limiting the use of this new facility to just the Maritime Blue Accelerator program. If not, then perhaps you might be able to consider the suggestion I present in my public comment email to you today? Thanks very much for all that you do for the Seattle based commercial fishing companies and I hope your meeting today is productive. Please note that I do not speak for, or present comments for other fishing trade associations listed in my public comment to you. My comments are on behalf of the members of UCB. Sincerely, Brent C. Paine Executive Director United Catcher Boats 4005 20th Ave. W., Suite 116 West Wall Building, Fisherman's Terminal Seattle, WA 98199 206-940-5852 cel 206-282-2599 wk
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