Help fight Pacific Sea Food permit to mechanically plant and harvest oysters in 76 acres West of the Ghost Hole. This will rip out more eel grass that salmon smolts need to survive. Eel grass is already a huge problem in Tillamook Bay

"Tillamook Bay Angler,
Here is your opportunity to finally have the chance to share your years of frustrations while fishing in and amongst this man made problem of cut eelgrass! Pacific Seafood on Oct 5th applied for another 76-acre oyster plat located directly across from the Ghost hole! The public comment period ends on November 20th and we would like to have as many comments as possible. We are asking for your comments be emailed by Nov. 20th to MARTINEZ Sabrina * ODA <Sabrina.MARTINEZ@oda.oregon.gov>
This large 76-acre plat would be added to the approximately 1700 acres currently being used for aquaculture oyster farming. I don't know about you, but I thought eel grass and estuary habitat was of critical importance and should be protected. After all the federal government has designated eelgrass as essential fish habitat and in the Magnusen Stevenson Act it is listed as habitat of particular concern.
Our goal will be to challenge the location of this new plat. We should also ask why oyster harvesters in Tillamook bay, which is a nursery for all species of anadromous fish, outside of pink salmon, including Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Coho are allowed to farm oysters using mechanical cultivation and harvest methods? Sturgeon have been completely wiped out of there natural food source that grows in the eelgrass! Once abundant numbers were commonly seen are now all but gone. Until the current relatively recent surge in oyster aquaculture these methods were illegal here and are still illegal in Netarts where outside of chum salmon there are no anadromous fish of concern. The fact is eelgrass is important habitat to birds, mammals, fish and all other life that exists in the bay eco-system and mechanical cultivation and harvest of oysters destroys that essential habitat.
We have been complaining for years about the problem of cut eelgrass and as we know it is only getting worse each and every year. Please take a few minutes to give your input and experience to help us finally make a difference in the devastating method of harvest used by this company. Thanks in advance and we will keep you informed as we go through this process of challenge.
Comments regarding this application should be sent by email by November 20th 2021. This is 45 Days FROM THE DATE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WAS PUBLISHED on October 5, 2021 in the Tillamook Headlight Herald newspaper
MARTINEZ Sabrina * ODA <Sabrina.MARTINEZ@oda.oregon.gov>
Sincerely, members of the NCSSEF
Below are a few helpful guidelines for your comments.
How long have you fished Tillamook bay?
How has the cut eelgrass affected your outlook on fishing Tillamook bay?
Do you make the eelgrass a decision maker for fishing Tillamook bay?"