Oregon’s 363-mile coastline features a network of 15 seaports, large and small, integral to their communities’ lifestyles and economies. Collectively, they comprise “an important regional network of maritime infrastructure,” according to the Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association (OCZMA), which studies the Oregon coast economy and conveys information to an extensive network of government officials and others, aimed at enhancing the region’s standard of living.
A May 2014 study – backed by the Oregon Ports Association and port managers – indicated that one of every six jobs in Oregon are port-related, either directly or indirectly tied to cargo, recreation, industrial, commercial and other activities at Oregon’s ports…