By The Associated Press
WALDPORT, Ore. (AP) —
An Oregon parks official says a roughly 25-foot-long chunk of fiberglass boat spotted drifting off the central Oregon coast is believed to be more debris from the deadly 2011 Japanese tsunami.
Chris Havel of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said the debris was spotted Thursday morning and by evening was a few miles offshore.
Havel says biologists inspected the object and consulted with the state Fish and Wildlife Department, deciding that the attached organisms pose little threat to the Oregon coast ecosystem.
The debris was towed to the Port of Newport Friday morning for temporary storage. Later, Havel says it will be removed from the water, studied, dismantled and taken to a landfill.
Several dozen live yellowtail jack fish native to the western Pacific found on board were delivered to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. They will be quarantined for 30 days and released into the Open Sea exhibit.
