Photo: Oregon State Parks
Photo: Oregon State Parks
Photo: Oregon State ParksNEWPORT, OR (KPTV) -
A 66-foot-long dock ripped loose from the coast of Japan by the 2011 tsunami arrived on the Oregon coast this week, and now fish and wildlife officers have removed hundreds of marine organisms from the dock.
The dock, which is 7' tall and 19" wide, washed ashore at Agate Beach one mile north of Newport early Tuesday morning, and the Japanese consulate in Portland confirmed it was debris from the tsunami. The dock is made of concrete and metal, but is clearly designed to float.
State workers checked the dock for radiation shortly after it made landfall, and results came back negative.
Some of the marine organisms found on the dock are specific to the waters of Japan. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife coordinated a group of volunteers to remove the salt-water-dependent organisms Thursday. Among the exotic species are different kinds of mussels, barnacles and marine algae, including one invasive algae called wakame.
Beyond conjuring memories of the tsunami and its deadly devastation, the dock brings concern to some about what may come next if the large dock was able to make a 15-month journey across the Pacific Ocean.
Sen. Ron Wyden said it's clear evidence that tsunami debris will reach the Oregon coast faster than anyone predicted.
"This massive dock, which crossed the Pacific Ocean undetected in 15 months, may be the vanguard of more debris to come," Wyden said in a statement. "With the strong possibility that more debris could pose a significant threat to shipping lanes and fishing grounds, I encourage the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to redouble its efforts in tracking debris generated by the Japanese earthquake."
Parks staff haven't decided yet on how they're going to remove the dock, but demolition is a possibility.
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