Oregon Legislative Short Session Wraps Up: What It Means for Oregon’s Blue Economy
The Oregon Legislature has concluded its 2026 short session in Salem. While these sessions move at a breakneck pace, the policies shaped over the last few weeks will have long-term impacts on the Oregon Ocean Cluster (OOC) and the health of our maritime industries.
As the OOC works to drive innovation across our working waterfronts, we closely monitored several key pieces of legislation. Below is a summary of the 2026 session through the lens of the Blue Economy.
SB 1525: Blue Economy Task Force
In a major win for Oregon’s blue economy, lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1525, establishing a Blue Economy Task Force to better understand and grow Oregon’s ocean-based industries.
This task force will bridge the gap between researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers. For the OOC, this is a vital platform to ensure that marine technology, sustainable aquaculture, and seafood innovation are recognized as primary drivers of Oregon’s future GDP. We look forward to representing the cluster’s interests as this roadmap takes shape. By bringing diverse sectors to the table, this task force has the potential to identify new opportunities that strengthen local economies while protecting the coast’s natural resources.
HB 4086: Advancing 100% Fish and Industrial Symbiosis
House Bill 4086 was a cornerstone of our mission to maximize the value of Oregon’s seafood landings. By adopting 100% Fish utilization, we aim to transform processing "waste" into high-value products like marine collagen, fertilizers, and nutraceuticals.
Why it matters:
Economic Resilience: Keeps more value-added revenue within our coastal ports.
Sustainability: Reduces the environmental footprint of seafood processing.
Global Leadership: Positions Oregon as a hub for maritime industrial symbiosis.
Early versions of the bill included $640,000 in funding for the “100% Fish” program coordinated by OCVA and the Oregon Ocean Cluster. Unfortunately, as lawmakers worked to reduce spending late in the session, this funding was removed from the final legislation.
Although the outcome was disappointing, we remain committed to advancing this work with partners across the seafood and research sectors. Fully utilizing Oregon’s seafood resources represents a powerful opportunity to strengthen coastal resilience and create new economic pathways. Legislative Ways and Means leaders who make the budgets have encouraged us to bring back the legislation next session, in hope that resources might be available.
We are extremely grateful to the Coastal Caucus for their support of the bill, particularly Rep. David Gomberg, who was a staunch champion of this legislation and fought hard for us. During the interim until the next session, we plan to continue working with Gomberg and other legislators to strengthen our efforts further and continue building momentum.
Coastal Voices Made an Impact
Despite mixed outcomes this session, one of the most encouraging developments was the strong engagement from coastal partners, and the bipartisan support of these bills. A highlight of the short session was a testimony letter submitted by OCVA Public Affairs Director Rick Osborn, which was unanimously signed by every member of the coastal caucus.
Businesses, community leaders, and industry organizations from across the coast submitted hundreds of written testimonies, and representatives from the Oregon Coast Visitors Association traveled to Salem to provide in-person testimony on the issues affecting their communities.
Public affairs is just one of the ways OCVA works to champion the future of resilient tourism on the Oregon Coast—ensuring that the voices of coastal communities are represented in statewide conversations about economic development, natural resources, and land use.
What Comes Next
One of the most encouraging takeaways from 2026 was the unified front presented by coastal interests. Between the OOC’s industry focus and OCVA’s organizational resources, the "Coastal Voice" was louder than ever in Salem.
What’s Next for the OOC? The session may be over, but the work of building a Blue Economy is year-round. Our priorities for the coming months include:
Refining the 100% Fish Strategy: Continuing our research and partnership building to ensure the initiative returns to the 2027 session with even stronger momentum.
Task Force Engagement: Ensuring the Blue Economy Task Force prioritizes commercial viability and maritime innovation.
Workforce Development: Collaborating with coastal community colleges to align training with the needs of a modern ocean economy.
For those interested in getting more involved in public affairs and policy conversations affecting the coast, we encourage you to stay engaged. Opportunities for advocacy, testimony, and collaboration will continue throughout the year.
Stay engaged. The future of the Blue Economy is here, and you’re a part of it.
