Brian Sullivan, a BP spokesman, said the company is confident it is not harming Cherry Point herring. In fact, he said, the herring now spawn only near the refinery. I don't think anybody knows definitively what it is. He said a new dock could actually help. Now, there is room for one ship at the dock, forcing others to anchor and wait their turn.
Faster turnarounds mean fewer ships in the area.
Protection plan in works Another development would greatly increase ship traffic in the area, however. Schwandt said an elaborate herring-protection plan is being developed. For example, he said, sonar-equipped boats could go ahead of cargo vessels to check for herring. If fish are spotted, the vessel could be told to wait until they leave. Until now, the state has looked skeptically at the Gateway Pacific proposal, mainly because of the herring situation.