Seed money from Oregon Sea Grant, the Oregon State University-based marine research, education and outreach program, allowed the site's design and development. Sea Grant programs across the country have been invited to contribute information about fisheries-related research, publications, videos and conferences. WCPF exists to promote and support a strong local, regional, national and global fishing industry and to connect fishing families together in a positive way. The group formed in 1995 and includes members from Alaska to California. The workshop, sponsored by Oregon State University's Austin Family Business Program, grew out of an award-winning, multidisciplinary research program sponsored over the past three years by Oregon Sea Grant.
Family businesses can be wonderful.
But they fail at alarming rates, because of economic conditions and for many other reasons, including inadequate communication and lack of planni ng. Frishkoff and OSU sociologist Anisa Zvonkovic put together the workshop, which is being coordinated by the Oregon Small Business Development Network. Others who are interested may attend at OSU's Kidder Hall. Although the conference is free, preregistration is required to arrange for handouts and parking. The Sea Grant project brought together six teams of OSU economists, anthropologists and social scientists to examine the unusual challenges faced by fishing families, businesses, communities and regions.