NEWPORT, ORE.—Portland businessman and ocean charter operator Frank Warrens received the 2007 Partnership Award from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Resources Program at its annual recognition event yesterday.

Since 2003, the Marine Resources Program has given the award to an individual who exemplifies ideal partnership and cooperation when working with Oregon’s marine resources community. The award recipient is selected by vote of the MRP staff.

“Frank Warrens is one of the longest-serving advisors to our program on all aspects of ocean fisheries regulations,” said Patty Burke, ODFW Marine Resources Program manager. “His many years of dedication to our program and his close partnership with us on every marine fishery issue is a tribute to Frank’s commitment to collaborative work with our agency as well as the public we serve.”

Warrens, 71, is a recently retired charter boat owner and operator and the owner of an automotive and marine mechanical repair business in Portland, Oregon. He is one of three representatives from Oregon on the Pacific Fishery Management Council, which advises federal agencies on fishery regulations in U.S. ocean waters. He has served on the council, with a few years off, since 1988. He also serves on the ODFW Marine Program Sportfish Advisory Committee, is an advisor to the Pacific States Marine Fishery Commission, and Chair of the Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council’s Marine Reserves Working Group. Additionally, he volunteers his time on numerous ad hoc advisory committees and widely shares his fisheries expertise.

Previous recipients of the MRP’s Partnership Award are: Jim Markee and Bob Jacobson, for their work in the passage of the sport shellfish license; Ginny Goblirsh, for her many years of partnership with ODFW as the Oregon Sea Grant Extension agent; Nick Furman, the executive director of the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission; and Lt. Dave Cleary of the Oregon State Police.

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