FLORENCE, Ore. (KMTR) - A boat was found and removed from a beach north of Florence.
A 24' non-motorized boat was removed from the ocean shore near Muriel Ponsler Wayside north of Florence at 7 PM, March 14. Leisure Excavating from Florence transported it to a local landfill.
No pollution or other hazardous materials were detected, but there was marine life clinging to the debris. According to ODFW biologist Steve Rumrill, gooseneck barnacles, mussels, seaweed and other marine organisms were attached to the hull. Some of these marine organisms are suspected to be non-native species. Samples were sent to the Oregon State University for identification.
The boat was first spotted the morning of March 14 by a volunteer marine debris monitoring team organized by the Oregon Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. There is Japanese writing on the vessel, but its exact origin and date it was lost haven't been determined.
