Letter to the editor
To the Editor,
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the article Dubroff: Port, Ventura Harbor ready to haul in a big deal on Sunday, April 26th recognizing the collaborative efforts between the Port of Hueneme and Ventura Port District to bring commercial regional alignment to our two working waterfronts.
I am the General Manager for the Ventura Port District, which owns and operates Ventura Harbor. As you outlined in the article, the commercial fisheries modernization is an innovative project between these two government agencies to modernize and expand commercial fish offloading capabilities in Ventura while freeing up critical dock space for cargo goods movement at Port of Hueneme.
The relocation of squid fisheries at Port of Hueneme to Ventura Harbor will anchor Ventura Harbor’s position as the premier commercial fish offloading facility in the state, primarily for California Market Squid, while adding capacity for other fisheries and sustainable aquaculture initiatives, one of which is already in the federal and state permitting process.
With the relocation, Port of Hueneme will regain dock space for cargo goods movement, increasing capacity and improving its goods movement efficiencies. The project is a true win-win that led to the 2024 Poinsettia Award for Innovation from the Ventura Chamber of Commerce.
While there is much work to be done, the recent City of Ventura approvals keep the project on pace for a 2027 groundbreaking. I’d like to thank our two Boards for their vision and leadership, Kristin Decas, CEO/Port Director of Port of Hueneme, and her team for their ongoing commitment to project oversight and management, and my capital project staff, led by Todd Mitchell, Deputy General Manager, for their tireless efforts to advance project goals and outcomes.
Thank you,
Brian D. Pendleton
Ventura
