The Team
Leesa Cobb, Executive Director
I initiated POORT almost 10 years ago because single species, coast-wide management of fisheries was not working. Community-based fisheries management is successful in other countries. We decided to try CBFM at Port Orford. This project has become a vehicle for positive change in the local management of ocean resources.
Contact: leesa@oceanresourceteam.org
Julie Watson, Administrative Assistant
Along with my work at POORT I assist at the Curry County Dental Van, a mobile emergency dental service for those in need in Curry County. My professional interests are providing dental education and care for those in need.
contact: julie@oceanresourceteam.org
Briana Goodwin, Stewardship Area Outreach Coordinator
I came to POORT through Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE), an AmeriCorps program administered by the University of Oregon. When chosing my placement, POORT appealed to me because of the unique partnerships it has created and because of the community's role in the organization.
Contact: briana@oceanresourceteam.org
Fishermen's Board
Aaron Longton, Board President
Personal motto: "A good captain weathers the storms he cannot avoid, and avoids the storms he cannot weather"My name is Aaron Longton and I am the President of the Fishermen’s board of the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team. I am a salmon fisherman first, but I also have a tier three blackcod permit. I longline for halibut and blackcod. I also nearshore fish, and go offshore for tuna when they’re around. I own two fishing vessels; the Goldeneye and the Sea Forest. My deckhands name is Ron Dean. I was born in Roseburg OR and started fishing when I was 8 years old. I've deckhanded off and on before I bought my own boat 8 years ago. I became involved with POORT because I was disenchanted with the regulatory system and saw POORT as a vehicle to try and correct some of the problems.
Contact: aaron@oceanresourceteam.org
Lyle Keeler, Board Treasurer
My name is Lyle Keeler and I am a member of the Fisherman’s Board for the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team. I commercially crab and fish for blackcod, halibut, live fish, tuna, and salmon. I co-captain the fishing vessel the Dominion with my brother Danny Keeler and our nephew William Pennington is our deck hand. I was born in Roseburg OR and have been commercially fishing for 38 years. My uncle was a fisherman and I began working for him. When my brother decided to become a fisherman I started working for him and have ever since.
I decided to become a part of POORT because of Leesa Cobb, who had some ideas that we’d all wanted to do. I felt like POORT was the only chance we had to have a sustainable fishery. At the time we thought we had no chance, but now we’re firmly convinced that we do.
Contact: lyle@oceanresourceteam.org
Jeff Miles, Board Member
Personal motto: "It’ll be fine"My name is Jeff Miles and I am a member of the Fisherman’s Board for the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team. I am a commercial crabber, and fish for bottom fish, salmon, tuna, halibut, and blackcod. I own the fishing vessel Top Gun. My crewmember is Chad Clampit. I was born in Gold Beach, OR and have been fishing since my 8th grade summer in 1973, so for about 35 years.
I became involved in POORT because I was frustrated with the way the fishing industry regulations were happening, and I thought maybe we could help and make a difference somewhere.
Chris Aiello, Board Member
My name is Chris Aiello, and I am a member of the Fisherman’s board for the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team. I am a commercial crabber, I longline for blackcod, and jig, longline, and portegue for rockfish. I also fish for salmon and go offshore for tuna. I captain the fishing vessel J&C, named after my two girls, Jaclyn and Christina. My crew members are Boyd Smith and Larry Burkhow. I was born in New Jersey and came to Oregon and started commercial fishing in 1978 after graduating from NYO with a BS in Business Management.
I became involved with POORT out of frustration. Through my career, the results of fishing regulations always seem to be centered around managing people, not managing the fish for sustainability. I wanted to be part of changing that.
Contact: ilochris@verizon.net
Danny Keeler, Board Member
My name is Danny Keeler and I am a member of the Fisherman’s Board for the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team. I pursue blackcod, crab, salmon, tuna, and haibut. I also nearshore fish. I own the fishing vessel the Dominion, co-captained by my brother Lyle Keeler and crewed by my nephew William Pennington. I was born in Roseburg OR in 1948, and have been commercially fishing since 1969.
I became involved with POORT because its for a good cause; we need to get the fishermen organized to get involved with the fisheries. There are not enough people that do that.