Marine Reserves Research Talk

ODFW waves the flag for marine reserves research.\Photo courtesy of ODFW.

Surfrider’s Newport chapter invites the public to attend their first chapter meeting of 2018 and learn more about marine reserves.  The gathering takes place Thursday, Jan. 11, 6:30-8 p.m. in Room 205 of the Newport Visual Arts Center (777 N.W. Beach Dr.).  The event is free.

Speaker Ashley Knight will speak on what we’re learning about Oregon’s still relatively new system of marine reserves.  Oregon has five state-managed marine reserves? The goals of these specially protected areas are to conserve marine life and habitats, encourage research, and minimize negative impacts on local communities. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) conducts an ecological monitoring program to characterize each reserve and monitor changes over time, using a variety of research tools.

Knight is a Science Integration Fellow tasked with facilitating research opportunities between Oregon State University (OSU) and ODFW’s Marine Reserves Program. Throughout her two-year fellowship, she achieves this by leading field work and connecting researchers at OSU to managers at ODFW, while integrating marine reserve research efforts throughout the West Coast with Oregon’s program.

She will present on research projects and share some of the interesting things that have been seen in Oregon’s marine reserves in the first five years of implementation. Her presentation is packed with underwater photos and videos.