Marine Conservation Articles

Site of Facebook cable project.

New Rules for the Seabed under Consideration

facebook_site_beach_edmund_ruttledge.jpg Oregon’s Territorial Sea extends three nautical miles from shore. It is actually regulated under the state’s land use planning program—Goal 19 of the statewide goals deals with the nearshore ocean. Among other things, the controversial subject of cables crossing the seabed and beach falls under this...Read more
Marine research in marine reserves.

Public Feedback on Ocean Science Invited

Marine research in marine reserves is crucial. The Oregon Ocean Science Trust (OOST) was established in 2013 with the mission of promoting high-quality research and monitoring of Oregon's ocean and coastal resources to inform policy and management decisions. OOST goal is to strategically fund ocean research...Read more
Sea otter and kelp.

Share Your Views on Restoring Sea Otters

Sea otter and kelp.\Photo courtesy of Elakha Alliance. Oregon Shores has long supported the efforts of the Elakha Alliance to build a case for restoring a population of sea otters to the Oregon coast. Driven extinct in this state early in the last century, sea otters have been a key missing piece in nearshore ocean and estuarine ecology. These efforts have...Read more

Rocky Habitat Proposals Achieve Final Approval

The view from Blacklock Point.\Photo by Alex Derr. The state's Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) approved special protective designations for six key rocky shore habitat sites, a goal long sought by Oregon Shores and many other conservation and community groups. At its April 21 meeting, LCDC accepted the recommendations of the Ocean Policy...Read more
Rocky intertidal habitat at Oswald West State Park.

Decisions Coming on Rocky Habitat Protection Proposals

Rocky intertidal at Oswald West State Park.\Photo by Molly Sultany. What’s next for designating new rocky habitats in Oregon? Six proposals are alive and in continuing consultation. These sites include Ecola Point and Chapman Point in Clatsop County, Blacklock Point in Curry, Cape Foulweather, Cape Lookout in Tillamook, and Fogarty Creek and Cape Foulweather in...Read more
Purple urchins.\Photo by Alex Derr.

Climate Vulnerability Assessment Proposed for Fisheries

Purple urchins.\Photo by Alex Derr. Oregon Shores sponsored an online talk on Sept. 8 by Mark Carr on “Preparing for a Changing Ocean.” The presentation was part of a series of talks by experts from around the country that we have sponsored during our 50 th anniversary year, as we look ahead to the next 50 years of coastal conservation. Dr. Carr’s talk prompted...Read more

South Coast Colleagues Seek a Treasurer

Bandon shoreline.\Photo by Steve Garrett. Bandon’s Shoreline Education for Awareness (SEA), a group with which CoastWatch collaborates (and has adopted a CoastWatch mile), is seeking a volunteer who shares their conservation commitment to serve as treasurer on their board. Responsibilities include establishing the yearly budget, supervision of the bookkeeper to...Read more

Public Comment on Rocky Habitat Plan Due

Tidepool at Cape Perpetua.\Photo by Briton Ogden. The public has one more chance to offer comments on Oregon’s newly emerging Rocky Habitat Management Strategy. After several years of work—in which Oregon Shores has participated actively—an all-but-final draft is being considered. The Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) is expected to consider adopting the...Read more

Black Oystercatcher Survey Still Taking Place

Birds, Citizen Science, Marine Conservation, Marine Reserves, Rocky Intertidal Zone. The annual citizen science project to survey Black Oystercatcher nests is coming up again, May through August, and volunteers are needed. The survey is a partnership among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, Portland Audubon, and local conservation...Read more

State Adopts Plan to Address Ocean Acidification

Oregon's ocean off Netarts, Cape Lookout in the background.\Photo by Dale Harmer. Mandated by the 2017 Oregon Legislature, the state developed a plan to address the growing problem of ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH). The Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OAH), a body composed of scientists and agency leaders, with...Read more