Status of the Marine Reserves Process
The State of Oregon has been engaged in a process to consider marine reserves along its coast for the past several years. With a recommendation from the state’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC), and passage of legislation implementing that recommendation, the process is entering the next phase.
The State has established two pilot marine reserve sites, a marine reserve at Otter Rock, north of Newport, and a marine reserve and associated marine protected area at Redfish Rocks, near Port Orford. Four other sites are undergoing further consideration and evaluation as sites for future marine reserves.
Marine Reserve Sites
Cape Perpetua, Cascade Head, Cape Falcon
SB1510 (click here for the bill) was passed during the 2012 Legislative session. The bill requires ODFW to begin baseline data collection at Cape Perpetua, Cascade Head and Cape Falcon (click here for sites and allowances). Prohibitions will not go into effect until baseline data collection is complete- typically two years of data collection at each site.
Redfish Rocks and Otter Rock: Harvest Restrictions Begin
On January 1, 2012 harvest restrictions began for the two marine reserve sites, Redfish Rocks (south of Port Orford) and Otter Rocks (south of Depoe Bay). Rules summaries for the two sites are available:
Management & Monitoring Plans
Redfish Rocks Site Management Plan Ecological Monitoring Plan Human Dimensions Monitoring Plan
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