(Photo: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)

Oregon could get three new marine reserves

Click on the flag for more information about United States UNITED STATES
Monday, November 22, 2010, 20:10 (GMT + 9)

Three public meetings drew multitudes last week on the Oregon coast both calling for and rejecting the idea of creating marine reserves to protect fish and habitat directly offshore. The Astoria, Florence and Newport community teams all voted for the creation of marine reserves and two of the teams also advised implementing some protections in adjacent waters.

The three marine reserves would be located on the Oregon coast at Cape Falcon south of Cannon Beach, Cascade Head near Lincoln City and Cape Perpetua near Yachats. The reserves would protect fish, allow stocks to bloom and let experts increase their research as they measure the impact of fishing on stocks.

">
(Map: OCEANA)

Meanwhile, some commercial fishers worry that marine reserves could spell trouble for them by restricting their livelihood, as fishing and crabbing would be banned there.

But Ben Enticknap, Pacific project manager with green group Oceana, attended the meeting in Astoria and believes the evidence shows commercial fishers would be harmed by the marine reserves, reports Public News Service.

"In studies made around the world, the science shows that a marine reserve increases fish size, it increases abundance, it increases biological diversity and it protects marine habitats," he said.

The progress made at the meeting toward a marine reserve system for Oregon followed 10 years of legislation, planning and debate, and is significant, Enticknap noted. California and Washington already have marine reserve schemes running.

"Over the years, these have been really hard conversations, and I'm impressed by all the people that came to the table to have these hard conversations. Ultimately, the state is on the right path for building a network of marine protected areas and marine reserves," he continued.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is gathering the community team results and other research for analysis and will offer its recommendations to the governor and legislature by the end of the month.

“What happened was the two sides couldn’t agree on the exact shape, the exact size, and some of the conditions related to that reserve,” said Ed Bowles is leading the process for the ODFW, OPB reports.

The Department will consult with the Ocean Policy Advisory Council in December before making its final call.

As the votes for Cape Falcon recommendation were so divided, the agency may modify the recommendation to better represent those opposing the move, Bowles informed.

If all the three areas approved by the community teams obtain marine protection, Enticknap told, they will cover about 5 per cent of the state’s offshore coastal areas.

Oregon’s first two reserves - Redfish Rocks near Port Orford and Otter Rocks near Depoe Bay - will go into effect in June 2011.

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com