Yesterday the Oregon Senate voted to support HB 3013, which puts into practice the recommendations of the Ocean Policy Advisory council (OPAC). These recommendations were to implement two marine reserve projects this year, one at Redfish Rocks in Port Orford and one at Otter Rock near Depoe Bay, as well as the further evaluation and collection of baseline biological, social, and economic information over the next 18 months for sites proposed off Cape Falcon, Cascade Head, Cape Perpetua and to support a proposal from the Coos County area. The bill also directs communities adjacent to the proposal areas to form teams composed of diverse and balanced stakeholders for the on-going collaborative efforts surrounding rule making, research, monitoring, and marine reserve implementation. This bill was the result of several years of hard work by many people including Surfrider members and volunteers, OPAC, Coastal Caucus, Oregon Sea Grant, ODFW, as well as the conservation and fishing communities. Many thanks to all for their role in this important effort and on-going process. To read more about the bill and how it came together, click here.

Most of us know that what we do on land affects the health of the ocean the we enjoy. While much work has been done to address our impacts to water quality, much work within our communities still remains. Implementing effective comprehensive planning and low impact development techniques are both crucial to protecting and restoring watershed health and the water quality in our nearshore. Fortunately, Surfrider Foundation members are not turning the blind eye, they are taking this issue by the horns by monitoring water quality, participating in their local planning processes, and speaking up about concerns to human and ecosystem health. Recently, the Oregonian published an article highlighting some of the water quality issues that we face within our coastal communities and what is being done about it, to read the full article, click here. Surfrider Foundation members and chapters operate 5 coastal water quality labs in partnership with local high schools, watershed councils, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. To get involved and volunteer, contact Oregon Field Coordinator Charlie Plybon at cplybon@surfrider.org.

“Reducing land-based coastal water pollution may be local leaders’ most important contribution to the health of coastal and ocean ecosystems and to the protection of tourism, fishing, recreation and other activities that depend on clean coastal water.” -excerpt from One Coast, One Future, Securing the Health of West Coast Ecosystems and Economies, Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, 2009. To learn more, click here.