Plastic Campaign Web Mail Manager Needed! This technologically savy individual is needed to help merge all of our petition signers into a cooler email account so we can message to them and coalition groups. Please contact Charlie at cplybon@surfrider.org
Check in Locations:
Florence’s Port of Siuslaw Boat Ramp in Old Town
·North Fork at Bender’s Landing
·In Cushman at the Siuslaw Marina
·In Mapleton at Maple Lane & RV Marina
·Up HWY 36 at Rain Rock
·In Deadwood meet at the store
Volunteer Contact Melisa Buckwald
The Siuslaw Estuary Partnership is a collaborative effort funded through an Environmental Protection Agency grant for a partnership between City, State, Federal, and NGO partners to protect water quality in the Florence Dunal Aquafier and Siuslaw Estuary as well as protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat in the Siuslaw estuary and other nearshore influential water bodies and wetlands.
The Siuslaw Chapter of Surfrider Foundation has a seat on the stakeholder advisory panel as the influences of the local estuary have significant effects on the quality and on our enjoyment of the nearshore ocean. Many divers, surfers and other paddlers recreate within the river and estuary during winter months when the sea state is high and ensuring protection of these recreational resources is a primary interest for the chapter’s engagement. Additionally, the chapter seeks to further it’s land-sea connectivity messaging, so that better management decisions can be made in a more multi-faceted ecosystem-based approach. More info on project at www.siuslawwaters.org
photos courtesy of Siuslaw Estuary Partnership
Thanks so much to all of the volunteers that participated in this year’s Ocean Issues Forum in Florence, Oregon. The theme of this year’s event was climate change and adaptation and great updates were given from many of the leading professionals from ocean sciences, management, industry and non-profit/NGOs. Take home message, climate change is happening, but by actively engaging in constructive dialogue as a community and taking actions as individuals, collectively we can best adapt and be better prepared for the changes that we will face.
Updates on the marine reserve process were given by Anna Pakenaham (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) and Al Pazar (Commercial Fisherman and community team leader), both giving enthusiastic support of the community team recommendations and process for the Cape Perpetua marine reserve and marking this as an important step for Oregon. Presentations on climate change by Darrin Sharp of Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, Coastal Changes by Bob Bailey of Department of Land Conservation and Development, Ocean Acidification by Burke Hales of OSU-COAS and sea level rise by Jonathon Allen, DOGAMI. Thanks to all of the volunteers that attended the event on behalf of the Siuslaw Chapter of Surfrider Foundation!
The Siuslaw Watershed Council will be presenting their 4th Annual Ocean Issues Community Forum on March 30th from 6-9pm at the Florence Events Center. The forum will feature an update on Oregon’s marine reserve process, presentations on Climate Change, Ocean Acidification, and Sea Level Rise. Following the presentations will be a panel discussion with all presenters. For more information on the event, or to join the Siuslaw Watershed Council, go to: www.siuslaw.org
On Monday night, the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve Community Team completed their task after meeting for 11 months and submitted their final recommendations for a marine reserve with a marine protected area (MPA) as a buffer to the North and South. This group has come a long way since their formation by ODFW as part of fulfilling HB 3013, thanks in large part to the great leadership of Mark Hixon (science rep) and Al Pazar (commercial fishing rep). The teams final recommendation was to establish a marine reserve of 3.5 nautical miles shoreline length that goes approximately 3 nautical miles offshore, the proposed reserve would start at the mouth of Tenmile Creek and extend Northwards, just to the south of Cape Perpetua. Also proposed North of the Marine Reserve would be an MPA that would allow for salmon trolling, crabbing and shoreside angling, this would extend to the North of the town of Yachats. To the south of the marine reserve would be another MPA, extending south past Heceta Head to Berry Creek and out to a depth of 10 fathoms. From 10 fathoms out to approximately 3 nautical miles would be an innovative Seabird Conservation Area that would restrict the harvest of bait fish and not allow industrial development, i.e. wave energy or offshore aquaculture. To download a map of the final recommendation, click here. The final proposal was a near consensus recommendation, minus one objecting voice. Overall, the recommendation as a package represents a significant compromise from the original proposal as recommended by the Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC). However, it strikes a good balance between the sideboards of protecting an ecologically significant area, while minimizing potential economic impacts. The recommendations now move onto to ODFW for review, and then to OPAC at their meeting on December 6/7 in Newport. Pending OPAC’s approval of this recommendation, along with others from the areas of Cascade Head and Cape Falcon, the State Legislature will consider a policy bill during the 2011 session to provide funding for monitoring, research, and enforcement. Stay tuned for ongoing ways to help support this important effort and see these recommendations come to fruition. The Siuslaw Chapter would like to thank Peggy Meyer, Gus Gates, Seth Mead, and Jon Tipple for representing non-consumptive recreational users, as well as all of the Cape Perpetua community team members for their hard work and dedication throughout this process.
photo credit Gus Gates
Our friends at the Siuslaw Watershed Council will be hosting the 3rd Annual Ocean Issues Community Forum on March 31st from 6-9pm at the Florence Events Center. The focus of this event will be an update on the Marine Reserves process, as well as an overview and update on the Territorial Sea Plan amendments for the siting of Alternative Energy in the Ocean. The forum will feature presentations from respected experts on these issues, with a moderated panel discussion after the presentations. For more info, click on the link below to view the event flyer, and pass the word on to friends and family! At the January general Council meeting, the leadership board of the Council decided through a consensus process to officially include the nearshore marine waters from Heceta Head down to the Siltcoos River as part of it’s geographic area of interest and in doing so making an important land-sea connection. This step is a first for a watershed council in Oregon, and elevates the importance of community based stewardship discussions on various coastal-ocean-watershed issues. The Council plans to continue to spend the majority of their time focusing on terrestrial watershed issues, but will also continue nearshore water quality monitoring, involvement on the Cape Perpetua marine reserve community team, and hosting the annual Ocean Issues Forum. For more info on the Siuslaw Watershed Council and their programs, visit: www.siuslaw.org
