We're officially entering the time of year when the weather and sea state presents favorable conditions for ecological monitoring of Oregon's Marine Reserves. Check out some of the cool research that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is conducting this season and learn a little more about ways you can get involved in this field season's citizen science efforts through organizations and groups within the Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership.
With the 2015 field season already underway for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), lead agency for monitoring and management of Oregon's marine reserves, ecological research is strongly focused on the unique characteristics of each of Oregon's five marine reserve sites. Ecological response and change in these areas will only be understood in the long term through well designed and adaptive monitoring plans, that better inform our understanding of site placement and design. Stay up to date with weekly updates this monitoring season from ODFW and read on to learn about where and how they will be monitoring some of these special places! Want to learn how you can get involved in citizen science initiatives? Check out the Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership's volunteer page to learn about the great opportunities Surfrider and other organizations are providing!
Hook and Line Surveys - Redfish Rocks, Cascade Head and Cape Falcon Marine Reserves
It sounds like exactly what it is...a little fishing in the reserve and in comparison areas. While you're holding your breath, don't worry, they let them go! Hook and line surveys are just one of the tools used where experienced anglers under ODFW's direction catch fish that are measured, weighed and then released. So if you see some local fishing in your local reserve this summer, it could be part of ODFWs research, but still good to inform Oregon State Police if you have enforcement concerns. Check out the 2014 Hook and Line end of the year survey summary.
Pilot Longline Survey - Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve
Some of the more cryptic rockfish species are a little harder to capture within the regular hook and line surveys so ODFW is running a small pilot Longline Survey at Redfish Rocks this field season. Local fisherman Jeff Miles of the F/V Top Gun will be helping with those efforts using short longlines that are highly targeted to study specific species within the reserve.
SCUBA Surveys - Redfish Rocks, Otter Rock and potentially Cape Falcon Marine Reserves
Volunteer divers from Oregon State University and the Oregon Coast Aquarium will also be conducting their ongoing monitoring by swimming transects through marine reserve habitats. Given the program is new for volunteers, extensive training and adaptive management (such as the use of stereo video cameras) is underway to help shore up inconsistencies in sizing of fish between volunteers. Divers must be able to identify a myriad of species from fish and invertebrates to algae, so developing highly trained volunteers to support this work is critical.
Video Lander Surveys - Redfish Rocks, Otter Rock, Cascade Head and Cape Falcon Marine Reserves
What's a video lander? Indeed it sounds like a NASA device for studying Mars or the moon, and similarly it's simply another way to explore and research Oregon's Marine Reserves. Believe it or not we know more about the moon's surface than we do about our ocean's seafloor! Video landers are simply metal frames with a number of video cameras mounted that are deployed for bottom habitat and species surveys. It gives us a snapshot of the bottom. Currently, ODFW is looking at ways of better attracting species withn the reserve to capture them through video lander surveys, such as the addition of bait. Learn more.
ROV surveys - Redfish Rocks (fall)
An ROV is a "remotely operated underwater vehicle" and is another wrench in ODFW's toolbox for learning and exploring Oregon Marine Reserves. ROV's are a great way to investigate our reserves, however it takes extremely favorable conditions to execute. From swell size to visibility, many factors are at play for operating ROVs and effectively using them for monitoring Oregon's Marine Reserves. Check out the cool video below from selected ROV surveys of Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve and Protected Area!
Who else is doing Ecological Monitoring?
The Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) will be continuing their longstanding intertidal monitoring work and oceanographic moorings to better characterize and understand our nearshore. Cape Perpetua is an area of high focus for PISCO research given the hypoxia events that tend to occur in this area during spring and summer transitions. Additonally, PISCO researchers collaborate with ODFW on studying the juvenile recruitment of fish in marine reserves, which is critical in understanding connectivity and habitat protections for certain life cycles. Using "SMURFs" (Standard Monitoring Unit for the Recruitment of Fishes), scientists can better understand what types of species spend the juvenile portion of their life cycle in marine reserves. More info.
