Hi Surfrider Community! I'm Sarah Wolf, and I'm thrilled to step into the role of Aquaculture Marine Debris Policy Fellow with the Surfrider Foundation through a collaborative fellowship with Oregon Sea Grant. Over the next year, I'll be working with Oregon aquaculture industry professionals, policymakers, engineers, volunteers, and scientists to tackle a critical issue in Yaquina Bay: marine debris from oyster aquaculture facilities.
Our Newport Chapter volunteers have observed the debris that can accumulate from aquaculture, especially large pieces of polystyrene from floating docks (shown below). Not only do these materials become an eyesore along the bay, but they pose significant threats to the estuary ecosystem. As Oregonians, we take pride in our oyster farms and are eager to collaborate with farmers to support the adoption of sustainable materials and gear. Oregon shellfish aquaculture brings in around $20 million annually and is essential to our coastal economy.
In partnership with farmers and engineers, we aim to better understand the scale of the debris issue, identify the barriers to adopting improved materials and technologies, and explore how Surfrider can influence positive change in Yaquina Bay’s aquaculture practices.
Photo 1: Newport Chapter volunteers after 2021 Yaquina Bay Cleanup; Photo 2: Polystyrene fragments from a floating dock found during cleanup.
Before joining the Surfrider Oregon team, I worked as a microbiologist studying bacteria living in diverse environments, from spacecraft cleanrooms to coastal waters. I completed my PhD in microbiology at Oregon State in 2023, where I researched how bacteria respond to changing oxygen conditions and how these processes impact the global carbon cycle. This project connected me more deeply with the Oregon Coast, where seasonal hypoxia, or low oxygen conditions, has impacts on the Dungeness crab industry.
In the lab, I was able to "zoom in" on the microscopic processes that drive ecosystem changes. Now, during my fellowship, I'm excited to "zoom out" and see the broader impact of collaborative efforts to protect and enjoy our coast.
Above: Conducting experiments to determine how marine microbes respond to climate change stressors like ocean deoxygenation.
This project is especially meaningful to me as a seafood lover who grew up slurping oysters on the half shell in Tomales Bay, CA. I’m currently based in Portland, OR, where I enjoy spending time in my garden, watching Sacramento Kings basketball, and helping my husband run our family Hawaiian restaurant and catering business.
I can’t wait to get things rolling (or should I say, get the shells shuckin’)! Follow along with the project here.
See you soon!