[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
I GC1005. 2 .074 1991 The Oregon Ocean Plan Published and distributed in January 1991 by the State of Oregon: Neil Goldschmidt, Governor 1987 - 1991 Barbara Roberts, Governor 1991 - The Oregon Ocean Resources Management Task Force Gail Achterman, Task Force Chair, Governor's Assistant for Natural Resources Ralph Brown, Commercial Fisheries Bob Pullen, Charter Fisheries Paul Vogel, Director, Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, Ocean Navigtion Dee Chamberlain, PhD., ARCO, Oil and Gas Jim Wenzel, Marine Development Associates Inc., Marine Minerals" Jay Rasmussen, Director, Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association Debbie Boone, Clatsop County Commissioner, Coastal Counties (1987-88) Dave Werschkul, Curry County Commissioner, Coastal Counties (1989-90) Jayne Fraese,Public at Large Neal Maine; Public at Large Ellen Lowe, Public at Large Chief Edgar Bowen, Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw, Coastal Indian Tribes* Bruce Andrews, Director, Oregon Department of Agriculture Don Mann, Oregon Economic Development Department * Nancy Rockwell, Deputy Director, Oregon Department of Energy Fred Hansen, Director, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Rollie Rousseau, Deputy Director, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife John Beaulieu, Deputy State Geologist, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries Susan Brody, Director, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development James F. Ross, Director, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, 1987-88 Pete Bond, Ocean Shores Coordinator, Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation Martha Pagel, Director, Oregon Division of State Lands *appointed pursuant to 1989 legislation "Note: Jim Wenzel, Marine Development Associates Inc., represented marine mineral interests as a Task Force member. Mr. Wenzel wishes to be disassociated from the final plan recommendations. Oregonfs Ocean Resources Management Plan The Oregon Ocean Resources Management Task Force January 1, 1 991 LIBRARY NOAA/CCEH 1990 HOBSON AVE, CHAS. SC 29408-26,2'@ ii The Oregon Ocean Resource Program 320 SW Stark Rm 530 Portland, Oregon 97204 (503)229-6068 Oregon's Ocean Plan is the result of the vision, leadership, and support of Senator Bill Bradbury, who foresaw the need for Oregon to take affirmative action to protect its ocean resources. The Oregon Ocean Resources Management Task Force Staff- Eldon Hout, Program Manager Nan Evans, Senior Policy Analyst Jeff Weber, Coastal Ocean/GIS Specialist Robert Bailey, Outer Continental Shelf Coordinator Acknowledgements: The Ocean Plan was prepared with the generous assistance of many individuals within state agencies, federal agencies, local governments, universities and the public at large. Their technical knowledge, insights, criticisms, and helpful suggestions are gratefully acknowledged. A special "thank you" is directed to the many Oregon citizens who cared enough to come to workshops and meetings, voice opinions or share knowledge, and write letters of comment. The Ocean Plan is the better for their participation. Funds for the preparation of the Ocean Plan were provided from the Oregon General Fund by the 1987 and 1989 Oregon Legislatures. Additional funds were provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Ocean and Coastal Resources Management (OCRM) through both a Section 306 Coastal Zone Management Grant and an Interagency Personnel Agreement. Oregon's Ocean Geographic Information System Many of the maps in the Ocean Plan were produced by Oregon's State Service Center for Geo- graphic Information Systems (GIS), which is located at the Oregon Department of Energy in Salem. The mandate for this plan included provisions for the development of a computerized ocean infor- mation system. Over the last two years, the GIS Service Center has assisted other state agencies in the development of the ocean GIS. The ocean GIS is a part of the Ocean Plan. The Service Center built the data base using data provided by several sources. The plots in this document reflect only a portion of the database. As more data become available from state and federal agencies and academic institutions, they will be added to the system with the assistance of the service center. Staff at the GIS Service Center who were instrumental in the development of the database and the plots include Scott Smith, John Sharrard, Richard Crucchiola, and Eric Gillett. The entire Ocean Task Force and staff extend a special thanks to the Service Center staff for their unflagging commit- ment to quality, accuracy, and service. The GIS Service Center runs Are/Info on Sun workstations to manage the data and develop the plots. Final plots are produced on an electrostatic plotter. For more information about the Service Center, write or call the State Service Center for GIS, Oregon Department of Energy, 625 Marion St. NE, Salem, OR 97310.(503) 378-4036 Oregon's ocean is but a small part of the vast Pacific Ocean, which is larger than any other single feature on ICY Earth. Our ocean constitutes only part of its edge, but it is the edges of such systems that are the mostproductive, the most used, and the most vulnerable to disruption from human activities. This map of part of the northeast Pacific sets the stage for the Ocean Plan, The Plan establishes an area within which resource stewardship shall be the prime determinant of state ocean resource policies. This map was developed by the Strategic Assessments ch of NOAA's Office of Oceanography and Marine Assessment. The Branch was created to assess the effects of human activities on es- tuarine and coastal environ- ments and on the resources of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Ihe purpose of such assessments is to help balance the development and conservation of resour- ces that affect the coastal environment. The Oregon Coastal Pro- gram, of which the Ocean Program is a port, will be working closely with the Strat- egic Assessments Branch over the next few years both '444'3- to exchange data and to en 60 &4* hance their respective *0 capabilities for making data able and accessible bom use Sir", when and where it is needed in the process of developing The Northeast Pacific Ocean and carrying out natural Map courtesy of the Ocean Assessments resource policies. Division, National Ocean Service, NOAA. iv Task Force Technical Advisors Richard Hildreth, University of Oregon Ocean and Coastal Law Center Jim Good, OSU Sea Grant Extension La Verne D. Kulm, OSU College of Oceanography William Pearcy, OSU College of Oceanography Susan Hanna, OSU Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics Dan Varoujean, University of Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Jean Flemma, University of Washington Institute for Marine Studies Earle Buckley, Director, National Coastal Resources Institute Matt Spangler, Director, Lincoln County Planning Department Mark Barnes, CREST, Astoria Joseph Edney, formerly of Coos-Curry Council of Governments, Department of Environmental Quality Dennis Olmstead, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries Greg McMurray, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries Scott Smith, Oregon Department of Energy Neal Coenen, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Newport Dan Bottom, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Corvallis Rick Starr, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Newport Robin Brown, Oregon Deptartment of Fish and Wildlife, Newport Dave Fox, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Newport Krystyna Wolniakowski, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Bruce Sutherland, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Jeff Kroft, Oregon Division of State Lands Janet Neuman, Oregon Division of State Lands Don Oswalt, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development Patty Snow, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development Phyllis Cottingham, League of Women Voters, Brookings Margarite & Howard Watkins, Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, Coos Bay Diana Bradshaw, Portland Audubon Society Palmer Sekora, U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Roy Lowe, U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Lisle Reed, Pacific OCS Region Manager, U.S. Dep I of the Interior, Minerals Management Service Elizabeth Holmes-Gaar, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service. Steve Chesser, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland Paul Heikkila, Oregon State University Sea Grant Extension Agent, Coquille Bob Jacobson, Oregon State University Sea Grant Extension Agent, Newport Jim Bergeron, Oregon State University Sea Grant Extension Agent, Astoria Jim Waldvogel, Oregon State University Sea Grant Extension Agent, Crescent City, CA Hans Radtke, Consulting Economist, Yachats Conten The Need for an Ocean Plan Driving Forces 3 Legislative Action 5 Jurisdictions at Sea I I The Context for an Ocean Plan The Ocean Environment 17 The Human Environment 27 The Policies of the Ocean Plan Ocean Resources Stewardship 45 Resource Issues and Recommendations 57 Ocean Fisheries 59 Marine Birds and Mammals 81 Intertidal Plants and Animals 101 Recreation and Cultural Resources 113 Marine Water and Air Quality 121 Oil and Gas 131 Oil Spills 141 Marine Minerals 149 Getting the Work Done Tools for Governing 161 Territorial Sea Plan 163 Ocean Policy Advisory Council 166 Project Review Panels 168 Coastal Local Governments 170 State Agency Programs 173 Interstate Coordination 176 State-Federal Partnership 178 Information and Education 181 Citizen Involvement 185 Ocean Research 189 The Need for An Ocean Plan Driving Forces for Ocean Planning 3 Legislative Action 5 Jurisdictions at Sea 11 1 11 1 2 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan L6*4@A* 't 7@, The Need for an Ocean Plan e 3 Driving Forces for Ocean Planning rp wo sets of forces sparked Oregon's ocean resource planning. First, the Oregon JL coast and Pacific Ocean are important to Oregonians. Commercial and recrea- tional fisheries, transportation and navigation, clean air and water and recreation are all ocean uses upon which coastal communities rely for their livelihoods and way of life. Oregonians care deeply that the coastal environment be protected and traditional use of renewable resources be maintained. Oregon's state agencies and local governments have control over many of the uses and resources along the coast and within the state's three-mile territorial sea. Second, national and international forces Oregon's ocean and shoreline, regardless of outside Oregon inject new demands for ocean how well the state is prepared. and coastal resources into the present mix. Overarching both these sets of forces is the Global political and economic forces, beyond growing public concern about the quality of the the control of the state, affect the price and marine environment. There are increasing supply of oil, gas, and mineral resources and demands for national and coastal state govern- can generate interest in exploring Oregon's ments to step up efforts to protect human ocean for these resources. The Oregon coast is health, conserve ocean resources and preserve increasingly attractive as a recreation destina- environmental quality. Coastal states, respond- tion and retirement home for people from con- ing to public concerns, are initiating ocean gested urban areas with deteriorating resources management programs to ensure environmental conditions. Oregon's ocean that state and local interests in ocean resour- fisheries are intertwined with global market ces are protected. demands and the industrialized nature of major international fishing fleets which can af- Oregon is now faced with the responsibility fect the marine food chain across vast stretches of managing a range of ocean uses in its ter- of ocean. These forces will bring change to ritorial sea and coordinating with federal agen- cies for management beyond. Until now, such 4 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan uses either coexisted without conflict or con- ment program that is based on clear policies flicts were managed on a case-by-case basis. and uses an open process involving all inter- Balancing the demands created by new uses ested parties. will demand an adaptive, equitable manage- "woof -7 -0, I'f n The Pacific Ocean challenges the coast north of Cape Perpetua. The town of Yachats lies in the middle distance. (ODOTphoto) The Need for an Ocean Plan 9 5 Legislative Action for Ocean Planning T he 1987 Oregon Legislature, through Senate Bill 630, the Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act, created the Oregon Ocean Resources Manage- ment Program. The purpose of the program is to plan for the coordinated, com- prehensive management of ocean uses and resources off the Oregon coast. The law links together state agency programs, federal programs, local government interests, and public concerns into a coordinated planning and management program. The Act established the Oregon Ocean Resources Management Task Force, and charged it with the assignment of developing an Oregon Ocean Resources Management Plan. The plan was presented to the Oregon Legislature on June 1, 1990, and adopted by the Land Conservation and Development Commission by August 1, 1990, as part of Oregon's Coastal Management Program. The Act addresses more than an Ocean federal agencies in managing ocean resources Plan. It is a statement of Legislative concern within 200 miles of the coast. that the resources of the Pacific Ocean are im- portant to Oregon and that the state must be Legislative Policies prepared to properly respond to increased and The Legislature provided a policy new uses of ocean resources. The legislature framework to guide the ocean planning work. found that while many state agencies have The primary policy builds on the foundation of responsibilities for different resources or uses, Statewide Planning Goal 19, Ocean Resources, there was no policy framework for coordinated, and asserts that Oregon will consistent state policy. Likewise, the Legisla- ... conserve the long-term values, benefits, ture determined that federal law and the new and natural resources of the ocean both U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone provided the within the state and beyond by giving clear state with the opportunity and responsibility to priority to the proper management and protection of renewable resources over non- assert the state's interests as a partner with renewable resources. 6 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Other policies of the legislature are to Oregon's Territorial Sea outlined in the Encourage ocean resources development Ocean Plan. which is environmentally sound and economi- 0 State agency programs for regulation of cally beneficial; ocean uses and activities. Provide for efficient and coordinated ocean resources management through improvement The Ocean Resource Management Plan and of the state's coastal management program the other parts of the Ocean Program provide and state-wide land use program; Oregon with a policy framework and a process Assert the interests of this state as a partner to draw together the various participants with federal agencies in the sound manage- needed to focus on ocean resource issues. ment of the ocean resources within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone and Oregon will also have an open, cooperative the continental shelf, process involving the public and ocean users to Promote research, study and understanding resolve ocean policy issues. As part of the of ocean processes, marine life and other Oregon Coastal Management Program, the ocean resources to acquire the scientific inven- Ocean Plan will guide state response to and tory information necessary to understand the impacts and relationship of ocean develop- participation with federal agency action regard- ment activities to ocean and coastal resources; ing ocean resources. Encourage research and development of new innovative marine technologies for explora- The Task Force tion and utilization of ocean resources. The Oregon Ocean Resources Management Ocean Program Task Force membership was established by the To implement these policies, the Legisla- Legislature to include the many state agencies, ture established a four-part Ocean Resources local government, groups, and interested par- Management Program to "provide for efficient ties in ocean issues. The members of the Task and coordinated ocean resources management Force are listed in the front of this Ocean Plan through improvement of the state's coastal document. A large and diverse Technical and management program and state-wide land use Scientific Advisory Committee provided advice, program." The Ocean Program includes: information and feedback. In addition, the Task Force was charged with involving the � Those parts of the existing federally ap- public and coordinating with affected federal proved Oregon Coastal Management Pro- agencies and adjacent states. The Legislature gram which pertain to ocean and coastal was concerned that the Ocean Plan be resource conservation and development, in- prepared in a wide open, public process. cluding local government comprehensive plans. Especially important are the estuary Ocean Plan Requirements management plans and coastal shorelands The Ocean Plan is required to have four planning and zoning measures adopted by major elements: coastal counties and cities. 1. An analysis of state and federal laws, � The Ocean Task Force and any successor. programs, and regulations affecting ocean This broad interagency process is crucial to resources within the planning area, includ- addressing complex ocean management is- ing gaps, overlaps, and conflicts. sues. The Ocean Plan proposes an Ocean This analysis is in three parts: 1) the Ter- Policy Advisory Council to succeed the ritorial Sea Management Study, completed in Task Force. 1987 for the Department of Land Conservation � The Ocean Resources Management Plan and Development by James Good, Oregon State and future refinements such as the plan for University Extension/Sea Grant program and The Need for an Ocean Plan * 7 Richard Hildreth, University of Oregon Ocean policy and action framework for Oregon's ocean and Coastal Law Center; 2) Appendix, Interim program. Report of the Ocean Resources Management Task Force, 1988; and 3) an Analysis of State The Impact of the Ocean Laws and Agency Responsibilities (included in Plan on State Agencies the Executive Summary of this Ocean Plan). The Legislature clearly intended the Ocean 2. A study of present and future ocean uses off Plan to be the coordination framework for Oregon and an analysis of the state's Oregon state agencies and their programs for management regime for these uses. ocean resources. Two separate provisions of the A description and analysis of uses and ac- 1987 Act strongly suggest that state agencies tivities in the ocean off Oregon are included are obligated to act in a manner consistent throughout the Ocean Plan. Some potential with the Plan. uses are listed as issues for future study in the The Oregon Attorney General's Office has Governance section, Territorial Sea Plan sub- provided an analysis of the impact of the Plan section of this plan. on state agencies. That analysis concludes that 3. Maps and other information in computer for- 1) state agencies may not act inconsistent with mat about ocean conditions, uses, and the plan but 2) agencies are not obligated "to resources to provide a basis for plan elevate priorities identified in the plan over decisions. other statutorily or constiutionally mandated responsibilities." Thus, when state agencies A comprehensive computerized geographic take action regarding ocean resources, they database has been developed at the Oregon must do so consistent with the plan. However, Department of Energy, Geographic Information agencies are not compelled to change programs System Service Center. The Department of to meet the many recommended actions con- Land Conservation and Development has coor- tained in the program. dinated with a variety of state, federal and academic agencies to acquire and develop this The Impact of the Ocean database. This Ocean Plan document contains Plan on Federal Agencies some maps and other graphic products from Congressional action in late October, 1990, the GIS. Improvements and additions to the may profoundly affect the way in which database and computer system are continuing. Oregon's Ocean Program guides federal ac- The goal is to develop a dynamic, accessible in- tivities both in the state's territorial sea and in formation system available to all who need its federal ocean waters from 3 to 200 miles. The information. federal Coastal Zone Management Act 4. Recommendations to develop or improve Reauthorization Amendments of 1990 over- state agency programs for managing ocean turns a 1984 Supreme Court decision in resources, with emphasis on oil and gas Secretary of the Interior v. California in which and related activities, oil spill response, the Supreme Court held that federal OCS oil marine minerals, marine water quality, air and gas lease sales had no affect on a state's quality, environmental studies and re- coastal zone and hence were not required to be search, and a permanent management 11 consistenf' with policies and regulations in structure and process to keep the plan up the state's coastal program. to date. The new law clarifies that all federal agen- These recommendations are found cy activities, whether in or outside of a state's throughout this Ocean Plan and form the coastal zone (including the three mile ter- 8 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan ritorial sea), are subject to the "consistency" re- sions. Citizens attended and participated freely quirements of section 307 (c)(1) of the federal during three Task Force two-day workshops Coastal Zone Management Act if they affect held in January 1988, January 1989, and natural resources, land uses, or water uses in February 1990. the coastal zone. "Affecting" activities mean In fall 1988, eight public workshops were direct immediate impacts, cumulative impacts held. Five were in the coastal cities of Brook- and reasonably foreseeable indirect effects that ings, Coos Bay, Florence, Newport, and Cannon occur later and away from the action. No Beach and three in the inland cities of federal activities are categorically excluded. Portland, Eugene, and Medford. A total of over To achieve the full benefits of this ex- 200 people attended. Several issues and con- panded state authority, Oregon will need "en- cerns raised at these workshops were sub- forceable" policies within the Oregon Coastal sequently discussed by the Task Force and Management Program pertaining to protection policies were developed and included in the of ocean resources. Enforceable policies include plan. constitutional provisions, court decisions, In November 1989, workshops were held in statutes, regulations, administrative rules, ac- Gold Beach, Newport and Astoria with fisher- knowledged land use plans and implementing men and four general public workshops were ordinances. held in Gold Beach, North Bend, Newport and The Oregon Ocean Resources Management Cannon Beach to discuss the first draft plan. Act and this Plan establish the policy 800 copies of the draft were distributed and framework for enacting enforceable policies. over 300 people attended. The new federal law is a strong incentive for Information about the plan and other ocean the state to prepare a plan for Oregon's ter- issues was provided via Oregon Ocean, a ritorial sea which provides the needed pro- newsletter. A mailing list was established and cedural clarification and regulatory detail to new names were continually added from those assure policy enforceability. With enforceable who attended meetings and workshops. A total plan policies officially incorporated into of ten newsletters were prepared and mailed to Oregon's coastal management program, state over 1200 recipients. Issue papers were an- agencies and local governments will have a powerful tool to hold federal agencies account- nounced and made available upon request. able to the standards of Oregon's ocean Copies of both draft plans were widely dis- management program. seminated in person and by mail. 800 first draft plans were distributed in October 1989, Citizen Involvement and 1300 final draft plans were distributed in The Ocean Plan was developed with sub- May 1990. In addition to many comments stantial citizen involvement in all phases of the voiced at the fall 1988, November 1989, and planning process as required by the 1987 Act. May 1990 hearings and workshops, more than All meetings of the Task Force were widely sixty letters were received commenting on the publicized through direct notice by mail, ar- first draft ocean plan and thirty letters were ticles in newspapers, radio and television an- received on the final draft. The Task Force nouncements and posters. Citizens attended all made substantial revisions to the first draft Task Force meetings. Each Task Force meeting plan as a result of these fall 1989 workshops. included designated "open mike" opportunities Some minor amendments were made after the for public comment which were well used. In May 1990 hearings. addition, citizens were often able to interact directly with the Task Force during discus- The Need for an Ocean Plan * 9 Local Government Federal Agency Coordination Involvement The 1987 Act recognizes the fundamental The 1987 Act recognized the major role of role of Oregon's coastal local governments in the federal government in managing a variety regulating shoreline land uses which could af- of ocean resources. The Legislature called for fect ocean resources. The Ocean Plan is re- close coordination with federal agencies during quired to be compatible with acknowledged development of the Ocean Plan. Several federal comprehensive plans of adjacent coastal coun- agencies participated in Task Force workshops ties. The Task Force was required to work with and meetings, provided information for the the Oregon Coastal Zone Management Associa- ocean resources GIS or commented on staff tion, Inc. to make sure that local governments papers and draft plan elements. These agencies were involved in the ocean planning process. included: Coastal local governments were well repre- 0 Department of the Interior sented during development of the Ocean Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Oregon Is- A coastal county commissioner and the Direc- lands and Three Arch Rocks National tor of the Oregon Coastal Zone Management Wildlife Refuges Association were members of'the Task Force. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Ecological In addition, representatives from coastal cities, Services Branch counties, and port districts provided comment and advice during preparation and review of Minerals Management Service/Pacific OCS plan elements. Region The Plan reaffirms that coastal local Minerals Management Service/OtTice of governments bave important regulatory respon- Strategic and International Minerals sibilities for land uses and activities along the 0 Department of Commerce ocean shoreline and can take affirmative action National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- to protect ocean resources. In the past, most ministration local governments have simply not regarded National Marine Fisheries Service/Habitat ocean resources as part of traditional land use considerations. The Plan contains a listing of Conservation Branch ocean resource topics which local plans could National Marine Fisheries Service/ address as well as recommendations that coas- Resource Assessments and Conservation tal cities and counties review their plans and Branch ordinances and amend, as necessary, to protect National Ocean Service/Office of Oceanog- ocean shoreline resources or regulate onshore rapby and Marine Assessments development resulting from the use of ocean National Ocean Service/Office of Ocean and resources. Five other plan recommendations Coastal Resources Management call for strengthening local government's par- ticipation in ongoing ocean planning and 0 Environmental Protection Agency/Region decision making. 10 0 Department of Defense U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Portland Dis- trict 10 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan ................. ............ %V N. .......... 6. ..... .. (A7 I'C A S C A, 00 D I- A C) i C) 0. E5. A, S 1 0 t, /'d 5L 4 ..... ...... .... .......... Oregon's Ocean Planning Area The Need for an Ocean Plan * 11 Jurisdictions at Sea M anagement of ocean resources and uses is fragmented and complex. Numerous state and federal agencies have authority or jurisdiction over resources and uses, depending on location or the kind of resource or use. The politi- cal and administrative boundaries limiting these authorities are not related to the fluid, dynamic nature of the ocean or its resources. Activities and uses under federal jurisdiction, for instance, may affect resources or uses under state jurisdic- tion. State programs may affect resources under federal jurisdiction. One of the principal objectives of the from the shoreline to the boundary of the Oregon Legislature was to coordinate these United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) authorities and develop a comprehensive 200 miles at sea. framework for coordinated management among Three geographic regions fall within this all agencies. The process of developing the ocean planning area: Ocean Plan produced more than just a plan; a 0 The coastline, including intertidal areas variety of local, state and federal agencies and nearshore rocks and islands; began to work together to address resource management needs. This communication and 9 The continental margin, including the con- coordination has set the stage for Oregon's on- tinental shelf and continental slope; and going ocean management program. 0 The deep ocean beyond the continental mar- The Oregon ocean gin, including several features such as the Cascadia Basin, Gorda Ridge and Blanco planning area Fracture Zone. As a first step in ocean resources planning, Coastal watersheds and estuaries were not Oregon defined an ocean planning area from included in the ocean planning area because the border with Washington on the north to the these areas, although interconnected with California border on the south and westward 12 0 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan oceanic ecosystems, are managed through local definite distance to a depth of water which per- land use and estuarine plans. mits exploitation of resources such as oil and The general oceanographic characteristics gas. For years this area was roughly defined by of the Oregon Ocean Planning Area have been a depth of 600 feet, the edge of the geographic described in detail in The Oregon Ocean Book continental shelf. However, the Department of published by the Department of Land Conserva- the Interior has asserted that the seaward tion and Development (DLCD) in 1985. The limit of the OCS is now coincident with the Oregon Estuary Plan Book, published in 1987 U.S. EEZ. It is in this area that the Depart- by DLCD, contains a full explanation of ment of the Interior has pursued oil and gas Oregon's estuarine habitats and how they are leases under the OCSLA. managed. The State's Territorial Sea The Exclusive The 1953 federal Submerged Lands Act es- Economic Zone tablished coastal states' ownership of the sea In 1983, the United States asserted jurisdic- bottom within three miles of their coastlines. tion over the resources and uses of the ocean Within this three mile strip, called the ter- within 200 miles of its coastline, an area ritorial sea, coastal states have the power to known as the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone manage, administer, lease, develop and use the (EEZ). Coastal states have primary jurisdiction land and natural resources of the ocean. The and control of the first three miles and the federal government retains considerable federal government has jurisdiction over and authority in the territorial sea in matters of controls the remaining 197 miles of the EEZ. navigation, interstate commerce, national defense, and international affairs. For example, Within the EEZ, the U.S. claims authority within the three miles the U.S. Coast Guard to control the exploration, conservation, and has sole authority to establish vessel traffic management of all natural resources, both lanes, the Environmental Protection Agency living and nonliving, of the seabed, subsoil and can designate ocean dumping sites,the Corps of overlying waters. The management of natural Engineers can dispose of dredged material sub- resources within the EEZ is primarily a domes- ject to relevant federal acts, and the military tic, not international, responsibility. can conduct necessary defense exercises. The 200 mile EEZ also coincides with the In 1988, a Presidential Proclamation ex- fishery conservation zone designated by the tended the territorial sea to twelve miles for in- Magnuson Fisheries Conservation Act of 1976. ternational matters, but stated that domestic Within this 200 mile-wide area, regional laws were not to be affected by the extension. fisheries councils regulate foreign and some Many questions remain regarding the impact domestic fisheries (see Ocean Fisheries): and full meaning of the Presidential Proclama- The Federal tion. Outer Continental Shelf Oregon County Boundaries Since 1953, the U.S. Department of the In- The boundaries of Oregon's coastal counties terior has administered the Outer Continental extend seaward three miles to the western Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and has bad jurisdic- boundary of the state. However, the Oregon tion over the seabed resources of the Outer Con- ocean planning law (ORS 196) requires that tinental Shelf (OCS). This OCS area extends planning for ocean resources and for sub- from the boundary with the state's three mile merged and submersible lands of the territorial territorial sea (see below) seaward an in- The Need for an Ocean Plan * 13 sea be carried out under the Oregon Ocean Oregon does not claim ownership or poses- Resources Management Plan. sion of the entire area. Designation of the area will change neither the jurisdictional boun- Oregon Ocean daries of the state nor the federal legal regimes Stewardship Area. under which the resources of the U.S. Ex- The Oregon Ocean Resources Management clusive Economic Zone are managed. Rather, Plan designates an Ocean Stewardship Area as Oregon believes that by designating an Ocean the ecologically sensible area for coordinated, Stewardship Area, the state is advancing the comphrehensive management of ocean resour- principles of ecologically sound ocean resources ces of direct concern or responsiblity of the management. State of Oregon. The Ocean Stewardship Area The Oregon Ocean Stewardship Area and includes the entire continental margin from the accompanying principles of conservation mean high water along the coast across the con- and habitat protection are discussed more fully tinental shelf and down to the bottom of the in the next section. continental slope. U.S. E.E.Z (200 miles) FederalO.C.S. State 3-miles Oregon Sea Leval Shelf Slope GoVda Ridge adia %k CaS Basin ............ 4r-. .......................... ............... ............... .......... . . . . . . ............... . ...... ......... ................ ........... ............... ................ ............... ............ . ...................... Deep Sea Continental Margin Cross-section of Oregon's offshore orea (not to scole) The Con for an Ocean Plan The Ocean Environment 17 The Human Environment 27 4 I te)d 15 16 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 'A K" WOW, 13@ Rugged coastal mountains plunge to the sea at Ecola State Park, in the foreground, and loom just inland of the town of Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock, in the distance, (ODOTphoto, 1968) The Ocean Planning Context * 17 The Ocean Environment The Continental Margin Oregon's Marine Communities 0 regon's ocean resources planning is set in the context of global ocean condi- tions and dynamics. The huge scale of ocean currents, particularly the North Pacific and Alaska gyres, connect vast oceanic and coastal areas into an intercon- nected, dynamic system. In the search for a smaller, but still ecologi- For now, Oregon must focus its attention cally meaningful scale, oceanographers identify on an even smaller area which makes ecologi- an area offshore from Cape Mendocino in north- cal, practical, and political sense for the state. ern California to Vancouver Island that shares Oregon's Ocean Plan highlights the entire con- similar species composition and oceanographic tinental margin off the coast of Oregon as conditions. This system, called the northern Oregon's area of concern for ocean resources California Current ecosystem, may be an ap- management. propriate unit for future regional planning and management. 18 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan In manyplaces along the Oregon coast, the forest is anchored in sandysediments previously deposited on the ancient seafloor, then compacted and upliftedby the collision of continents. At the ocean's edge this sandstone gives way first to rocky rubble, then sand, and is returned to the sea. (Oregon Sea Grant photo) Oregon Offshore LEGEND Generalized Sediment Types = Mud = Fine Sand = Medium Sand Sedi'ment Types MR Coarse Sand = Shell RM Gravel = Bedrock 10 0 10 20 30 MILES Oregon State University Sediment Core Samples 0 0 0 0 0 Sand 0 0 Mud 0 Mixed Sand and Mud 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 Go 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o 0 o 0 0o 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 %01i 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 so 0 0 o to0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41o 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 S 0 0 00 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 '0 0 0 00 0 0 0 o 0 0 IT a 00 0*0 60 0 (a 0 0$C@,% .0 0 0 0 0 0 0 @00 000 0 0 000 0 0 0 000000 0 00 0 0 00 0 0 8 9 ocp0 0 0 000 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 00 o 00 0090 00 00 00 00 0 00000 0 0 000 000 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0000 0 0 000 0 0 0 00 00 0 0 00 00 0 0 0 0 ,6 Id, 00 0 0 Nr-ox, 00 kj'\*j01V, 000 0 CO 011 000 000 000 4D 0 0 0 000 00 00 odo o 0 0 0 O8q 0000 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The Ocean Planning Context 9 19 1 The Continental Margin Analysis of the physical and biological fea- Prominent submarine banks occur near the tures of the Ocean Planning Area further outer edge of the shelf. The four major banks focuses Oregon's ocean resources management are the Nehalem, Stonewall, Heceta, and Co- setting on the continental margin for the follow- quille. Submerged rocky outcrops are also ing reasons: found on the inner shelf, especially between � The continental margin is defined clearly Coos Bay and the Rogue River. Sea stacks and by physical features. rocky islands thrust above the sea surface close to shore. � The continental margin supports distinct Oregon's continental slope is a narrow marine biological communities. strip, from 12 miles wide at Cape Blanco to 60 � The majority of human uses of ocean miles wide off the Columbia River. From the resources off the Oregon coast occur ion the outer edge of the continental shelf, the slope continental margin. plunges to the deep sea bed about 11/2 miles � Events which occur on the continental mar- below the surface. Gently sloping benches, low gin can directly affect the interests of the relief hills, and a few steep escarpments are state of Oregon. found on the upper part of the slope. Physical Features of the Two prominent submarine canyons and numerous smaller submarine valleys breach Continental Margin the outer edge of the continental shelf and the TOP09rciphy upper slope. The Astoria Canyon cuts deeply The continental margin is where the rocks into the outer shelf about 10 miles west of the of the continent meet the ocean floor. The Columbia River. The much smaller Rogue major structural features of the continental Canyon begins near the edge of the shelf off- margin are the continental shelf and the con- shore of the Rogue River. These submarine tinental slope. canyons and a number of smaller valleys are OregoWs continental shelf is a relatively important avenues for moving sediment across flat, gently sloping terrace. The shelf is nar- the shelf and down to the deep ocean floor. rowest (10 miles) near Cape Blanco and widest Bottom Sediments (46 miles) off Florence and the central coast. Sand and mud cover most of the continen- The depth of the shelf at its outer edge where it tal margin. The movement and deposition of merges with the steeper continental slope these sediments over the continental margin is varies from about 450 to 550 feet (abo.ut 145 to controlled by river discharge; estuarine circula- 185 meters). The shelf is not entirely flat. tion patterns which can trap some of the sedi- ment; coastal erosion; wave characteristics; ocean currents; density differences in the - oceanic water column; benthic organisms bur- The map on the previous page shows the dis- rowing in the sediment; and ocean dumping of tribution of sediment types off Oregon, and the material dredged from coastal harbors. In the location and sediment composition of samples winter, storms can stir the bottom sediments taken from the ocean floor over the post several across all of the continental shelf. decades. Source: USGS and OSU 20 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Ocean Currents The broad, shallow surface current which The movement of water over the continen- flows southward along the Oregon coast is tal margin off the Oregon coast is driven by the called the California Current. During the sum- major Pacific Ocean currents. Local winds and mer, the California Current moves southward weather create daily, seasonal, and yearly offshore of the continental margin at speeds of variations in the general circulation patterns. about 2.5 to 5 miles per day. During periods of The North Pacific Current crosses the ex- strong northwest winds, this current may panse of the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Cana- double its speed. A narrow, fast undercurrent da where it encounters the continental margin moves north ward deep below the surface along near Vancouver Island. The North Pacific Cur- the continental slope at depths greater than rent then splits into a northward flowing cur- 600 feet (200 meters). During the winter, the rent carrying water into the Gulf of Alaska and faster (6 to 12 miles per day) Davidson current a southward flowing current carrying water flows northward at all depths over the continen- along the coast from Washington to California. tal margin pushing the California current fur- ther offshore. Although there are general seasonal patterns in surface cur- N 0 F-TH rents, the high variability in C___ I- winds off the Oregon coast results in a great deal of variability in C-1 . . ........ . these currents. Current fluctua- ,......... . . .... . tions are the strongest near the id can change quickly and .......... ........ st simultaneously over long almo ............. ..... ....... . .. . ...................... . ...... .... .... .... .. .. stretches of the coast and throughout the entire water column over the shelf. These fluc- ,"MUL UR-CULATION tuations in current patterns are nearly impossible to predict. e The Columbid River Plume The Columbia River also great- WINTM clR@-_ULA710N N09-7H ly influences ocean currents across the continental margin. The fresh river water mixes slow- ly with ocean surface waters and 3 ... ..... forms a large dilute lens or plume" which extends south- westerly from Astoria. A strong, . . . . . . . . . . . . . narrow current flows along the boundary between the lighter river water and the denser ocean water. On the inshore side of the plume, this current often enhan- ces and strengthens the coastal jet. Changes in the winds will Seasonal ocean currents move this current either closer or The Ocean Planning Context 9 21 e Winter Currents In the winter, winds WIND DI.QfLRON are predominantly from the southwest. Surface waters across the con- tinental margin move toward the shore during the winter. High runoff from coastal streams and the Columbia River OEM dumps a lot of light fresh .. ....... ...... water along the coast during the winter. This sets u p a northward flow- :::..@ ... ....... . . . . . . . . . . .. ing current along the #@ft- XNAU.55, t976 coast which can reach I I very high speeds (11/2 to 2 miles per hour), espe- Offshore water transport and upwelfing cially during strong winter storms. Changing further away from the coast. South winds move winds often interrupt the this current offshore, while north winds move general winter current pattern and can move it closer to shore. surface waters offshore and trigger coastal up- Summer Currents and Upwelling welling which can last for days or weeks. Summer is the season of upwelling, al- 9 Deep Water and Bottom Currents though upwelling can occur in any season if Deep water and bottom currents are poorly conditions are right. In the summer, winds are understood. In the summer, a deep counter cur- primarily from the north. Due to the earth's rent flows northward under the southward rotation and the topography of the continental flowing surface current. This deep countercur- shelf and shore, surface waters move west rent is strongest along the shelf break and away from the shore. This offshore movement upper slope. The deep currents also vary with causes deep, cold, nutrient-rich waters to rise local topography. For example, eddies are com- to the surface. This process is called upwelling. mon near the banks and the beads of sub- Although the most active upwelling is restrict- marine canyons. ed to a narrow band approximately 6 to 15 miles from shore, the upwelling has a great in- Vulnerability to Spills and Contaminants fluence on currents over the entire continental The fast speeds, multiple directions, high shelf. variability and unpredictability of the currents Differences in the densities between the over the continental margin make the entire relatively heavy upwelled water and the lighter continental shelf vulnerable to adverse effects surface water set up a fast southward flowing from oil spills and other pollutants. An oil spill current called a coastal jet. The core of the coas- can move up or down the entire Oregon coast tal jet is often as close as 10 to 20 miles from in the matter of a few weeks, and could come shore and can travel at speeds of 20 to 35 miles ashore from a spill anywhere over the continen- per day. tal margin in just a few days. 22 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan '128W f 18 JuN 88/9am 44N + ,1@ "M A Satellite images reveal that ocean currents flowing near the coastline are as complex and dynamic as those of a mountain stream. Special cameras record the temperature of the ocean's sur- face waters, and the resulting images show ocean features that are both invisible to the naked eye and nearly impossible to measure using traditional sampling and measuring techniques. Scientists use such images to study how coastal promontories, like Cape Blanco and Cape Mendocino, and sub- marine features like Heceta Banks affect ocean currents, This image covers the ocean and coast from Yaquina Bay, Oregon, to Cape Mendocino in Califor- nia. It was taken in July, when strong northwest winds drive warmer surface waters (red areas) out to sea, thus allowing cold nutrient-rich waters (blue areas) to rise to the surface close to shore. The upwell- ing colder waters are pulled into complicated eddies and plumes by the warmer southward-flowing California Current. Fishermen also use satellite imagery to target fish catch, since many fish species congregate near the boundaries between cold and worm waters. (NOAA photo courtesy of Ted Strub, OSU) The Ocean Planning Context 23 Oregon's Marine Communities High Biological Productivity seasonal peaks in primary production and in Oregon's continental margin is extremely plankton "blooms" throughout the spring and rich and productive. The coastal upwelling summer. brings cool, nutrient rich waters to the surface During the summer the areas of maximum over the entire continental margin and stimu- primary productivity are about 15 to 20 miles lates plant growth. Phytoplankton, the micro- from shore. Sometimes the areas of highest scopic plants of the ocean, thrive in the productivity are concentrated very close to the upwelled water. Primary production in the shore. However, at other times, especially waters of the continental margin can be more during periods of strong upwelling, these areas than double the primary productivity of the of high productivity are spread out across the open ocean. (Primary productivity is a biologi- shelf. Additionally, a lot of primary production cal measurement of the size of plant popula- occurs in the surf zone. tions and the amount of food produced by these The large phytoplankton populations sup- plants.) The seasonal occurrence of upwelling port large populations of microscopic animals and pulses in upwelling events result in called zooplankton, primarily copepods, Typical marine food web off the Oregon coast 24 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan euphausiids, and larvae of fish and shellfish. nian communities which are at the northern The zooplankton are food for large populations edge of their distribution. of fish, birds, and mammals. The waters over Populations of animals at the edge of their the continental margin off Oregon are extreme- ranges tend to be smaller, more variable an- ly rich and productive, as evidenced at least in nually, and more sensitive to environmental part by the large fisheries industry dependent changes than populations in the center or op- on these waters. timum part of their range. An Ecotone - The Mixing of Several Coho salmon off Oregon are an example of Biological Communities a species in an ecotone and at the edge of its The waters of Oregon's continental margin range. In North America, coho salmon are are biologically important for other reasons too. found only in the cold, productive waters of the This habitat forms what ecologists call an subarctic region. Abundance of coho is maxi- ecotone, a boundary area where different mum at the center of its geographic range (i.e., biological provinces overlap. In an ecotone, offshore from British Columbia) and declines members of different communities are mixed with changes in latitude towards the edges of together. The species found off Oregon are rep- its distribution. Average annual coho commer- resentative not only of a native community, but cial catch data over the past 60 years demon- also of subarctic communities which are at the strate this distribution pattern. From year to southern edge of their distribution and Califor- year, the relative strengths of currents flowing Commercial Salmon and Crab Landings, 1970 - 1986 in pounds round weight 20,000,000 . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . ..... .. ...... .. ... ...... - - - - - - ....... ............... .......... . ......... ..................... . . ..... 18,000,000 . . ....... ........... .... ........ ................................ .......... . . ........... ................................. ... ........... . ..... ....... - - -------- -- 16,000,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .......... ... .......................X ............. .. ............ .. ......... .. ... ............ . ........ ................ 14,000,000 . ..... .. ............. .......................... .. ............ .......................... .... ......... ............... ........... . . ... .......... I....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ . .. .. 12,000,000 .......................... . . .. .. . . . . . ............ . .. ..................................... .. ............... . ... ...... .......... . .. ........... El Salmon .. .. .......................... ............................... ............... ..... ... .... ...... ... . 10,000,000 - .. . ... . ..... ........... ........... ............ C rab .. .. . .. .. ........... 8,000,000 - - - - - - - - - - - - - .. ................ . . ... .. ... .............. ............ . ............... 6,000,000 .. ... ...... .... ...... .... .............. .. .............. ........ 4,000,000 ......... ... . ............ .. ............ . ... . . . .. 2,000,000 .. .. K. ... .. . . . .. .. 0 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 History of two fisheries shows wide annual variability The Ocean Planning Context * 25 into the area off the Oregon coast from the boundary or region is very difficult. Charts plot- northern subarctic and from the southern sub- ting the distribution of spawning areas and tropical regions vary greatly. The environmen- nursery grounds show different species using tal variability in water temperature and the nearshore waters, the offshore banks, the nutrient supply results in variability in biologi- continental shelf break, and the continental cal productivity and in species composition of slope. Other charts plotting the distribution of populations of zooplankton and fish. Migration larvae, juveniles and adults show fish popula- routes of adult salmon and distribution pat- tions all across the continental margin. terns of the zooplankton on which they feed The only boundary that does make ecologi- will also vary from year to year. And, offshore cal sense is the seaward edge of the continental Oregon the average size of mature fish, fecun- margin. Although some species are found in dity, and survival of adult coho is generally less the waters of the deep ocean and the continen- than in the middle of their range where such tal margin, in general, the species composition environmental fluctuations are not as likely. of fish populations, the size of the populations, Highly Variable and and the distribution of spawning areas of the Highly Vulnerable continental margin are distinctly different from Communities those of the deep open ocean. One of the most characteristic and unique Huge Breeding and Feeding Bird qualities of biological communities of the con- Populations tinental margin off Oregon is the extreme Large numbers of seabirds migrate along variability, both seasonally and yearly in Oregon's continental margin. Multitudes of planktonic and larval species and in fish stock. nesting seabirds along Oregon's coast depend This high variability results in a high vul- on relatively undisturbed coastal nesting nerability to long-term, widespread, and ad- habitats and on the rich coastal waters for food verse effects from human activities. for themselves and their young. Some bird Rich Fish Populations species have very particular habitat and feed- The productive continental margin sup- ing requirements and are found only in certain ports large and diverse populations of fish, all areas. As examples, the northern fulmar and of which are food to or feed on other creatures the sooty shearwater are found primarily along of the sea in a vast and complex food web. the mid and outer shelf and the shelf break. Some of these fish species are commercially im- The California and western gull are nearshore portant. and coastal birds which are rarely found Populations of many fish species are con- seaward of the shelf break. Some seabirds such centrated over the entire continental margin. as the tufted puffin nest in burrows dug in the The distribution of fish is, of course, highly vari- dirt atop offshore rocks and islands and travel able and different species are associated with daily to the rich feeding grounds near the edge specific sediment types. But, in general, fish of the continental shelf to capture fish to bring populations tend to be highest in areas where back to the fledglings in their nests. there is a break or change in bottom topog- Biologists believe that many of today's rapby, such as over the banks, along the shelf seabird populations are just remnants of much break, and at the beads of submarine valleys larger seabird populations common in the and canyons. times before intense human use and develop- Trying to draw a boundary line or pinpoint ment of the coast. A number of seabird species a region in the Oregon Ocean Planning Area have been formally listed as sensitive, and say that fish are concentrated within that 26 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan threatened, or endangered by the state and federal governments. Diverse Marine Mammal Populations The continental margin is impor tant habitat to a wide variety of migrating and resident marine mam mals. Gray whales migrate along the Oregon coast within a few miles of shore from November through June. A year round population of adult killer whales is found over the shelf Several species of seals and sea lions use the offshore rocks and islands as pupping and haul out areas. North- ern fur seals migrate along the shelf edge from its wintering grounds in southern California to its breeding grounds in the Pribilof Islands. Marine mammals of the offshore rocks and islands depend on the waters of the continental margin as feeding areas. For example, north- ern sea lions leave their rookery areas near Cape Arago and the Populations of breeding seabirds and proportion of the Rogue Reef and travel as far as 20 to total seabird population of each species, 25 miles offshore to forage for food. California sea lions, harbor por- poises, and harbor seals not only feed in river mouths and estuaries, but they also forge across the con- tinental margin out to the shelf break. The map following this page shows the loca- tion of the most sensitive marine species habitats along the Oregon coast. Sites on the map include bird colonies that serve as breed- ing sites, pinniped haulout locations, and known threatened or endangered species locations. Source: ODFW and USFWS o Breeding Bird Colonies Pinniped Haulout Sites Endangered Species 10 0 10 20 30 MILES Sensl"tl',ve Species Locations The Ocean Planning Context * 27 The Human Environment The Counties The Coastal Economy Ocean Users and Uses M any Oregonians have chosen the coast as their home. They live in small towns like Langlois, Yachats, and Gearhart; in the larger cities of Astoria, Newport, and Coos Bay; in retirement or second home developments like Little Whale Cove and Salishan; and in relatively remote areas where neighbors are few. The coast is many things to many people: Curry. The 1987 estimated coastal population the family home for many generations; a place totaled about 190,000 persons or approximately to earn a living from the rich natural resources, 24 persons per square mile. The largest such as timber, fish and shellfish; a retreat metropolitan area along Oregon's coast is the from the populated cities and hectic urban Coos Bay area where the neighboring cities of living; a place to play, to walk on the beaches, Coos Bay and North Bend have a combined to fly kites, to hike, to race dune buggies, to total population of about 24,000. Coastal canoe and kayak, to angle from a small boat or Oregon has thirty-three cities and approximate- the shore; a place to study the natural ly 40% of the coastal population resides in phenomena of the forests and the sea: an en- cities with populations over 2500. The total vironment to stimulate human imagination population of coastal Oregon is roughly 7% of and explore individual creative capacities; and, the state's population. basically, a place to live, do business, and raise Oregon coastal communities are experienc- a family. ing significant changes in their population and The population of Oregon's coast lives in their economies. Many of these changes are a five coastal counties and the coastal parts of function of the overall national demographic two large, mostly inland counties. These coun- trend toward an older population. Oregon, and ties, from north to south, are Clatsop, Til- especially the coast, has a relatively large per- lamook, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas, Coos, and centage of elder citizens. Many retired people 28 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan have moved into coastal areas because these adults have left coastal areas to seek education- communities are so "liveable" and provide al andjob opportunities elsewhere. Both of retreats from urban or industrial areas. Young these trends are likely to continue. N V_l % V11 Nye Beach in the city of Newport is typical of the close relationship of Oregon's coastal com- munities with the ocean. Jumpoff Joe, a landslide area from ocean erosion, is located in the center of the photo. Rising sea level is projected to accelerate erosion along the cliff edge. Cities @Vll need to plan for this geologic eventuality. (ODOTphoto, 1978) The Ocean Planning Context * 29 The Counties Clatsop County tion Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, � Population: 33, 100 and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Newport, a major fishing port, is also � Principal Industries. Fishing, Lumber, the Dungeness crab capitol of the world. Lin- Agriculture, and Recreation coln City, formed by the consolidation of five Clatsop County was named for the Clatsop small towns, is an oceanside community with Indians, one of the many Chinook tribes living numerous tourist-oriented attractions and in Oregon. Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark's resorts. Lincoln City is also a popular retire- winter headquarters in 1805, is now a national ment community. memorial and is located near the mouth of the Sport fishing is popular and productive Columbia. along the coast of Lincoln County, from the Astoria, the county seat, was the first Siletz River and Bay to Yachats River. Sizeable American city to be settled in the West. Astoria charter and commercial fishing fleets operate was established as a fur trading post in 1811. out of Depoe Bay and Newport. Mild winters The first U.S. Post Office west of the Rocky and cool summers help to produce an abun- Mountains was also established in Astoria in dance of horticultural specialities. 1847. Tillamook County Lane County 9 Population: 273,700 � Population: 21,400 * Principle Industries. Agriculture, Educa- � Principle Industries: Agriculture, Lum- tion, Fishing, Food Processing, Logging, ber, Fishing, and Recreation Manufacturing of Wood Products, Dairy farms dominate Tillamook County's Recreation, and Tourism fertile valleys. The county is the home of the Only a relatively small part of Lane County world-famous Tillamook cheese. Logging and is located in the coastal zone. Eugene, Oregon's lumbering are also again becoming economical- second largest city, occupies the population ly important due to the reforestation and focus of the county in the Willamette Valley. regrowth of most of the huge "Tillamook Burn" Florence, at the mouth of the Suislaw River, is area. the only coastal city in Lane County. Most of Tillamook County offers ocean and stream the land in coastal Lane County is part of the fishing, charter and dory boats, clamming, crab- Suislaw National Forest. bing, beachcombing and biking. The county's Douglas County oceanfront is famous for its scenic grandeur. 9 Population 92,150 Lincoln County 9 Principle Industries: Lumber, Mining, � Population: 38,800 Agriculture, Fishing, and Recreation � Principle Industries. Lumber, Fishing, Douglas County extends from the coast up Agriculture, and Recreation the Umpqua River drainage to the Cascades. Newport is Oregon's oceanography re- Only a relatively small part of the county is ac- search center with OSU's Mark 0. Hatfield tually in the coastal zone. Almost all of the Marine Science Center which also provides coastline of Douglas County is in the Oregon facilities for the National Oceanic and Atmos- Dunes National Recreation Area. Reedsport, pheric Administration, Environmental Protec- Gardiner, and Winchester Bay, all located near 30 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Clatsop, +0.4% E] -9.0 %to -6.0 % Tilli nook, -0.3% E2 -6.0 %to -3.0 % E] -3.0 %to 0.0 % 0 0.0 % to 2.9 % 3.0 % to 6.0 % ......... . Lane % .............. . ... ...... ...... ........... Coos, -6.5% ..........-....... .......... .......... ............ .........- Douglas, -0.6% ............ .......... . . ...... ............ ............ ........... .. ......... ........... ............ .............. Curry, -0.8% Percent change in coastal county populations from 1980 - 86 The Ocean Planning Context * 31 the mouth of the Umpqua River, are the center Francisco, is the world's largest forest products of population and activity in coastal Douglas shipping port. County. Curry County Coos County e Population: 17, 1 W � Population: 6 1,000 * Principle Industries. Lumber, Agricul- � Principle Industries: Lumber, Fishing, ture, Commercial and Sport Fishing, Agriculture, Shipping, and Recreation Recreation, and Tourism The name "Coos" is derived from the native The county contains valuable standing tim- Coos Indian word which may translate to ber and also offers spectacular coast scenery "lake" or "place of pines." Although trappers and recreational attractions, such as beach- had been in the area a quarter of a century ear- combing, clamming, and crabbing; excellent lier, the first permanent settlement in present fishing (freshwater and saltwater); river scenic Coos County was made at Empire City, now boat trips; and coast, river and mountain part of Coos Bay, by members of the Coos Bay hiking trails. The Port of Brookings is con- Company in 1853. sidered one of the safest harbors along the Forest products, tourism and fishing coast for ocean recreational fishing. dominate economic activity in Coos County. Agriculture in Curry County includes rais- Boating, dairy farming, myrtlewood manufac- ing sheep and cattle, dairy farming, and raising turing, ship repair, module fabrication and cranberries, blueberries, and horticultural nurs- agriculture specialty products, including cran- ery stock. berries, also play an important role. The Inter- (The source of most of the preceding national Port of Coos Bay, considered the best material is the Oregon Blue Book, 1989-1990.) natural harbor between Puget Sound and San @6 if, r "N A large freighter glides into the Columbia River estuary at Astoria. The Columbia River, along with Coos Bay, is a major international port on the Oregon coast. (Oregon Sea Grant) 32 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 67 girl, %Vol* 4 ayofs Seafood processing, often small scale and labor intensive, is on economic mainst everal coastal ports. This part of the industry depends on a continuous supply of fresh fish from the ocean. (Oregon Sea Grant) The Ocean Planning Context * 33 The Coastal Economy Personal Income Security payments and retirement pensions; Coastal Oregon has experienced generally and other export industries such as water low overall economic growth and amplified transportation, marine cargo handling, paper swings in employment during national reces- and paperboard mills, boat and ship building, sions. The demographic "aging" of the coastal and state and federal education and research population combined with the coast's reliance facilities. on natural resource-based industries that are The Oregon Coastal Zone Management As- subject to dramatic supply and demand chan- sociation (OCZMA) recently published an ges have caused per capita personal incomes of analysis of the coastal economy in The coastal residents to lag behind averages for the Economic Landscape of the Oregon Coast. The rest of Oregon and the U.S. results of this study show that passive income Coastal residents depend on economic ac- from such sources as social security payments, tivity in six basic categories: commercial fish- other retirement benefits, disability payments, ing; commercial agriculture; lumber and wood interest and dividend income, and rents are be- products; tourism; passive income from invest- coming increasingly significant as the average ments and transfer payments, such as Social age of the coastal population increases. Of the natural resource based industries, the timber 100 90 80 70 60 Percent 50 of Income 40 30 20 10 0 + + Clatsop Tillamook Lincoln Coastal Coastal Coos Curry Coast Total Oregon United Lane Douglas States IN Investment & Disability D Transfer Payments E Wages & Salaries Sources of personal income in 1987 in coastal counties, Oregon, and the U.S. (Source: OCZMA) 34* Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Personal income sources in Oregon's coastal communifies in 7 987. (Source: OCZMA) Fishing 10.8% Investment 21.9% Agricufture 2.6% Timber 14.9% 1 1 1 H+H WIT Ng Tourism 7% Retirement & Disability 21.4% g .-M: NX .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other Wages 21.4% industry accounts for about 15% of the total es- defined or understood. There is a strong connec- timated personal income of coastal residents, tion between the attraction of Oregon's relative- whereas fishing makes up about 11% of the ly clean, uncrowded coastal environment and total. the growing population of retired persons from Coastal Retirement outside the coastal area. The OCZMA economic profile reveals the The size and growth of transfer payments growth of "transfer payments" as a major sec- spells a shift in the coastal economy away from tor of the coastal economy. This retirement-re- reliance on resource extraction and gives a lated sector is larger than either timber or glimpse of the changing social and political fishing in almost all counties (except Clatsop makeup of coastal communities. For this County where commercial fisheries is slightly population, many with political savvy and higher). This influx of older persons, coupled money, the ocean is more of a visual and aes- with historic patterns of "out-migration" of thetic resource than a resource to be actively ex- young people after high school, creates a higher ploited. percentage of older persons and a shrinking pool of young labor for industrial development on the coast. The following plot shows many of the The relationship of the coast's two largest generally recognized features along the coast. sectors, "transfer payments" and "investments" Highway 707, urban growth boundaries, coun- to ocean and coastal resources is not clearly ties, and so on. M noo RDC "Llb M. rfo OU", v x ial RR@l K Roe N Js Red Re,,A Wand N T L 1,H N IRV 'NOML 10 It Look t !IN A M Side Roe 0 Devi Back a ini kiywiil cQ . .... . Now :777 166' WA IN VA Ilk, IN CO N. I a a will V- Nodh belt. - - = N INO West k. Ot PolnL Myer R, 11te. Not iv Eli V, ti n In de j 11 k Ble, k v lee d I a am na lp pea @ re Ns Tv V ite - @10 4 cost Is Che While' k'-' Camel k H Hepd Devi 0 w 44 rill R 5 ca CD IAN Ww UgIvA.'aw. rk :S I'M i" 52 kz s a 14 Stimnn She WWa d A o F" 0 PPI j k nd KiLte Fha Roc -t, N M k1i KI wer k - Pi La Lie k Fla LL. I Gull k. T@@,eh N 09 is /I (Cape ko TA hes Kwan a k sy Lac @l ,V\.., B 17 P @l 1, de H to Th k, 09 Si eta ay Flohl I@cv bL ler p rat c De hate Cape Foulw ea he . . . . . . . . . . PU Ot r k 51- aquina H d v Yaquina Ly rk D Y.+ B@ St ewall sea CC] In op a A my UK . . .. ........... tape P pet, a Ilho um Fps A 0 5 t 0 15 MILES 2to 200 ISO --4f 61 Sp cr Z L, A TSR 0 The Ocean Planning Context 9 35 Ocean Resources provides about 2.6 percent of Douglas county's The direct economic role of ocean resources personal income. varies from community to community. In 1987, The economic contribution of recreational commercial fishing, a major social component activities related to the ocean is difficult to of the coast, provided 10.9 percent of the total quantify because there is no clearly defined "in- coastal personal income. Yet for that same year dustry" to measure. The OCZAIA study focused in Lincoln County, fishing contributed 16.4 per- on portions of selected industries that are cent ($80.9 million) and in Clatsop County 20.5 directly affected by visitor expenditures: hotels Percent ($94.2 million) of the total personal in- and lodging places, amusement and recreation come, both well above average. On the other services, eating and drinking places, retail band, in Curry County, commercial fishing con- sales and automobile service stations that are tributed about 4.7 percent ($10.4 million), directly affected by tourist's expenditures. Over- slightly less than tourism at 5 percent ($11.0 all, tourism is estimated to contribute ap- million). None of these figures reflect the proximately 7 percent to the total personal economics of ocean recreational fisheries which income of the Oregon coast. How much of this are not specifically addressed by recent avail- is directly related to ocean and coastal resour- able studies. ces is simply impossible to determine. In some Other ocean related industry is con- communities, such as Depoe Bay and Brook- centrated in a few major ports. In 1987, the ings, recreational ocean fishing contributes sig- marine transportation and cargo sector con- nificant income to the community, especially tributed less than 2 percent of the total per- during salmon season. Whale watching trips, sonal income but 4.5 percent ($34 million) in especially from Newport and Depoe Bay, are a Coos County. Boat building in Coos Bay growing segment of off-season trips for charter provides about 1 percent of Coos county's per- boat operators. sonal income, while boatbuilding at Reedsport 4 k M wp@ J J Fishing vessels represent the personal investment of individual fishermen in the future of Oregon's fisheries industry. (Oregon Sea Grant) 36 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 7', r; A Or 10iW 7 4,4_ -iv These boats tied up a Newport are a small part of Oregon's commercial fishing fleet, which num- bers about 2000 vessels. (Oregon Sea Grant) The Ocean Planning Context 9 37 Ocean Users and Uses Oregonians depend on the ecologically and Fishermen form a diverse community. economically valuable resources of the ocean. They fish a wide variety of species including Human uses of the ocean are concentrated on salmon, cod, rockfish, snapper, sablefish, sole, the resources of the continental margin. These flounder, halibut, tuna, shrimp, crab, whiting, resources can be listed and categorized, but sea urchins and squid. Some of them are inde- Oregonians know that they are ecologically in- pendent businessmen who own one or more ves- terconnected and interdependent and that sels. Others work as crew members. Some these resources are highly valuable to human work with foreign companies in joint fishing economies and highly vulnerable to disruption ventures. by human activities. Commercial fishing contributes about 10 Commercial and Recreational Fishing percent of the total personal income of coastal Commercial fishing was one of Oregon's counties and communities and in major fishing first industries. In the mid-1800's, Scan- ports may contribute as much as 25 percent of dinavian and French immigrants fished for sal- all personal income. mon in the lower Columbia River. Using horses Fishing is also a cherished way of life for and their own human strength, these people many coastal residents whether they are direct- worked gill nets, beach seines and fish wheels ly involved in the fishing industry or not. to reap an abundant harvest which was Navigation and Transportation processed and packed in nearby plants. With Oregonians have long used the beaches and the new invention of gasoline engines, adven- the nearsbore waters to get from one place to turous fishermen ventured "across the bar" at another along the coast and to transport goods the mouth of the Columbia and began to fish to and from markets. In the years before the the resources of the ocean. coastal highway was completed, coastal resi- The rich harvest of the oceans and rivers dents drove their carts and carriages and later played an important role in the development of their automobiles along the highway of the the Oregon economy and the establishment of beach. For many years, coastal traders using various cities and ports all up and down the barges and small ships have carried goods to coast. communities up and down the entire west Today, Oregon fishermen catch fish almost coast. Captains of fishing vessels and merchant everywhere. Some fishermen may work rela- ships sought refuge in the natural harbors tively close to shore taking day trips to near- where communities were also developing. shore reefs. Others will stay out for several Today coastal pilots meet large oceangoing ves- days and fish the rich resources at the edge of sels several miles at sea and guide them to the continental shelf. Still others participate in safety in these harbors. the distant water fisheries of the central The deep water ports of the lower Colum- Pacific. Even so, Oregon fishermen tend to con- bia River (including Portland), Coos Bay, and centrate their efforts on the rich fishery resour- Newport are part of a complex network of in- ces of the continental margin. About 95 percent land and oceanic transportation systems serv- of the value of the fisheries and the total ing millions of people worldwide. People in pounds landed in Oregon is from fish and coastal ports like Coos Bay often host regular shellfish harvested from the continental mar- crewmen from the Soviet Union, Japan, Korea, gin. the Philippines and Hong Kong. 38 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan PAM The plot on these pages shows the location of towboat lanes off Oregon. Lane locations are pub- lished by the OSU Sea Grant Extension Service, and are used by towboat operators and fishermen to Oregonians have strong economic ties to generally chart a straight line course which major nations around the Pacific Rim and the slices diagonally across the Oregon ocean plan- world. Huge vessels regularly leave Oregon ning area from about 150 miles at sea off As- loaded with wood products such as chips, logs, toria to about 50 miles at sea off Cape Blanco. and lumber and with grain for foreign trade. Waste and Dredged Material Disposal Large quantities of imported commodities also Worldwide, the ocean has become the final enter the U.S. through Oregon's ports. These dumping place for many of the wastes of imports include automobiles, chemicals, metal human society, including municipal and in- products, clothing, shoes, and machinery. dustrial waste, dredged material, and marine Numerous smaller, shallow draft coastal and terrestrial litter. Oregon's coastal com- ports support the commercial and recreational munities and industries, like others around the fishing industry, pleasure boaters, and domes- world, use the ocean to dispose of waste and un- tic coastal trade. wanted material. Some of the sources of the Much of the domestic trade between the waste, such as municipal sewage treatment Pacific coast states is carried by shallow draft plants and harbor dredging projects, are barges. Barge captains generally follow the 60 deliberate societal choices. Whereas, others are fathom (360 feet or 120 meter) contour, four to the result of carelessness or ignorance. five miles offshore. Six municipal wastewater treatment works Each day, several supertankers full of and three pulp and paper mills currently dis- North Slope crude oil, travel southward from charge directly into Oregon's coastal ocean. At Valdez, Alaska, to refineries in California and current levels, the pollutants from these out- the Gulf of Mexico states. Tanker captains The Ocean Planning Context * 39 Oregon Coastal Shipping Lanes ----------------- avoid conflicts. Since the process of agreeing on lone locations and publishing the results began, con- ficis and fishing gear losses-which were not uncommon-have become practically nonexistent. falls are relatively small and seem to be dis- to specific sources and may, in fact, be uniden- persed quickly. tifiable. No one and yet everyone is responsible. Oregon's coastal ocean is also used for the Marine Litter disposal of dredged material. The need to keep Marine litter fouls Oregon's continental channels in harbors open for vessels requires margin. People litter. They unthinkingly throw maintenance dredging. Growth of ports can re- beer bottles, plastic packaging, and garbage quire new dredging. Everyone who uses overboard. They leave the leftover trash from a products transported over the ocean or who beach picnic.on the shore. They throw cigarette eats fish from the ocean contributes to the need butts in the sand. to dredge. The Corps of Engineer's discharges Plastics and other trash, which end up in from 7 to 11 million cubic meters of sediment coastal waters and on the bottom, kill marine from coastal harbors and rivers at about twen- organisms. Although no scientific studies have ty authorized dredged material disposal sites been done on the origin and amounts of marine on the continental shelf. These sites are litter on Oregon's shoreline and across the con- generally located near river mouths in water tinental margin, beach cleanup projects report depths ranging from 50 to 185 feet. The that the great majority of the litter found is dredged material that is currently being from boats, that significant amounts of litter is dumped on Oregon's continental margin is found near campgrounds and picnic sites, that clean, uncontaminated sand. about 60% of all items found are plastic, and Discharges from rivers transport a variety that the amount of litter deposited by tides the of pollutants from many sources into the coas- day after a beach cleanup is often equal to the tal waters. Many of these may be untraceable amount picked up by the cleanup effort. 40 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Recreation and Aesthetics Oregon are small and localized, but they lie in Oregon's coast has been termed a national relatively shallow water where miners using treasure. People from all over the world come dredges could recover the gravel. to the Oregon coast to admire its beauty, to Major placer deposits of mineral-rich "black relax, to experience nature, to play, and to find sands" may lie beneath the ocean off the coast inspiration. Oregonians place a high value on Oregon. Mining entrepreneurs have been inter- pristine beaches, rocky headlands, and scenic ested in the possibility of mining these "black vistas. sands" and the interest may increase in the fu- The waters of almost the entire continental ture. The extent of these placer deposits and shelf and much of the upper slope from north to the economic viability of marine minerals mini- south along the Oregon coast are visible from ng off Oregon are poorly known. publicly accessible viewpoints. On a clear day, The potential for adverse environmental ef- a person standing on the beach can see about 6 fects from marine mining and the degree of spa- miles to the horizon. On a clear day, a person tial and other conflicts with the fishing standing on the Yaquina Bay Bridge can see industry and other ocean users are poorly un- about 16 miles out to sea; From Cape Arago, a derstood at this time. But, Oregonians are con- person can see about 17 miles up and down the cerned. coast and out to sea; from Cape Blanco, 19 9 Oil and Gas Development miles; from Sea Lion Caves, 24 miles; from Although Oregon's offshore geology has not Otter Crest Lookout, 28 miles; from Neahkah- been fully explored, geologists who have inter- nie Mountain Lookout, 32 miles; from Cape preted existing information postulate that oil Sebastian, 35 miles, from Cape Perpetua and gas deposits may be present in three Lookout, 37 miles; and from Cascade Head, 45 sedimentary basins which extend across the miles. continental shelf and upper slope. Existing Degradation of the aesthetic resources of technology and the economics of oil and gas the coast could greatly alter the quality of the development would probably limit oil and gas Oregon coast and could negatively affect the activities to the continental shelf and upper coastal experience and the economies which are slope. The federal government and the oil and dependent on tourism and recreation. gas industry are very interested in knowing the Possible Future Uses magnitude of oil and gas resources off the Oregonians and visitors to the Oregon Oregon coast. coast worry that future development of ocean Environmental risks of oil and gas develop- resources will adversely affect the way of life ment and potential use conflicts with the on the coast. fisheries industry, as well as the aesthetic im- 9 Marine Minerals Mining pacts of oil and gas development are of great The federal government and a few com- concern to Oregonians. Geographically, these panies have been interested in the mineral concerns are focused on the entire continental resources of Oregon's continental shelf. Cur- margin. rently no mining is occurring on the continen- e Other Uses tal margin, but economically recoverable Looking to the future, other potential users deposits may be present. of Oregon's coastal ocean could include people Developers may be attracted to offshore growing oceanic plants and animals in large gravel deposits as onshore sources are depleted scale mariculture operations, kelp or other or demand increases. The gravel deposits off marine algae harvesters, people who want to in- The Ocean Planning Context 9 41 stall or have installed artificial reefs which ders hosting marathons along the coast. would attract fish and to serve as a fishing or Oregonians will probably have many interest- SCUBA diving site, and new recreational users ing and difficult ocean resource use choices in such as people exploring reefs in private recrea- the future. tional submersibles or jet skiers or sail boar- If offshore oil and gas exploration were ever permitted off Oregon, drill ships such as this one operating in the Santa Barbara Channel, may be used The ship is anchored into position, drill pipe is lowered from the tower through a hole in the ship's bottom, and the hole is drilled into the seofloor. (DLCDphoto) E E The Policies the Ocean Plan Ocean Resources Stewardship 45 Resource Issues and Recommendations 57 Of 43 44 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 70"', V 110, V 6 @; Mack Arch off Curry County is one of nearly 1400 rocks and islands along the Oregon Coast. These islands, many of which ore crucial habitat for seabirds and mammals, are central to Oregon's commit- ment to marine resource conservation and habitat protection, (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo) Ocean Resources Stewardship 9 45 Ocean Resources Stewardship Conservation and Habitat Protection S tewardship means taking care of the Earth and its resources for the long-term future. Ocean stewardship is at the heart of the Oregon Ocean Resources Management Plan. The goal of ocean resources stewardship is to maintain the quality and the productivity of the marine ecosystem while sustaining the economies that rely on its resources. Oregonians value the coast and the ocean Stewardship Transcends very highly, and expect government agencies to Political Boundaries be good stewards of public resources. The Ocean Resources Management Task Force lis- Stewardship concerns and responsibilities tened to the people of Oregon and has taken are not limited by governmental boundaries seriously their charge to be wise stewards of and agency jurisdictions. Oregon believes that the ocean. Ultimately, ocean resource ocean stewardship means that the state's ocean stewardship is the responsibility of each in- resource management concerns extend beyond dividual citizen. its legal boundaries. The Ocean Plan identifies important ocean The U.S. government has asserted resources and the risks to these resources, ex- authority over ocean resources within a 200- amines how Oregon can respond to problems, mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Oregon and recommends goals, policies, and needed ac- has jurisdiction over, and therefore direct tions. The Ocean Plan charts the ocean responsibility for managing, the ocean resour- stewardship path for the future through sound ces within the territorial sea, which extends ocean resources management decisions. seaward three miles from the shore. The state The Oregon Ocean Resources Management also has certain rights and responsibilities for Plan is Oregon's ocean stewardship plan. the management of resources within the EEZ, 46 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan just as the federal government has specific con- species assemblages of plants and animals, trol and responsibilities over certain activities food webs and migration patterns to name just within the territorial sea. a few. Human activities in this dynamic and in- The Oregon Legislature, in passing the tegrated zone can directly affect ocean resour- Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act, ces throughout this ecological area. recognized that the conservation of long-term The Oregon statewide land use planning values, benefits, and natural resources of the program, including local plans and estuarine Oregon coast and ocean meant looking beyond plans, addresses activities on the landward the territorial sea. Therefore, Oregon's ocean side of this zone. The Oregon Ocean Resources planning effort began by looking at the resour- Management Plan addresses the water side. ces and uses of the entire 200-mile zone to determine where Oregon's ocean resource The Ocean Stewardship management responsibilities are concentrated Area and what makes ecological and management The ocean stewardship ethic is global in sense. scope, but the Oregon Ocean Plan focuses Management on an directly on the coastal and oceanic area in which events directly affect the interests of Ecological Basis Oregonians and in which stewardship actions Ecosystems are not fixed within lines on by Oregonians are most likely to have results. maps or jurisdictional boundaries. Ocean cur- Oregon is making an unequivocal state- rents dissolve the meaning of governmental ment that ocean resources management must boundary lines. Fish swim freely in ocean be based on ecological realities and must reflect waters. Marine birds and mammals migrate the interrelation ships of the resources of the great distances between breeding and feeding continental margin, the human uses of these areas. Marine birds and mammals also range resources, and the responsibilities and con- widely from rookeries and haulout or resting cerns of federal, state and local governments. areas in search of food. Sediments from coastal Oregon is identifying an ocean stewardship rivers are deposited along the entire continen- area as the ecologically sensible ocean resour- tal margin and are then shifted and ces management area. The Ocean Stewardship redeposited by ocean currents. Pollution from Area is Oregon's area of direct concern and rivers, ocean dumping, littering, or oil spills responsibility for ocean resource management. can quickly spread in many directions. The Ocean Stewardship Area includes the The geographic scope of Oregon's ocean entire continental margin from mean high stewardship responsibilities must combine water, across the continental shelf,,and down oceanographic characteristics of the biological to the bottom of the continental slope. The communities and habitats, as well as, practical width of the continental margin varies from management considerations and political boun- about 35 miles off Cape Blanco to about 80 daries. miles off the northern coast. Depth to the ocean Oregon's primary ocean and coastal floor at the edge of the margin varies from stewardship responsibilities and resource about 9000 feet (3000 meters) off the southern management interests extend from the coast to about 6600 feet (2200 meters) off the seaward edge of the continental margin to the northern coast. A straight line drawn at about coastal mountains. This area is an ecological en- 125 degrees and 20 minutes west longitude ap- tity linked together by many physical and proximates the seaward edge of the continental biological phenomena: winds, currents, tides, margin. Ocean Resources Stewardship 47 . . . . . . .. . 5W --- - ------- .... . . ....... -4-r_ .... . ..... The Ocean Stewardship Area 48 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Oregon does not claim ownership or posses- information upon which to make better sion of the entire Ocean Stewardship Area. But ocean management decisions Oregon does proclaim that sound stewardship 0 Seek appropriate co-management arrange- and resource management requires changing ments with the federal government to en- the way decisions have been made in the past, sure that ocean resources in the Ocean especially in this area. Stewardship Area are managed consistent- Designation of the Ocean Stewardship Area ly in accordance with the policies of the will neither change the jurisdictional boun- Oregon Ocean Resources Management Plan daries of the state, nor change the federal legal 0 Coordinate and cooperate with adjacent regimes under which the resources of the ex- states and encourage regional approaches clusive economic zone are managed. Designa- to management of ocean areas, when ap- tion will not expand the state's federal propriate consistency authority beyond activities which 0 Involve local governments and the public in affect Oregon's coastal zone. By designating this Ocean Stewardship ocean resource management decisions Area, Oregon is advancing the principles of 0 Develop marine management areas, where ecologically sound ocean resources manage- needed, to provide increased opportunities ment. Oregon believes this approach can ad- for public recreation, to protect biological vance the national and international communities and habitats, and/or to ad- discussions necessary to establish new concepts vance scientific understanding of the ocean. of ocean stewardship responsibilities. Stewardship and the Within the Ocean Stewardship Area. Coastal Watersheds � Ocean resource uses and activities directly Oregon's ocean resources are intercon- affect the interests of the State of Oregon nected in several important ways with coastal � Oregon has management interests in oil watersheds. Rivers discharge beneficial and gas exploration and development, nutrients and harmful pollutants into the marine mineral mining, marine transporta- ocean. Estuaries, where fresh river water tion and ports, marine birds and marine mixes with salty ocean water, are crucial to the mammals, intertidal areas, ocean fisheries, biological cycles of many species of marine oil spills, recreation, cultural resources, aes- animals and directly contribute to the produc- thetic qualities, and water and air quality tivity of the ocean. Anadromous fish, primarily � Oregon shares management respon- salmon, use both freshwater rivers and the sibilities and interests in concert with salty ocean as equally important ends of a con- federal resource management agencies tinuum of habitat needs acquired over millions Within the Ocean Stewardship Area, of years. Oregon will. Oregon's Ocean Stewardship Area neither � Conserve living marine resources, includ- includes estuarine and riverine habitats nor ad- ing biological communities and habitats dresses their management. These rivers and es- tuaries, their adjacent shorelands, and the � Give priority to renewable resources over lands in the watersheds are already included in nonrenewable resources Oregon's Coastal Management Program. Cities � Support scientific research on marine and counties in the Oregon Coastal Zone have ecosystems, ocean resources, and already adopted comprehensive land use plans oceanographic conditions to develop better which address, in addition to fourteen Ocean Resources Stewardship * 49 statewide planning goals, three specific coastal and extends state management policies and ac- goals Goal 16, Estuaries, Goal 17, Shorelands, tivities into the interconnected ocean realm. and Goal 18, Beaches and Dunes. Each estuary Note: The Oregon Estuary Plan Book, pub- is managed through an estuarine managment lished in 1987 by the Department of Land Con- plan adopted as part of the county comprehen- servation and Development, contains a full sive land use plan. The Ocean Stewardship explanation of how Oregon's estuaries are Area complements Oregon's comprehensive managed. management program for watershed resources Estuaries are the link between rivers and the ocean. This view of the mouth of Coos Bay reveals how the ocean floods into the boy to mix with fresh water from coastal rivers, which results in a uni- que, rich habitat forplont and animal life. This estuary mouth, like many others along the Oregon coast, has been stabilized for navigation with rockjetties, (ODOTphoto, 1972) 50 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan A% A-, VV 4 LL, A AR -7- A Shell Island, off the tip of Cape Arago near Coos Bay, is particularly valuable as a resting and feeding area for sea lions (the darker animals) and seals (the lighter animals near the tip of the sandy area.) But because this area con be easily reached at low tide, the mammals face increasing distur- bance from humans. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo) Ocean Resources Stewardship o 51 Conservation and Habitat Protection The conservation of all ocean resources is birds and mammals. the principle that guides Oregon's ocean resour- Future demands on Oregon's ocean for ces management. This principle seeks to food, waste disposal, energy, minerals, and protect the integrity of marine ecosystems other uses mean that the ocean system will be while giving priority to the protection and wise increasingly sensitive to depletion, degrada- use of renewable resources over nonrenewable tion, or destruction. Ocean resource manage- resources. ment decisions should be made with caution Ocean resources conservation means that and a view toward the future. Short term gains the integrity, diversity, stability, complexity, must not be made at the cost of long term detri- and the productivity of marine biological com- ments to the marine ecosystem. Careless use munities and their habitats are maintained or, and wasteful exploitation violate the principle where necessary, restored. Ocean resources con- of conservation. servation also means that Oregon will attempt Ocean resource conservation is good for to accommodate the needs for economic develop- Oregon's economy. Much of Oregon's economy, ment while avoiding wasteful uses and main- especially on the coast, depends directly on taining future availability. However, if a maintaining a healthy natural resource base: development activity endangers the quality of sustainable populations of fish and shellfish, oceanic ecosystems which provide renewable unpolluted air and water, recreational oppor- resources for the long term future, then tunities, and outstanding visual qualities, to economic development activities cannot take name just a few. A healthy future for Oregon precedence over ocean resources conservation. means conservation. The Need for Conservation Habitat Protection The ocean may seem boundless and its All plants and animals require cer"tain resources unlimited. But the size of the ocean, habitat conditions to survive and flourish. In its unseen depths, and its seemingly infinite ex- the ocean, these habitats are a complex com- panse obscure the fact that its productive and bination of many factors, including seafloor assimilative capacities are limited. As big as it type, water depth, light penetration, 'wave ex- is, the ocean system is affected by both human- posure, and nutrient availability. Some or- caused disruptions and natural fluctuations. ganisms, especially seabirds and marine More and more, ocean waters are called upon mammals, require isolation from human ac- to provide resources for growing human popula- tivities as an element of their habitat. tions and to absorb society's increasing wastes. Diverse, abundant habitat types are the Pollution can impact large areas and affect foundation of a productive marine ecosystem. large populations of marine organisms. If fish Habitat diversity provides resilience against harvests exceed a population's ability to main- damage to populations that could result from tain a viable, sustainable size, then fish popula- either natural or human-induced environmen- tions can collapse, entire biological tal changes. Habitat destruction can have un- communities can be altered, and entire fishery foreseen consequences for populations, industries can be displaced. Coastal community communities, or ultimately, for entire marine development and population growth can result ecosystems. in non-point source pollution and can encroach upon nesting and breeding habitats for marine 52 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Ways to Conserve effort nationally and internationally. But Ocean Resources ecosystem-based comprehensive planning and management are essential to the conservation A wide range of approaches for conserving of ocean resources necessary to support human ocean resources exist. State and federal communities for the long term future. resource agencies already employ many dif- ferent management techniques to conserve Ocean Resources ocean resources. For example, they set permit Conservation in Oregon conditions, require use of the best available Ocean resources conservation is the man- technology, establish harvest limits, set fishing date of the Oregon Ocean Resources Manage- seasons, encourage or require mitigation, and ment Act of 1987: impose environmental performance standards. Oregon will conserve the long-term values, Pollution control technologies can reduce benefits and natural resources of the ocean the effect of waste discharges on marine ecosys- both within the state and beyond by giving tems. Harvest limitations or gear restrictions clear priority to the proper management and are used by fishery management agencies to protection of renewable resources over non- renewable resources. maintain long-term sustainable yields of fish. The legislature's choice to give "clear Off-site mitigation measures can sometimes priority" to renewable over nonrenewable compensate for otherwise unavoidable ecosys- resources reinforces an existing policy in tem damage. In some cases where an ecosys- Oregon's Coastal Management Program. tem or a species is under severe stress, human Statewide Planning Goal 19, Ocean Resources activities or use of a resource must simply be requires that: prevented and the habitat or species preserved. Managing marine ecosystems and protect- All local, state and federal plans, policies, projects and activities which affect the ter- ing biological communities and habitats, rather ritorial sea shall be developed, managed and than just managing individual species and ac- conducted to maintain, and where ap- tivities, are essential to a sound ocean resource propriate, enhance and restore, the long-term conservation program. State and federal agen- benefits derived from the nearshore oceanic resources of Oregon. Since renewable ocean cies, long accustomed to managing harvests of resources and uses, such as food production, certain species or focusing on a single activity, water quality, navigation, recreation, and such as navigation or water quality, must begin aesthetic enjoyment, will provide greater long- term benefits than nonrenewable resources, to develop a better understanding of marine such plans and activities shall give clear habitats and the populations and communities priority to the proper management and they support. This understanding must be in- protection of renewable resources. corporated into management decisions. Major Goal 19 further requires the identification research and study of habitat elements and con- and protection of important biological habitats; ditions, especially in the productive nearshore the protection of the integrity of the marine region, are necessary. Program goals and ecosystem, including its natural productivity policies will need to reflect a habitat manage- and diversity; and the long-term protection of ment philosophy. resources of the continental shelf for fishing, In the long term, comprehensive planning navigation, recreation, or aesthetic purposes. and ecosystem based management is often the Any minerals mining, oil and gas development, best way to resolve issues and provide for sus- dredged material disposal, or ocean dumping of tainable resource use. Management which wastes must not substantially interfere with or focuses on the interactions between biological detract from the use and long-term protection communities and habitats in the ocean is a new of renewable resources. Ocean Resources Stewardship * 53 Goal 19 identifies Oregon's principal ocean endangered species resources conservation techniques. These are The importance of the area in important the identification of environmental resources life history stages of marine organisms, that may be affected by a resource use, the as- especially special areas used for feeding, sessment of the effects of a proposed resource courtship, breeding, spawning, nurseries, use, and the use of contingency plans for emer- parental foraging, overwintering, and rest- gencies. ing or haul out Protection and Preservation Vulnerability of the biological community of Critical Habitats and and the habitat to the adverse effects of pol- Species lutants, noise, seismic testing, habitat al- teration, human trespass, and harvest Special protective measures may be needed 0 The severity of impacts on the biological for certain critical habitats to maintain the in- community and the habitat from existing tegrity of the marine ecosystems or to assure or potential uses the survival of populations of threatened or en- dangered species. Special protection of critical 0 The uniqueness of an area within Oregon's habitats and species is necessary when certain Ocean Planning Area human activities or uses threaten the long Some habitats are so important to the con- term viability of an ecosystem, its biological tinued health of marine ecosystems that the communities and habitats. Increased protec- more use-oriented management techniques do tion usually means some kind of restriction on not afford sufficient protection. Other habitats activities or uses. or species are unique to Oregon and may re- Endangered, threatened, or sensitive quire special measures to protect against ad- marine bird and mammal species require spe- verse effects from other ocean uses. Oregon's cial protection to insure their survival as viable overall ocean resources conservation policies re- populations, and to prevent species extinction. quires that these important, vulnerable or ex- Only a few areas off the Oregon coast are likely tremely valuable resources be preserved. to require this intense level of protection. In such cases the need to preserve certain Oregon's Coastal Management Program resources or qualities of the marine ecosystem recognizes the need to protect critical habitats. should take priority over human activities or Goal 19, Ocean Resources, requires protection resource uses. of ". . Amportant biological habitat ... and other Preservation means that no adverse biologically important areas for marine mam- buman-induced changes to a biological com- mals, marine birds, and commercially and munity or habitat should be allowed, and that recreationally important fish and shellfish." human activities which could cause such cban- Increased protection of a critical habitat ges need to be prohibited. must be justified on a case-by-case basis. Fac- Information Needs tors to be considered include: � The ecological significance of the habitat to Information about marine resources and en- maintaining ecosystem structure, biological vironmental conditions is crucial to the im- productivity, biological diversity, and repre- plementation of a conservation policy. Existing sentative species assemblages state and federal programs already require that a significant level of resource, environmen- � The ecological importance of the area to tal, and socioeconomic information support maintaining populations of threatened or ocean resources management decisions. 54 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan For example, Oregon's Statewide Planning ocean resources conservation. Goal 19, Ocean Resources, requires government 2. Require an environmental inventory and im- agencies that carry out actions, projects, or pact assessment for all ocean resource plans affecting ocean resources to management decisions with potential to sig- ... develop inventory information necessary nificantly affect the marine ecosystem. As- to understand the impacts and relationship sessments must analyze and describe the of the proposed activity to continental shelf long-term effects of the proposed action on and nearshore ocean resources. As specific ac- tions are proposed, inventory information biological communities, marine habitats, shall be gathered .... sufficient to describe and uses of the continental shelf and near- the long-term impacts of the proposed action shore ocean. on resources and uses of the continental shelf and nearshore ocean. 3. Require an environmental risk assessment In addition, the National Environmental for all proposals to develop nonrenewable Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to ocean resources. This assessment shall prepare an environmental impact statement determine the probability that biological (EIS) prior to making decisions on "major communities and habitats will be exposed Federal actions significantly affecting the to adverse effects from operating proce- quality of the human environment." dures or accidents, the sensitivity of these Oregon's ocean resources conservation pro- biological communities and habitats to gram will build on these existing information such exposure, and the probable impacts of requirements and will strive to forge a strong exposure on the marine ecosystem. link between scientific and economic informa- 4. Prohibit a proposed activity when the environ- tion and public policy decisions. mental impact and risk assessments show Recommendations that the value of affected biological com- munities and habitats is high, the risk of The goals of the Oregon Ocean Plan are to adverse effects from the proposed activity conserve all marine resources; to protect is high, and the proposed activity cannot be marine habitats; and, where necessary, to modified to reduce the risks to acceptable preserve fragile, vulnerable, unique, and criti- levels. cal marine communities and habitats. 5. Resolve conflicts between ocean resource uses The recommended conservation and to: habitat protection policies set the stage for the 0 Protect the overall integrity, diversity, entire Ocean Plan. Recommended policies and stability, and complexity of the marine needed actions for specific ocean resources and ecosystem. uses are found in the section called Resource Is- sues and Recommendations. Recommendations 0 Give priority to the conservation of renew- on improving ocean resources governance, able resources; to renewable resource uses education programs, research activities, and on over nonrenewable resource uses; and to needed legislative changes are found in the sec- non-consumptive uses over consumptive tion called Getting the Work Done. uses. Recommended Policies 6. Use non-regulatory means to promote and for Conservotion achieve ocean resource conservation, when 1. Allow only those activities and uses of ocean likely to have results equivalent to or bet- resources in Oregon's Ocean Stewardship ter than regulatory means. Area which are consistent with the goal of 7. Promote public education and interpretation Ocean Resources Stewardship * 55 programs to increase understanding of short periods of time, must be evaluated marine ecosystems and the need for ocean before proceeding to additional activities, resource conservation. and must avoid interference with other ex- 8. Support the use of mitigation techniques to isting uses reduce adverse effects on biological com- The scale of a pilot project must be the min- munities and habitats to the maximum ex- imum to obtain the needed information. tent practicable. However, the potential for Recommended Policies mitigation shall not be used as the sole jus- for Habitat Protection tification to allow an ocean resource 1. Expand state agency decision making on development activity. ocean resource uses and activities to in- 9. If necessary to obtain needed information clude considerations of entire ecosystems, about environmental risks and effects, in addition to individual species or ac- allow small-scale pilot projects under the tivities management following conditions: 2. Identify critical habitats within the Oregon � A pilot project must include research on the Ocean Stewardship Area which require spe- effects of the activity on the marine ecosys- cial management or protection. Protect tem, and must make the results of research these biological communities and habitats available to the public. from adverse effects, disruption, or damage. � A pilot project must conserve living marine 3. Enforce federal and state laws protecting resources; and must not adversely affect migratory birds, marine mammals, and en- any critical marine habitat. dangered, threatened, and sensitive species. � A pilot project must be carefully monitored 4. Restrict uses or access, if necessary, to by state and federal agencies. protect endangered, threatened, and sensi- � A pilot project must be scheduled only for tive species or their habitats. 56 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan U, AL Dungeness crab, fresh from the ocean's cold waters and then a steaming water kettle, are sold at markets up and down the Oregon coast. More thon simply a delicious seafood, Dungeness crab sym- bolizes a coastal way of life. (Oregon Sea Grant) Ocean Resources Stewardship 9 57 Resource Issues and Recommendations Ocean Fisheries Marine Birds and Mammals Intertidal Plants and Animals Recreation, Tourism, and Cultural Resources Water and Air Quality Oil and Gas Oil Spills Marine Minerals 58 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 44" Pulling in a research catch for Oregon State University on this cruise, this vessel out of British Colum- bia shows the typical net and drum arrangement of larger west coasthigh fine'trawlers which fish the productive waters off Oregon. (Oregon Sea Grant) TC-154 I -I' -F 77 odorm IF 15 jo 05, .. .. . ...... FB - T, 2oU B I 2A -20 A- .19 e- Al- IC- 18 E:2 Cl@ 0 a3 tic 80 0, ILI b'4t'' co u C\2 C= RE A 2 cl 1.2 '0 H_. m kr r r CO V", 1-11, el ul I 3 -34 ------ TI -3 lesson oil login I all I oil I in Iq co on I I I L IU i Ll 3A -3( NINE I L F1 son + '011 I I IM1 FF -, M 'Ok 3A-28--- I", M LiML I T no, ME co 2C-W Ocean Fisheries * 59 Ocean Fisheries Resources can be a basis for comparison between years. Characteristics and Contributions Ex-vessel value is the amount of money actual- of Oregon's Fishing Industry ly paid to the fishermen for fish landed. Another measure is the amount of personal in- Whether counted in dollars of personal in- come (total wages, salaries, and profits) come generated or appreciated as the history generated in a community directly by harvest- and cultural characteristics of people who face ing and processing and indirectly in those in- the elements to make their livelihoods at sea, dustries and businesses which supply goods commercial and recreational fisheries are keys- and services to the fishing industry. Complex tones of Oregon's coastal economy and culture. economic models can be used to calculate the Fishing is a cherished "way of life" for contribution of the fisheries industry to local, many coastal residents, offering a sense of state and regional economies. The West Coast freedom and independence often hard to Fisheries Assessment model was developed for achieve in the modern world. The competitive the West Coast Fisheries Development Founda- nature of the business and the outdoor environ- tion and is the source of most of the economic ment provide additional rewards. But, information presented here. economic risks and unpredictable incomes also Ocean fishing contributes about 10 percent come with the occupation. of the total personal income of coastal counties Fishing can be a tradition in a community and communities. In major fishing ports such and a heritage in a family. Even those who as Newport and Astoria, commercial fishing don't fish for a living get a special pleasure can account for over 25 percent of all personal from watching a fishing boat pass under a income. Statewide, commercial fishing and bridge going out to sea or unload its catch in an processing contributed almost $300 million in bustling fishing port. personal income to the Oregon economy in Importance to Coastal Economy 1989. Recreational ocean fishing also generates Ocean fisheries are an important part of a considerable amount of personal income in Oregon's coastal econom . Economic sig- Oregon. Charterboat trips in 1985 generated y over $4.5 million in personal income. The local nificance can be expressed in several ways. personal income impact of recreational ocean Pounds landed in a fishery in a given year salmon fishing in Oregon in 1985 has been es- begins to tell the story of economic value and timated at $10.8 million. Diverse Community But numbers only begin to tell the story of The plot on the facing page shows average Oregon's fishing community. The fishing com- annual sablefish catch off Oregon from 1983 munity is not easily described and no single through 7 986. Actual logbook catch data were description can accurately portray this diverse used by ODFW to develop the database repre- community. Even the term "fishing" is im- sented in part by this plot, but trawl locations precise and is used to describe a variety of ef- were aggregated into 5-minute blocks to protect the proprietarl nature of the data. forts. Also shown are the fishery management Within both the commercial and the recrea- zones off Oregon and bothymetry to the edge tional industries, a fishery may be categorized of the continental shelf. by the species being caught: the salmon fishery Source: ODFW or the shrimp fishery, for example. Gear types 60 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan also define different fisheries, such as the bot- although they sometimes compete for the same tom trawl fishery, the troll fishery, or crab pot species, commercial and recreational fisheries fishery. Yet, often one type of fishing gear is are two different industries often involving dif- capable of catching a number of different ferent people and different boats. species. And, any given species can be caught The major fishing ports are Astoria, Til- by a number of different types of fishing gear lamook, Newport, Coos Bay, and Brookings. (although some species can be legally kept only Other smaller ports focus on a particular if caught using a particular gear type). Fur- fishery: Port Orford on sea urchins or Depoe ther, many fishermen modify their gear or have Bay on recreational fishing, for example. boats which can be rigged with several dif- wCommon 0 Resource ferent types of gear so that the fishermen can enter or leave different fisheries depending on The fishing community does share in one season, species abundance, market prices, or thing: all fishermen are dependent upon a government regulations. public or "common" resource. The fish and the Fishing vessel captains are a heterogene- habitat in which they live are not "owned" by ous group. A recent survey of trawl vessel cap- any one person or group. Government agencies have management responsibilities for fish, 7 986 commercial fish landings wildlife and their habitats. Fishermen may capture and sell fish and the fisher- Other 3.65% Salmon 12.11% man who is the most skilled, the most efficient, or the luckiest can earn Crab 4. 10% more than others. As a . j::: _x Xx:.: common resource, many I . . . . . may use the fisheries . . . ....... .... Si. resources of the ocean and many may use the ocean X, ii- ways that can affect in Grouncifth fisheries resources. Only 48.22% ix. through practicing Shrimp 29.76% stewardship and comply- ing with laws and regula- tions can these common resources be protected and . . . . . . . .. maintained for the good of Tuna 2.16% all, for the long term. tains showed that they ranged in age from 25 to 65, in education from grade school to Ph.D.s, Fisheries Management and in experience from 1 to 44 years. The state and federal governments are ac- The Oregon fishing industry includes boat tively involved in a number of fisheries through crewmembers, captains, and owners; buyers, regulation of seasons, gear types, allowable packers, and processors; and marketers of fish- mesh sizes, trip limits, annual harvest quotas ing gear and supplies. Most fishermen are and through the issuance of licenses and per- small, independent businessmen who may pur- mits. Some fisheries are also managed as sue widely divergent business strategies. And limited entry programs which control the num- Ocean Fisheries 61 Personal Income Contribution of the Oregon Commercial Fishing and Processing Industry in 1989 Astoria area $70.8 million (includes Columbia River fisheries) Tillamook area $10.5 million Newport area $95.0 million Coos Bay area $46.5 million Brookings area $15.3 million TOTAL * $ 294.9 million * NOTE: The total Is sIlghtly greater than the sum of the coastal counties due to 'leakages" of purchases which occur in areas outside the coastal counties.) ber of vessels in an fishery. and Wildlife Commission and ODFW. Their Fisheries management tends to focus on in- jurisdiction does not extend to treaty Indians dividual species or an assemblage of similar or to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hatchery species. operations. ODFW must share management The goals of fisheries management are mul- responsibilities and regulatory jurisdiction tiple and include efforts to protect the resource with the Pacific Fishery Management Council from overfishing; to maintain the economic for several ocean fisheries. In addition, the In- viability of the fishing industry; to maximize ternational Pacific Halibut Commission, a U.S.- the economic value of the resource; to maxi- Canadian organization, manages the entire mize the biological yield of the stocks; and to Pacific halibut fishery off the western coast of result in cost effective and enforceable North America. regulatory regimes. Successful achievement of The Magnuson Act these goals can be extremely difficult, especial- The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and ly in those numerous situations when achiev- Management Act of 1976 (MFCMA) is the ing one goal means not achieving another. major federal law governing ocean fisheries of The Oregon Fish regional importance. Prior to 1976, fisheries and Wildlife Commission management in the U.S. was a complex, hap- The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, hazard, and uncoordinated mix of state laws acting through the Oregon Department of Fish and regulations which often resulted in either and Wildlife (ODFW), is responsible for the no management of a fishery or different management of the fisheries resources of the management approaches on the same species state, including the protection and enhance- in adjacent states. Information on fish landings ment of important fisheries habitats. ODFW is and the status of fish populations was frag- also responsible for the collection, application, mented and inadequate to really understand and dissemination of information on the what was going on in the fisheries. management of wildlife and food fish resources. What was clear from the 1930s to the early There are limitations to the power of the Fish 1970s was that the U.S. fishing industry was 62 -0 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan relatively static while foreign fishing off U.S. were established by the Magnuson Act as an at- shores had dramatically increased. Extensive tempt to provide some management consisten- foreign fishing was adversely affecting the cy to those important ocean fisheries which are balance of trade and the economic viability and regional in scope. The regional fisheries future of the domestic fishing industry. Fur- management councils are composed of a repre- thermore, the large and efficient foreign fishing sentative of the federal government, state and factory ships were threatening to overfish fisheries management directors, and in- a number of important fish species off the U.S. dividuals nominated by the governors of the coast. member states. The councils are responsible for The Magnuson Act extended national developing management plans for important fishery management jurisdiction out to 200 regional fisheries occurring primarily between nautical miles (the fishery conservation zone or 3 and 200 miles of the coast. The Secretary of FCZ). Commerce has the basic authority for manag- Within the FCZ, foreign fishing is ing these regionally important fisheries, based prohibited unless authorized by an existing in- on the recommendations of the regional coun- ternational treaty or by international agree- cils. States continue to have management ments which meet the requirements of the authority within 3 miles of their shore. How- Magnuson Act. Foreign nations are required to ever, the Secretary of Commerce can preempt apply to the U.S. for approval to fish within the state authority if he or she finds that the state 200 mile zone or to fish for U.S. anadromous management actions will substantially and ad- fish beyond 200 miles. The Magnuson Act clear- versely affect the carrying out of a fishery ly states that preference to harvest fish within management plan (FMP) adopted by the coun- the 200 mile zone must go to U.S. fishermen. cil. Therefore, state fishery management plans The system under the Magnuson Act requires and regulation usually parallel regional FMP's. that the federal government set a total allow- The National Marine Fisheries Service able foreign fishing catch that allows foreign (NMFS), a branch of the National Oceanic and vessels to catch only that portion of an optimal Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within yield of a fishery which is not being harvested the U.S. Department of Commerce, is the by U.S. fishermen. The Magnuson Act also re- federal agency responsible for the administra- quires that foreign vessels allow U.S. officials tion of the Magnuson Act and for developing to board, observe, search and inspect the ves- fishery data to support management decisions. sels and their operation to insure compliance. The states of California, Idaho, Oregon and The Magnuson Act also provides forjoint Washington are members of the Pacific Fishery ventures. Joint ventures are agreements be- Management Council (PFMC). Oregon has two tween foreign and U.S. companies. U.S. fisher- obligatory seats on the Council: the director of men catch the fish that would otherwise be ODFW and an individual who is nominated by underexploited because the U.S. fishing in- the governor and who is required by law to be dustry doesn't have the capacity to process knowledgeable and experienced in fisheries is- them or because there is no U.S. market for the sues. An Oregonian may also serve as an at- particular species. The U.S. fishermen sell large-member of the Council, increasing their catch directly to foreign factory ships for Oregon's representation at times to three seats processing. of the thirteen total seats. The Council has adopted fishery management plans for salmon Regional Fishery and groundfish, an assemblage of bottom and Management Councils mid water species, including cod, rockfish, sole, Regional fishery management councils and flounder. The Council has no management Ocean Fisheries 9 63 responsibilities for tuna, a highly migratory the introduction of new harvesting, processing species extending far beyond regional waters of and transportation technologies; annual and the Pacific Northwest; for halibut which is seasonal variability in weather patterns, managed through an international treaty with oceanographic conditions, and fish populations; Canada; or for fisheries which are managed by environmental pollution and habitat destruc- tribal groups. tion both at sea and on the land; stresses in other industries, such as the oil and gas in- Recent History of dustry and the insurance industry; and chan- Oregon's Ocean Fisheries ges in state, national and even international The fishing community has been through governmental policies and regulations, some of good times and extremely bad times. Some which only indirectly involve fishing. fishermen have become wealthy while others The Years 1960 to 1989. have gone broke. A vast array of factors unre- Boom, Bust, Recovery and Adjustment lated to fishing knowledge or skill can interact From 1960 to the present has been the to determine the fortunes of individuals within most turbulent period in the history of the fishing community and the fishing economy Oregon's commercial fishery. Some fishermen as a whole. The fisheries industry and the fates became quite successful during the 1960s and of individual fishermen are sensitive to chan- then lost all they had gained. Several fisheries ges in local, national and even global markets; declined drastically during the early 1980s, but Oregon's commercial fishery seasons Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Au g Sept Oct Nov Dec Notes ............... ... ...... X: ........ Dungeness Crab ..... ..... .5 .... ...... ;@ ... . ..... ..... ............ . ........ ......................... Albacore Tuna X.: 1,4 . ........ . ................. Shrimp .... ...... . .... ........ ... Groundfish ..... .. 2,6.8 ........... .................... ..... .................. .... ....................... ................................. XX .......... ............................................ .............. XX .......................................................... . ............... ..... ....... @MXX ....... ...... 2,7 Salmon ...................................................... .............. ........................................................ ............... :"XX. ......................................i. ..... ................ Halibut 3 ............. Squid 1.4 -X-X-X-X-:-X--- . .. ...... X ................ Sea Urchins . .. ............ ..... ................ ....... ...... .................... .... . .. ....................... ........... ............................ ...... ..... . ......... ....................... Scallops 1.'X.11.: ............. . ............ ...... Notes: Source: Bob Jacobson I 171shery managed by ODFW 2 171shery managed by the Pacific Rshery Management Council and ODFW 3 FIshery managed by International Pacific Halibut Commission. 1989 season limited to 2 days. 4 No regulated season opening and closing dates. Timing and length of seasonsd may vary annually, depending on oceanographic, environmental, and market conditions. 5 Crab pots can legally be placed in water 64 hours prior to the 12/1 season opening date. 6 Year-round seasons for both trawl and fixed gear fisheries, but vessels regulated by trip poundage limits on species or groups of species. 7 Salmon season opening and closing dates vary by species and area, but always occur from May I to November 30. 8 The joint venture fishery for whiting ordinarily starts in April and closes when the quota is reached. In 1989, the quota was reached in the end of June. 64 o Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan in the last few years catches have either U.S.S.R., Japan, Poland and Bulgaria. Many leveled off or improved, with the catch in some more have participated in joint ventures in fisheries approaching record levels. Alaska with several foreign nations. In 1985 In the late 1960s, increased earnings in the American catcher boats took approximately salmon and crab fisheries brought prosperity 200,000 tons of whiting off the Washington, for many Oregon fishermen. Many invested Oregon, and California coasts. As of 1989, their profits in new vessels and equipment, there are no more directed foreign fisheries on aided by federal programs such as the Farm whiting within the 200 mile zone. The initial Credit Act, the Capital Construction Fund, and controversy and concerns over joint ventures the Fishing Vessel Obligation Guarantee Pro- have subsided and the fisheries are closely gram. Landings continued to increase through managed and rigidly monitored by the Pacific most of the 1970s, with shrimp a particular suc- Fishery Management Council and NMFS. cess: in 1978, the ex-vessel value of shrimp ex- Joint ventures have provided a tremendous ceeded that of troll-caught salmon. economic boost to a select few Oregon fisher- Japanese and Soviet vessels, fishing off the men. Joint ventures have been, overall, the Oregon coast since the mid-1960s and off Alas- most lucrative of any of the fisheries during the ka a decade earlier, had severely damaged the 1980s. In addition, vessels that have been par- stocks of halibut, Pacific ocean perch and other ticipating in the joint ventures are ones that species. However, after passage of the Mag- otherwise would have been fishing on tradition- nuson Act in 1976, which declared U.S. jurisdic- al groundfish stocks. Therefore, more vessels tion within 200 miles of our coastline, optimism have been able to participate in the Oregon regarding the future of the commercial fishing trawl fishery. industry rose to extremely high levels. The The years from 1980 to 1984 brought result was a burst of boat building-shrimpers, tremendous upheaval. Some of the commercial bottom trawlers, and midwater trawlers-un- fishery was overcapitalized, with too many matched in the history of the commercial boats competing for declining resources. The oil fishery. In the late 1970s the salmon and price hikes of 1979, high interest rates, and sub- shrimp fisheries declined dramatically, but sequent insurance rate increases hit fishermen trawl fisheries prospered. A midwater trawl quite hard. fishery for widow rockfish developed off Oregon And then in 1982, an El Niflo caused havoc in 1978 and grew rapidly. all along the coast. An El Niflo event occurs In 1978, a then-controversial fishery when normal wind patterns over the Pacific developed on Pacific whiting (hake), a species break down, allowing warm surface water to which previously had been caught only by back up and spread out over the coastal east- foreign vessels and for which there was little ern Pacific. The changed current patterns U.S. market. Operating under a joint venture result in changed fish migration patterns, agreement with the U.S.S.R., Oregon fisher- reduced growth and survival rates, and chan- men harvested an initially small quantity of ges in the distribution and quantity of prey hake and transferred it to a floating Soviet fac- species. The 1982 El Niflo, one of the strongest tory ship for processing and distribution on in- on record, devastated the industry. Boat pay- ternational markets. Since 1978, the number of ments were missed and some fishermen lost joint ventures and the amount of fish caught homes and other possessions. has grown rapidly. Between 20 and 30 Oregon Almost the only success story in this period fishermen have been involved in whitingjoint was the distant water fishery. More and more ventures off the Oregon coast with the Oregon fishermen joined in such Alaskan Ocean Fisheries 9 65 fisheries as Dungeness crab, sablefish, halibut, stituting about 80-90 percent of the recreation- groundfish and pink shrimp. In some Oregon al catch. Coho generally occur at shallower ports, the income brought back from Alaska water depths and are, therefore, more acces- soon represented a substantial portion of all sible to recreational fishing gear than chinook, fishery income. which are generally found deeper in the water With the end of the El Nifio, ocean tempera- column. Most recreational salmon fishing takes tures returned to normal levels. Fewer boats place in or quite near the territorial sea. In ad- competed for the returning stocks, and by 1986 dition, since recreational boats are day boats, recovery was well underway. coming in at the end of each day, most recrea- During most of the 1980s, consumer tional salmon fishing occurs within 10 miles of demand for seafood products in the U.S. grew port. steadily at rates greater than in the prior In general, the recreational salmon fishing decades. Factors leading to the rise in seafood effort is highest in July, followed closely by consumption include increase in income, chang- August. Recreational salmon seasons, like com- ing lifestyles, and a greater awareness of the mercial seasons, are quite complex, varying health benefits of seafood. However, growth in with location and from year to year. In-season per capita U.S. annual consumption has management actions such as season closures, declined in recent years. During 1989, prices area closures, and restriction of fishing to cer- for most seafood products declined-some tain days of the week, are also common. The dramatically. Should these lower prices long term goal of recreational salmon manage- remain, as increased competition in both har- ment for the Oregon coast is a season lasting vesting and marketing also take place, the from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Oregon fishing industry could face a period of The recreational salmon fishing fleet is adjustment. composed of private and passenger-carrying The Future charter boats. Accurate data on the number of Recent analyses done for the Oregon Coas- private and charter boats actually engaged in tal Zone Management Association and the Na- the sport salmon fishery off the Oregon coast at tional Coastal Resources Institute suggest that any one time are difficult to obtain. There are changes in Oregon's fisheries industry may be no good data on the salmon fishing efforts from necessary. For example, to compete successful- private boats. And, estimates in 1986 indicated ly with Alaskan salmon and Norwegian farmed that only 132 of the 226 licensed charter boats salmon, the marketing of Oregon salmon may were actually involved in the recreational sal- need to emphasize the high quality and mon fishery. desirability of wild Pacific salmon which are Groundfish also are of major importance in brought to market quickly. And development of the recreational fishery. Recreational an Oregon onshore whiting processing industry groundfish fishing is pursued from private may be an economic antidote to Alaskan boats and charterboats and from the shore. catcher-processors working in the waters off While there are no seasonal restrictions on the Oregon coast and reducing the groundfish recreational fishing and groundfish are found that would otherwise be landed in Oregon. in at least small numbers over much of the con- tinental shelf, most of the recreational fishing Recreational Fisheries occurs from late spring through early fall and Recreational salmon fishing is the keystone is done within the territorial sea. Reef areas of the recreational fisheries industry. The tar- where rock outcroppings occur relatively near get species are chinook and cobo, with coho con- the shore are quite popular. Major reef areas in- 66 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan clude the area from Tillamook Head to Cape Major Fisheries Species Lookout, the area from Siletz Bay south to Salmon Alsea Bay, a small area off Cape Arago, and an area running from the Pistol River south to the The primary targeted species of the ocean California border. The only recreational salmon fishery are Chinook and coho salmon. groundfish areas outside the territorial sea are The Oregon ocean salmon fishery uses only sal- two areas off Tillamook Bay and the Stonewall mon troll gear. Trollers tow a number of lures Banks off Newport. or baited hooks through the water at depths of Typically the various rockfish species con- up to 80 fathoms (480 feet). Vessels vary in size stitute about 80 percent (by weight) of the from 18-foot day boats to 60-foot trip boats. The recreational groundfish catch while ling cod ocean troll fishery harvested over 6 million constitutes about 14 percent. These species pounds (round weight equivalent) in 1989. tend to aggregate around rocky outcroppings or Until the 1960s, Oregon troll landings, al- reefs, and by so doing make themselves more though they fluctuated greatly, remained rela- available to recreational fishermen. The recrea- tively low. However, in the early 1960's tional halibut catch is becoming increasingly methods for raising hatchery salmon resulted important and fishing efforts, especially out of in increases in the number of smolts released Newport, are increasing rapidly. and, although it cannot be scientifically proven, The groundfish catch (in numbers) in- perhaps in the number of adult salmon return- creased rapidly during the 1970s due primarily ing to Oregon's coastal waters. In addition, in to the introduction of LORAN C which allowed the 1960's and early 1970's there were a num- fishermen to return easily to favorite fishing ber of years of very strong upwelling which spots, improvement in fathometers which al- resulted in extremely large increases in com- lowed fishermen to detect fish schools on the mercial and recreational salmon landings. The reefs even when the schools are quite close to commercial fishery responded to this increase the bottom, and the availability of small radar in adult coho abundance with a large increase sets for use on small charter and private boats. in fishing effort. Unfortunately, the good up- welling years were followed by a series of Commercial and rather weak upwelling years, which, together Recreational Fishing Conflicts with the increased fishing effort resulted in a Conflicts can arise between commercial drop in coho landings. The El Nifio event of and recreational fisheries. In general, most of 1982-1983, with its poor upwelling and warmer the conflicts fall into one of five main water temperatures, further reduced salmon categories: resource conflicts between commer- abundance. Both coho and Chinook populations cial and recreational salmon trollers; resource conflicts between commercial groundfish trawls and recreational groundfish hook and line fishermen; resource conflicts between commer- cial groundfish rod and reel fishermen and 7he plot on the facing page shows heavily- recreational groundfish hook and line fisher- used charter fishing areas off Oregon. The data men; resource conflicts between commercial for the map were developed through exhaus- longline halibut fishermen and recreational fively interviewing charterboot operators along halibut fishermen; and spatial or navigational the entire coast. Many of the areas also support conflicts between commercial and recreational commercial fisheries. boats. As specific conflicts arise the parties Source: ODFW usually try to work out some compromise. X-01- t- Principal Recreational Charter Fisheries M Mnon ffifibut Offier Mon& Mbut Offier flottordish %kmn Mbut IN 0 to m NNW .......... Ocean Fisheries * 67 now appear to be recovering. few years. Adult salmon then return to fresh Most commercial salmon trolling is done water streams to spawn and die. The migratory outside the territorial sea, and some boats may behavior of the salmon make then vulnerable range as much as 50 miles offshore. Most to changes in habitat and water quality in both recreational salmon fishing occurs in the ter- oceanic and terrestrial ecosystems. Poor log- ritorial sea within a one day boat trip of port. ging practices can destroy breeding habitats by Although the details differ from species to clogging streams with mud and silt. Industrial species, salmon fry hatch from eggs laid in the water pollution in estuaries can impede the gravel bottoms of coastal streams and the progress of migrating smolt or spawning upper sections of major river systems such as adults. Periods of poor upwelling such as the the Columbia. After an initial period in fresh recent El Niflo, have been shown to result in water the fingerlings migrate downstream lower survival of hatchery smolt. changing into smolts and preparing to enter Groundfish the ocean where they will mature over the next The groundfish fishery includes over 80 AN N h Commercial fishing is highly personal. This gillnetter deploys his net into the waters at the mouth of the Columbia River. Small owner-operated vessels are the majority in Oregon. (Oregon Sea Grant) 68 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Pounds round weight 160,000,000 - 140,000,000 - Other X-XI -X-::�*- -@f X. 120,000,000 - GroundfIsW@'i'k0'::-; K %*: 100,000,000 XV, X.:i* 0.0: X Tun X .......... . X- 80,000,000 W ..................... ..... % -X :i:i .04%%: . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 60,000,000 0,: 40,000,000 ...... ......... i:: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000,000 --- - Crab 0 1 1 1 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 Total commercial fish landings, 1970 - 7986, showing proportion of major fisheries. Source: Oregon Agricultural Stafisfics fish species, such as cod, rockfish, snappers, bobbins or rubber discs attached to the bottom sablefish (black cod), soles and flounders. Of all of the mouth to help prevent snagging on the the fish and shellfish landed in Oregon in 1989, bottom. Trawls can be over 100 feet across the groundfish made up about one half of the total opening and 150 feet long. Trawlers must be weight and one third of the total value. Over 83 equipped with cables, winches, and booms ade- million pounds of groundfish were landed in quate to drag and lift heavy nets full of fish. Oregon during 1989. This catch had an ex-ves- A nearshore mixed species trawl fishery oc- sel value of over $26 million. Most of the curs both inside and outside the territorial sea product is processed in sbore-based plants. The up to depths of about 250 fathoms (1500 feet). groundfish fishery typically generates more A variety of species are caught including ling employment in the processing industry than cod; Pacific cod; Pacific whiting; various rock- any other Oregon fishery. fish (called the "Sebastes complex"); English, Most groundfish are harvested by trawlers petrale, and rex sole; sanddabs; starry using midwater or bottom trawl nets. Some flounder; and other flatfish, dogfish, skates and groundfisb are also taken by book and line or rays. fish pots. Trawlers drag funnel-shaped nets Midwater trawls are fished any where from through the water. The nets are wider at the just above the bottom to just below the surface. mouth and taper back to a narrow "cod" end These trawls are generally larger and must be that collects the catch. Trawl nets have two towed faster than bottom trawls. The midwater heavy metal doors near each side of the mouth trawl fishery targets widow rockfish and of the net which help keep the mouth open as Pacific whiting. The midwater trawl fishery oc- the net is towed through the water. Nets which curs mostly outside the territorial sea. are to be towed over rough bottoms have steel Deep water bottom trawling occurs over Ocean Fisheries e 69 muddy and rocky bottoms. The bottom trawlers million pounds in 1988 and 1 million pounds in are often referred to as draggers. The fishery 1989. The ex-vessel value peaked in 1974 at targets primarily Dover sole, with black cod $12,571,000 and plunged to $814,000 in 1985. and rockfish species taken as incidental In 1988 the ex-vessel value increased to about catches. The fishery takes place entirely out- $3.3 million, but fell in 1989 to about $780,000. side the territorial sea at depths from 250 to at The downward trend in both catch and ex- least 700 fathoms (1500 to 4200 feet). vessel value is not confined to Oregon. The Black cod or sablefish are harvested com- same trend exists in California and mercially by deep water trawl nets, pots, and Washington. The reduced landings appear to longlines. In 1989, about 66% of the black cod be the result of reduced fishing effort caused by were caught by trawls, 23% by pots, and 11% lower ex-vessel prices and perhaps a decrease by longlines. Pots are generally fished in 200 to in albacore abundance. The collapse of the U.S. 400 fathoms (1200 to 2400 feet), although in tuna canning industry has seriously depressed the past several years fishermen have begun ex- the market. Many fishermen forego tuna al- ploratory sets in as much as 900 to 1000 together, while others have taken to marketing fathoms (5400 to 6000 feet). directly to the consumer. Charterboat recreational fisheries using Albacore tuna are distributed through out hook and line also target groundfish, especially the North Pacific. Albacore migrate into the rockfish species, lingcod, and cabezon. Charter waters of the Pacific Northwest in mid-July fisheries currently are limited to a maximum and early August from the central North fishing distance of about 12 hours from port. Pacific as the surface waters begin to warm. Al- Most of the demand for charter fishing occurs bacore are seldom found in water temperature during the summer tourist season. less than 54 degrees F and they prefer tempera- Management of the commercial groundfish tures from 58 to 64 degrees F. Albacore also fishery is difficult due to the large number of prefer areas where the horizontal water species involved. Increasingly stringent regula- temperature gradient is rather steep, such as tions have been imposed by the Pacific Fishery oceanic fronts between warmer and cooler Management Council over the past several water masses. During years in which ocean years to protect weaker stocks from overfishing. temperatures are unusually warm, albacore ap- pear earlier in the summer and are available Albacore Tuna further north. By late fall, albacore leave the Albacore are caught by trollers towing as waters off the Oregon coast and migrate back many as 12 to 14 lines of varying lengths. to the warmer waters of the central Pacific. Oregon tuna trollers range far offshore, some Large concentrations of albacore are also venturing into the central Pacific. The boats known to effectively "disappear" from the are large and some are equipped with fish freez- Pacific Northwest, missing their regular migra- ing equipment which allows the boats to tion route for what may be years at a time remain at sea for weeks or months at a time. when water temperatures are cool. There are Many of the larger salmon troll vessels annual- no seasonal restrictions in the albacore fishery ly participate in the tuna fishery when salmon in Oregon. Rather the beginning and end of the fishing season slows in mid-summer. In winter, season depends upon water temperature. these vessels often turn to crab fishing. Over the last twenty years, Oregon land- Halibut ings of albacore have generally decreased. Halibut are harvested by "longliners" From a high of around thirty million pounds which stretch a groundline with baited hooks landed in 1974, landings dropped to about 3.9 over the ocean floor. Halibut are fished at 70 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan depths of 15 to 150 fathoms (90 to 900 feet). shrimp nets and gear are specific to this Halibut groundlines may be several miles long, fishery, many shrimpers change gear and are anchored at each end, marked with buoys, operate in the groundfish and crab fisheries as and have many hooks spaced 15 to 30 feet season and profitability dictate. apart. The halibut fishery involves mostly The Oregon shrimp fishery developed in medium to large fishing vessels. the late 1950s. After the introduction of Historical catches of halibut from a small machinery which could automatically peel area off the mouth of the Columbia may have these tiny "cocktail" shrimp, the fishery effort been as high as 5 million pounds in the early greatly increased. The fishery grew steadily 1900's. During the late 1960's and early 1970's through the 1970s, peaking in 1978. From the halibut stocks declined dramatically. Catches late 1970s through the mid 1980s, landings and off Oregon reached a low of about 5600 pounds the catch per unit effort decreased. Landings in 1980. During the 1980's halibut catches during 1983 and 1984 were particularly low, gradually increased. In 1985, approximately 29 probably as a result of the 1982-1983 El Nino vessels harvested 176,500 pounds of halibut in event. Since 1985, the shrimp fishery has been 33 days of fishing. experiencing a comeback. In 1989, over 49 mil- The halibut fishery is tightly controlled by lion pounds of shrimp were landed in Oregon the International Pacific Halibut Commission, with an ex-vessel value over $18 million. a U.S.-Canadian organization created in 1923. The pink shrimp live only about three or The Commission establishes a series of periodic four years. Because of their short lifespan, the summertime open fishing periods and quotas relative success or failure of one year class can for the Washington/Oregon coastal area. In have a considerable effect upon the size of the 1989 the commercial season off Oregon con- stock. Sizable fluctuations in abundance result. sisted of one two-day period. Pink shrimp are major food items for a number Shrimp of fish species including whiting, sablefish, and The small pink shrimp is the target species petrale sole. Therefore, variations in the size of in Oregon's shrimp fishery. Pink shrimp are these fish populations may be a major control- found in concentrations called "beds", the boun- ling factor on the size of the shrimp population. daries of which roughly coincide with areas of Pink shrimp population size is also effected by green mud 50 to 100 fathoms (300 to 600 feet) ocean currents and water temperature. Larval deep. In years of high abundance they may be shrimp apparently have a higher survival rate found as shallow as 35 fathoms and they are in years of strong upwelling. known to occur at depth up to 250 fathoms. Crab However, these deep areas do not contain Dungeness crab are fished commercially in shrimp in commercial quantities. The beds Oregon ocean waters with anchored strings of occur off the northern California, Oregon, and crab pots. A variety of vessels of various types Washington coasts. Fishermen from one state and sizes, from small trollers to large trawlers may periodically fish the beds off the other two are seasonally converted to be used in the crab states. The pink shrimp fishery in Oregon is fishery. There is no limit on the number of pots managed as a limited entry fishery with con- fished per boat. Some vessels fish over a trols on the number of participating boats. thousand pots. An average of 400 vessels per Shrimpers tow one or two small-meshed (1 year have participated in the fishery over the V2 inch) nets just above the ocean floor. Chains past ten years. attached to the nets drag along the muddy bot- Landings over the years have varied in ap- tom, stirring shrimp up into the net. Although proximately eight to eleven year cycles. The Ocean Fisheries * 71 reasons for these fluctuations are not yet fully 15, but over 75 percent of the annual catch understood, but they are probably related to generally occurs within the first two months of oceanographic or biological factors rather than the season. Most of the legal sized male crabs fishing pressure. Catch has fluctuated from are caught by this time and fishing interest lows of 2 to 4 million pounds per year in the turns toward the approaching shrimp and sal- years from 1973 to 1975 to highs of over 18 mil- mon troll season. lion pounds in 1980. In 1989, approximately 10 Adult crab populations are most prevalent million pounds of crab were landed in Oregon shoreward of 75 fathoms. During spring and at an ex-vessel value over $11.6 million. summer months, the adults tend to congregate Only adult male Dungeness crabs at least inside of 45 fathoms. Juvenile crab concentrate 6 V4 inches across the shell may be harvested. in shallow nearshore waters, intertidal beach All other crabs caught in the pots are returned areas, and estuaries. Crabs migrate seasonally, live to the sea. moving inshore in spring and early summer Adult Dungeness crab molt during the late and offshore in fall and early winter. The place- summer months. For the several months follow- ment of crab pots follows this pattern. ing the molt, the meat yield and quality is low Commercial crab gear is most efficiently and the product unacceptable to processors. fished in shallow water less than about 75 The crab fishery is closed during this period to fathoms. However, only in the winter does the protect recently-molted, soft shelled crabs, fishery actually extend out to 75 fathoms, al- which could die after handling and being though a trend in the fishery seems to be to set thrown back into the ocean. The ocean crab the traps deeper and deeper. Weather condi- season runs from December 1 through August tions limit how shallow crab are fished. During I Pounds round weight 0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000 12,000,000 14,000,000 16,000,000 18,000,000 20,000,000 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 -4- 1 f 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 4- 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 Dungeness crab landings in Oregon ports, 1970-1986 72 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan the rough winter months, gear is rarely set in- of domestic fishing and processing, and for fu- side of 10 fathoms in order to avoid gear loss ture contribution to local economies of the state. from strong surges and surf. During the sum- Sea Urchin mer gear can be set shoreward to 2 to 3 Red sea urchins have become the targeted fathoms. Crabs live on sandy bottoms. A sub- species for a relatively new and small fishery stantial amount of fishing also occurs in sandy off the southern Oregon coast. Red sea urchins areas interspersed among rock outcroppings. inhabit rocky substrates that support con- The crab fishery experiences significant centrations of kelp and other marine algae. In gear and spatial conflicts. Generally, crabbers Oregon, these areas are restricted to the near- will avoid heavily trawled areas to reduce the shore rocky reefs. chance of gear loss. To help resolve problems Sea urchins are harvested by divers using a with potential gear loss, crabbers and towboat short-handled rake. The distribution of the sea operators have agreed to specific coastwide tow urchin fishery is determined primarily by boat traffic lanes. availability of suitable sea urchin habitat, Pacific Whiting regulatory and physical restrictions on depth of Pacific whiting or hake may be the most harvest, weather, and market factors. ODFW abundant finfish species present in offshore regulations set the minimum harvest depth at waters. Whiting have not been historically har- 10 feet below mean lower low water. Dive vested by Oregon fishermen, but the species be- equipment allows effective harvest to about 90 came an important target species for early feet, although urchins are currently harvested foreign fishing fleets off the Oregon coast. Over to about 70 feet in Oregon. The timing of har- 96.4 million metric tons were harvested in west vest tends to coincide with the availability of coast waters (no breakdown is available for markets which are rather unstable. The major Oregon) in 1984. Joint venture fisheries took market is in Japan where sea urchin gonads 78.9 million metric tons, direct foreign fishing are considered an aphrodisiac. took 14.8 million metric tons, and U.S. trawlers The urchin fishery has undergone a rapid took 2.7 million metric tons. In 1989 about 200 expansion in the past few years as divers have million metric tons were taken off the west moved north from a declining California coast of the U.S. As of 1989, there is no direct fishery. The first landings were made in foreign fishing on whiting in the 200 mile zone Oregon in 1986. In 1987, 203,000 pounds were offOregon. landed. In 1988, about 1.9 million pounds Whiting is a high volume, low priced (round weight) were landed in Oregon, with an species. The flesh undergoes rapid enzymatic ex-vessel value of about $560,000. The 1989 breakdown after harvest. Quick processing is fishery landed about 7.8 million pounds valued necessary for a quality product. Processing at about $2,652,000. Most of the catch current- generally has occurred on large floating factory ly comes from the Port Orford area, but the ships operating on the fishing grounds. Whit- fishery is expected to move north in a few ing are harvested primarily by midwater years. The fishery is managed as a limited trawls. Fishing generally occurs from April entry endeavor. through October when the whiting appear in Squid Oregon's coastal waters. The squid fishery is a relatively new and Interest in whiting is continuing to in- minor fishery. The first landings were made in crease among domestic processors and fisher- 1982 when 7 vessels landed 113,000 pounds. men. The whiting fishery probably has the By 1985, 13 vessels landed 1.8 million pounds, greatest potential of any fishery for expansion primarily in Newport. Ocean Fisheries 9 73 Changes in market demand and competi- situation where landings will be low most tion with California squid fisheries have con- years, but occasional good year classes, per- trolled the occurrence of the squid fishery in haps as seldom as once in a decade, will yield Oregon. The fishery expanded in the early occasional years of higher landings. 1980s in response to increased demand for Other species squid and the availability of vessels idled due Minor fisheries and incidental catches in to poor shrimp fishing. The fishery declined major fisheries include a variety of species such after 1985 as a result of severe price reductions as hagfish, thresher sharks, dogfish sharks, and increases in the shrimp fishery. skates, rays, octopus, wolf eels, and cabezon. The gear used to harvest squid includes Primary information sources for the purse seines, lampara seines, and shrimp preceding section: trawls. The fishery is open all year, but most of the harvest occurs from March through June Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife when the squid are spawning. statistics. Squid school in nearshore areas prior to Good, J.W., R.G. Hildreth, R.E. Rose, and and during spawning. Squid appear to spawn G. Skillman. 1987. Oregon Territorial Sea mostly over sandy bottom areas in 10 to 55 Management Study. Oregon Sea Grant Pro- fathoms (60 to 330 feet) of water. Virtually all gram. of the squid catch has been made within the ter- Fox, D.S. 1989. Distribution of Selected ritorial sea. Schools near Newport, Heceta Ocean Fisheries. Oregon Department of Fish Head and Coos Bay were fished from 1982 and Wildlife. through 1985. Other spawning schools have Radtke, H. and S. Davis. 1988. The been observed but have not been fished. Economic Landscape of the Oregon Coast. scallops Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association. Although beds of weathervane scallops Radtke, H. and W.S. Jensen. 1990. Market, were known to Oregon fishermen, no targeted Structural, and Resource Availability Changes fishery existed prior to 1981. Scallops are in the Pacific Fishing Industry That Could Af- fished using a dredge with a mesh made of fect the Economies of Oregon Coastal Com- chain. In 1981 three New England scallopers munities:A Preliminary Assessment. Oregon on their way to Alaska "discovered" productive Coastal Zone Management Association and the scallop beds off Coos Bay. Other New England National Coastal Resources Institute. vessels quickly joined the fishery. Many of the West Coast Fisheries Development Founda- local shrimpers suffering from the low abun- tion. Oregon's Commercial Fishing Industry: Its dance of shrimp that year also joined the Importance to Oregon's Economy. fishery. Within a few months, the best beds had been fished out and the catch per unit ef- Risks fort seriously declined. The New England boats Commercial and recreational fisheries can then left the area. In 1981 landings totalled be affected by a wide range of problems and is- over 16 million pounds round weight. In 1982 sues: some are responsive to human efforts to landings dropped to 1.5 million pounds and change them, others are entirely beyond the have remained low since then. reach of humans to affect; some are internal to Oregon scallops have very low reproductive a particular fishery, others transcend all success in many years. Therefore, at any given fisheries; some are due to economic factors time the great majority of scallops in a bed will within the fishing industry, others involve all be from one year class. This results in a events in entirely different, non-fishing, sectors 74 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan of the economy; some are local in scale, others Natural Variability are national, regional, or even global; some can Natural variations in the population be addressed through private efforts within the dynamics of target fish and shellfish species industry, others are better managed through and of their prey species have direct impacts on government agencies. the fisheries industry and the livelihood of Weather fishermen. For the most part natural fluctua- The El Niflo of the early 1980s affected tions in abundance are not well understood by oceanic current and temperature patterns scientists, fishery managers, or fishermen. across vast areas of the Pacific. The produc- As an example, the Dungeness crab popula- tivity and species composition of biological com- tion has an eight to eleven year abundance munities changed dramatically. While some cycle off the entire West coast. Although the species experienced severe population declines, reasons for this cyclical abundance are current- others were not substantially affected. Some ly unknown, theories among researchers point fishermen switched to alternate target species; to biologic or oceanographic causes. Additional others left the industry. I scientific research on the effects of various Weather events on a smaller scale, such as oceanic conditions on the life history of Dunge- severe winter storms, can keep fishing vessels ness crab can provide fishery managers with in port, cause loss or damage to gear, and can more accurate population data to predict abun- take the lives of fishermen at sea. More ac- dance and to set regulations that protect the curate marine weather forecasts would help population from inadvertent overfishing. reduce the risks to fishermen from storms. The Overfishing fishing industry also works to minimize Overfishing can, unfortunately, be the weather-related risks by improving safety result of competitive harvest of a "common" precautions and equipment in the industry. resource, such as marine fish and shellfish. Markets State, federal, and international fisheries agen- Regional, national and global markets all cies aim to prevent overfishing and assure the affect the economic vitality of the fisheries in- long term viability of fisheries and the fish and dustry. For example, Pacific Northwest salmon shellfish populations. Solid scientific research, fisheries are affected by a number of external professional training, accurate monitoring, and market-related characteristics including the effective enforcement are all keys to attaining growth of the Alaska salmon fishery in the last these goals. few years and the ability to transport fresh and fresh-frozen salmon out of Alaska; the influx of pen-reared salmon from northern Europe, Iceland, Chili and British Columbia; and the value of the dollar compared to foreign curren- The plots on the following pages show, as cies, especially the yen. To maintain a competi- did the one at the opening of this chapter, the tive edge, the fishing industry makes every average catch of various species from 1984 effort to handle the product and to work with through 7986, aggregated into 5-minute blocks. processors and shippers in ways to assure that These data v0l/ help fishery managers deter- high quality fish reach the market. Seafood mine the relative value of ocean areas, and will help them identify important fishery habitats commodity groups also use marketing cam- and potential resource-use conflicts before paigns to promote their products in the retail they actually occur. market. Source: ODFW Widow Rockfish Widow Rockfish Yellowtail Rockfish All Other Rockfish Dover Sole Ocean Pink Shrimp (Bottom Fishery) (Midwater Fishery) ID= U-1 I I I I HIM IIIIIII I I I ITTT_ ----- LLI I I I I 11 son I I IIIII ---- -------- Ll I III Average Annual Catch 1986-1987 .... -- -------- M500,000 lbs. + L ---- Hill LIM me 11 - 500,000 lbs. - I = 350 001 LLI --------- 200,001 - 350,000 lbs. LUIII III HIM III ILILI M 111111 --------- III IN1111111 ----------- 100,001 - 200,000 lbs. _LHI 1110 10 LU I ----------- Ulli I ----- 100 - 100,000 lbs. Shrimp Legend _LLI I I LL _L LLLI M MU111111P, - ------ -------- L _@U 11 ------- -------- ------- -------- ------------ --------- ------- L ------- ------- --------- ----------- Lil I ----Lilill= --------- ------ -------- ----- ------- ----- ------- ------ �t7 T IIIIIT IIIII ---------- ------- -------- IIIII I L.I.1 I I--------- -------- ILLLIJ I I I Hill IM -------- ------- HH+*[+ + ---------- IIIII ------- -------- Hill --------- H-H+ Hill IIIH ------ -------- --------- -------- IIH -------- ... --------- ------- I I I I I I A - ----- LU I I I L-111.1 I I EFER 1_4 Fish Legend IIH ------ _L AA IIIIIIII Average Annual Catch 1986-1987 ----- gM 270,000 lbs. + 180,001 - 270,000 lbs. 41M - 180 0001bs. 90 001 UII --- 30,001 - 90,000 lbs. HHHHHHHH1 ---+H+ 100 - 30,000 lbs. Petrale Sole English Sole Lingeod Channel Rockfish Pacific Ocean Perch Arrowtooth Flounder Jill FH++HIM H+H+ Mill HIM I ail I 11-1 ----- RH* HIM ---------- _1 AL I 1 0 m T - -L-L I I I m -------- -Jill J11111111111 ---- ------ -- ----- ------ T__ --- ----- --- --- -------- -- ----- ------ -------- ...... ------- ------ ----- ------- ------------ ---------- ---------- ------------ ____LI IN ------------ ____U III ------------ ------------ 11 lill ----------- ------ ------ _-U-IIIIIIIIIIIII ----------- ------------- -------- ...... IIIIIII ----------- ------------ IL III ----------- ------- I I HI ----------- -- --------- -AL I I 11 -- --------- __ 1 11111 I ---- L_ - T ------ ------ ------------ L ------- ------- -- ------- -------- ------------ - ------- -------- ---------- LIJ I I - ------- -- ---- TO ------ H+4 ------ -- ---- IIIII Ll I I II a] I I I I ------ -------- T I I FrTTT ----- ------ ------ ------ @H* ____ - __ L-L I I IIIIII - ----- Hi iiiiiiiii ---- LU I I I I ----- L --- Hii 11 HillI FFFW ------ ------ U 11 111 UIIIII IIIH I ------- Hill III HIM 11 ffiH Hi i Ill III ------ Hffl+@ - - ------ MEN all III aIIII1 -------- --I MEN I __L_ I EM --- L1J I I I I 11 ----- --- RH-H+ IHHH ------ 11 if I I I I IN Fish Legend ------ _L A I I I IN I Average annual catch 1986-1987 . ...... .. _LL 70,000 lbs. + ------ IIIL 1111 40,001 - 70,000 lbs. ------ Hill Hill Hill - 40,000 lbs. - ---- ----- 20,001 11 Hill I now 11 Hill 5,001 - 20,000 lbs. --- I l@l 141 1 1, 11111 1 Ill 11 1 Hii 100 - 5,000 lbs. IIIIIIIH Ocean Fisheries * 75 Use and Spatial Conflicts spawning and rearing of young fish. Other Other risks to maintaining a healthy fish- habitats allow juvenile fish tohide from ing industry come from potential and existing predators while maturing. Several species of conflicts over the use of space. For example, oil fish that are caught in the ocean breed and rigs or exploratory drilling ships with their as- feed in fresh water streams and coastal es- sociated anchors or guy lines can preclude fish- tuaries. ing vessels, especially ones that fish with long Many of the complex relationships in and nets or trawls, from several square miles of among marine habitats are poorly understood. fishing ground. Boats towing barges or seismic And yet, subtle changes in these habitats and surveying instruments can cut loose floats from large scale disruption or destruction can affect crab pots and destroy expensive fishing gear. the survival of fish populations. Poor logging Recreational water users such as jet skiers, sail practices on land, dredging and filling of es- boarders, and small boat fishermen can in- tuaries, mineral mining on the sea bottom, crease congestion around port entrances and deposit of drilling muds and cuttings from off- create navigational problems for fishing vessels shore oil drilling rigs, and extraction of san4 or leaving or returning to a harbor. gravel from the sea floor can all change the Pollution habitats on which fish and prey food depend. Pollution can taint the flesh of fish reduc- And, all too often, scientific knowledge is not ing their market value or making them entirely adequate to predict with certainty what the ef- unmarketable. At higher concentrations, pol- fects will be of a particular project. lutants poison fish and other organisms in the Issues food web, including humans. Oil spills can dis- The future will bring new challenges to perse over vast distances destroying fish runs. ocean resources management. Pressures to ex- Untreated sewage dumped in bays and es- plore and develop the nonrenewable resources tuaries can result in the bioaccumulation of bac- of the ocean, such as oil, gas, and minerals, are teria and toxic chemicals in the flesh of filter likely to increase in our modern consumptive feeding clams and oysters making them unac- society. New uses of renewable resources may ceptable food for humans. Runoff from the land develop, including new fisheries, which may carrying chemical pesticides, heavy metals, or conflict with existing uses of renewable resour- durable plastics all pose threats to the ultimate ces. Human efforts to expand the uses of both viability of marine ecosystems, including food renewable and nonrenewable resources will in- fish and shellfish. creasingly impact marine ecosystems. Habitat Disruption and Destruction The mandate of the Oregon Ocean Resour- Marine fish habitats vary widely and may ces Management Act is clear. Oregon will: cover vast areas or be restricted to relatively Conserve the long-term values, benerits and unique bottom features. Broad, flat muddy or natural resources of the ocean both within sandy bottoms cover much of Oregon's continen- the state and beyond by giving clear priority tal margin and provide habitat for such bottom to the proper management and protection of fish as Dover sole and sablefish and for Dunge- renewable resources over nonrenewable ness crab. Others, such as yellowtail and ca- resources. nary rockfish, congregate around rocks and The Pacific Fishery Management Council reefs for food and protection. Still others, such and the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission as herring and hake, school in midwater and manage fishery harvests and develop manage- feed on tiny shrimp-like creatures. Certain ment plans for certain ocean fisheries off habitats provide just the right conditions for Oregon's coast. Oregon supports the existing 76 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan A 71 141. .4 -A4, AW, A6, 4. X A .Iy' 'Y VT 41 VVIV 4 f X r i, 01 Large factory trawlers, complete with on-board processing facilities, represent a significant chal- lenge for Oregon's commercial fisheries. This SoVet vessel is fishing for hake (Pacific whiting), a mid- water fish which teems off Oregon through the late spring and summer. U.S. factory trawlers will be more common off Oregon as fisheries off Alaska are depleted (Oregon Sea Grant) Ocean Fisheries * 77 state and federal systems which manage ocean resources and their uses. fisheries. The proposed recommendations on Habitat Disruption and Loss ocean fisheries in the Oregon Ocean Plan are All fishery habitats, whether they are intended to complement existing fishery marine, estuarine, or fresh water, must be con- management programs without duplicating, served. All agencies and entities responsible for counteracting, or diminishing existing fishery managing freshwater and estuarine resources management efforts. The Oregon Ocean Plan should be encouraged to provide a high level of does not propose any new governmental or- protection to fulfill the goal of conserving ganizations or systems to directly regulate fisheries habitats. ocean fisheries. The Oregon Ocean Plan does not set harvest limits, determine gear types, Although both federal and state law pro- set fishing seasons, or engage in any other ac- vide for fishery habitat protection as part of tivity which is more appropriately handled by traditional fisheries management programs, existing state or federal fishery management most fishery management efforts have focused systems, on harvest or catch management. A better un- The Oregon Ocean Plan appropriately ad- derstanding and management of marine dresses only three types of risks to commercial habitats is needed and should be fully incor- and recreational ocean fisheries: pollution, porated into fishery management programs. habitat disruption and loss, and the lack of ade- Inadequate Information quate information. Statewide Planning Goal 19 specifically Pollution directs local, state and federal agencies, within The potential impacts of nonrenewable the limits of each's jurisdiction, to: resource exploration and development along (1) Develop scientific information on the with the use of the ocean as the ultimate dump stocks and life histories of commercially, recreationally and ecologically important for the wastes of civilization raise great con- species offish, shellfish, marine mammals, cerns for the future of ocean fisheries. and other marine fauna; (2) designate and Statewide Plannin Goal 19 requires that enforce fishing regulations to maintain the 9 optimum sustainable yield (OSY) while the extraction of material from or discharge of protecting the natural ecosystem; (3) develop waste products, including dredged material dis- and encourage improved fishing practices posal, into or affecting the territorial sea do not and equipment to achieve the OSY while substantially interfere with or detract from the protecting the natural marine ecosystem; and (4) develop scientific understanding of the ef- use of the continental shelf for fishing, naviga- fects of man's activities, including naviga- tion, recreation, or from the long term protec- tion, mineral extraction, recreation, and tion of renewable resources. waste discharge on the marine ecosystems. Uses of nonrenewable resources such as oil Adequate specific information is lacking and gas development or marine minerals mini- about Oregon's ocean on such subjects as: ng may be appropriate uses of ocean resources, oceanic habitats; marine ecosystem dynamics; but only if they do not adversely affect the population behavior and the interactions be- maintenance and enhancement of renewable tween populations: the location of key spawn- uses of ocean resources, such as commercial ing, rearing, and refuge areas for fish species; and recreational fisheries. The policies of the small scale current patterns; natural oceanic Oregon Ocean Plan, especially the policies on variability; the sensitivity of various popula- oil and gas development and marine mineral tions and habitats to specific disruptions; and mining are based on the fundamental need to the potential impacts of different types of protect fisheries and other renewable ocean human activities. This information will be 78 o Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan necessary to continue to manage Oregon's health and productivity of marine habitats that fisheries in a manner that protects the resource support Oregon's ocean fisheries; support exist- from overfishing and from adverse effects of ing state and federal fishery management ef- the exploration and development of nonrenew- forts; and protect ocean commercial and able resources; maintains the economic recreational fisheries from any adverse affects viability of the fishing industry; maximizes the of exploration and development of nonrenew- economic value of the resource; maximizes the able ocean resources, such as oil, gas or marine biological yield of the stocks; and results in cost minerals. effective and enforceable regulatory regimes. Important Fishery Areas Conclusions and For planning and resource management Recommendations purposes, Oregon is highlighting several types Oregon values ocean fisheries as the keys- of "Important Fishery Areas". The term "Impor- tone use of ocean resources. tant Fishery Area7as used in the Oregon Ocean Plan includes: � Oregon's ocean fisheries, both commercial 1. Habitats important to the biological success and recreational, are highly significant to of commercially and recreationally caught the continued health and welfare of local, fish species, such as spawning, rearing, regional, and statewide economies. resting and feeding areas. � The entire Ocean Stewardship Area is im- 2. Areas important to commercial and recrea- portant to Oregon's commercial and recrea- tional fishing activities, including: tional fisheries. Oregon's diverse and 0 High catch areas. (e.g., High total pounds productive fisheries are dependent upon a landed and high dollar value of landed variety of habitat types and areas catch) throughout Oregon's Ocean Stewardship Area. Protecting the oceanic environment 0 Areas where a few members of the fleet is crucial to the maintenance of the catch a relatively small number of pounds fisheries industry. Sound ocean resources of highly valued fish. management must conserve all of oceanic 0 Areas which are seasonally important to habitats. fishing activities such as areas where high � Ocean fisheries are managed through a catches are limited to certain times of the complex system of state and federal laws year or areas which are important and regulations. migratory routes. � Better understanding of the importance of 3. Habitats that support populations of animals specific marine habitats and of the which are important as food or prey species dynamics of marine ecosystems to the to commercially and recreationally caught viability, diversity, and productivity of fish fish species. populations is needed. 4. Areas important to commercial and recrea- � Oregon must conserve marine ecosystems, tional fishing activities for specific in- including biological communities and dividual ports or particular fleets. marine habitats. Oregon needs to identify (As more information is gathered about "Im- and protect important fishery areas. portant Fishery Areas", the Oregon Depart- The goals of the Oregon Ocean Resources ment of Fish and Wildlife may include Management Plan are to support and enhance additional categories of "Important Fishery Oregon's ocean fisheries; ensure the continued Areas", if needed.) Ocean Fisheries * 79 Some of these important fishery areas are recreational fisheries and that do not adver- easy to identify and are known to be vital to sely affect the long-term viability of fish sustaining the diversity and productivity of populations or the quality of marine Oregon's ocean fisheries. These areas include habitats. Heceta-Stonewall Banks, Coquille Bank, As- 4. Heceta-Stonewall Banks, Coquille Bank, As- toria Canyon, Rogue Canyon, and the area off- toria Canyon, and Rogue Canyon are too shore from Cape Blanco. important to Oregon's ocean fisheries to But, the information available about many risk disturbance from nonrenewable of the "Important Fishery Areas" is limited. resource uses. In these areas, prohibit com- "Important Fishery Areas" need to be iden- mercial exploration and lease sales consis- tified, studied, evaluated, and protected from tent with the majority position in the activities which would adversely affect ocean Marine Minerals Policies. Allow non- fisheries or could adversely affect the viability, proprietary academic and public agency diversity, and productivity of these habitats scientific research related to marine and the biological communities they support. minerals if the Oregon Department of Fish Gathering and analyzing information about and Wildlife determines that the research all of the "Important Fishery Areas" of Oregon activities will not cause significant adverse Stewardship Area will be time consuming and effects on the fisheries or on sensitive costly. Oregon's efforts need to be focused on marine populations or habitats. (1) identifying areas so vital to the health and 5. In other "Important Fishery Areas", allow welfare of ocean fisheries that only renewable specific uses of nonrenewable resources if resource uses should be allowed, and (2) evalu- the Oregon Department of Fish and ating the significance and sensitivity of specific Wildlife determines that the specific areas where nonrenewable resource uses are proposed activity will not adversely affect being proposed and determining whether the commercial or recreational fishery ac- probable impacts of the proposed activity on tivities, the quality of fish habitats, or the commercial and recreational fisheries are ac- viability of fish populations. ceptable. 6. Support research on marine ecosystems, fish Recommended Policies populations, and fish habitat needs which 1. Conserve, protect and, where needed, en- will promote sound fishery management hance or restore marine habitats that are decisions. Study, evaluate, and identify important to commercial and recreational specific "Important Fishery Areas". fish species. Evaluate the probable risks and effects of 2. Give clear priority to the proper management the specific activities on ocean fisheries. and protection of renewable resources over 7. Develop public education and interpretation nonrenewable resources throughout programs about the commercial and recrea- Oregon's Ocean Planning Area. Commer- tional fishing industry; its characteristics, cial and recreational ocean fisheries have key species, important fishery areas, and priority over uses of nonrenewable resour- contribution to Oregon's economy and cul- ces, including oil, gas and mineral explora- ture. tion and development. Needed Actions 3. Allow only those uses of nonrenewable resour- 0 The Ocean Policy Advisory Council should: ces within the Ocean Stewardship Area Encourage the Oregon Department of Fish that do not adversely affect commercial or and Wildlife, National Marine Fisheries 80,D Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Service, and Pacific Fishery Management able resource exploration, development, or Council to continue to identify and to take use. appropriate steps to manage important 0 In instances when a specific project is fisheries and protect fish habitats. proposed for the exploration, development, � Encourage the Oregon Department of Fish or use of a nonrenewable resource in an and Wildlife, National Marine Fisheries "Important Fishery Area", conduct detailed Service, and Pacific Fishery Management biological assessments, economic assess- Council to undertake, as a high priority, re- ments, and risk evaluations to determine search on marine habitats and ecosystem whether the proposed activity is likely to dynamics which support Oregon's commer- adversely affect commercial or recreational cial and recreational fisheries. fisheries or to adversely affect the long- � Oppose any uses of nonrenewable resources term viability of fish populations or the which could adversely impact ocean quality of marine habitats. fisheries. Act to implement the policies Identify those "Important Fishery Areas" identified in the sections on oil and gas and (in addition to the five areas identified in on marine minerals of the Oregon Ocean Policy 4 above) that are so vital to recrea- Plan. tional and commercial fisheries that the � Provide a forum for evaluating the accept- risks associated with nonrenewable ability of the risks associated with the im- resource exploration, development, and use pacts of nonrenewable resource uses on are simply not acceptable. renewable resource uses, especially ocean Conduct and support research on impor- fisheries. tant fishery areas (especially nearshore El The Oregon Department of Fish and areas) that support populations of animals Wildlife should: which are important as food or prey species � Develop and adopt a marine habitat clas- to commercially and recreationally caught sification system. fish species. Determine whether any addi- tional protective measures are needed for � Identify the geographic extent of "Impor- the areas. tant Fishery Areas" throughout the Oregon Coordinate the development of public Ocean Stewardship Area. (See definition of education and interpretation programs "Important Fishery Areas" above). Deter- about the commercial and recreational fish- mine whether any additional protective ing industry; its characteristics, key measures are needed for these areas to species, important fishery areas, and con- protect recreational and commercial tribution to Oregon's economy and culture. fisheries from adverse effects of nonrenew- Marine Birds and Mammals 0 81 Marine Birds and Mammals Resources Oregon coast. Nearly 1.2 million seabirds, in- Oregon's ocean waters, rocky coast, and cluding several threatened and endangered nearshore rocks and islands are home to many species, depend on the nearshore rocks and is- marine birds and mammals. lands for breeding, nesting, and resting habitats. The total population of breeding Most of the bird and mammal colonies are seabirds in Oregon varies from year to year within three National Wildlife Refuges: Oregon due primarily to natural variations in food Islands, which includes over 1,400 nearshore supply. rocks and islands; Cape Meares, with several Thirteen species of marine birds breed endangered species and an adjacent old-growth along Oregon's coast. They are the double- forest; and the Three Arch Rocks, where twelve crested, Brandt's and pelagic cormorants; of the thirteen species of breeding seabirds in Cassin's and rhinoceros auklets; Leach's and Oregon nest, including the largest colony of fork-tailed storm-petrels; pigeon guillemots; common murres south of Alaska. The refuges western and glaucous-winged gulls; common include only the dry land part of the rocks and murres; black oystercatchers; and tufted puf- islands. A few of the marine bird and mammal fins. Other birds which visit or migrate rookeries and haul out sites are on privately through coastal Oregon include: loons, grebes, owned property, such as Tillamook Rock. A albatrosses, shearwaters, fulmars, bald eagles, number of the rocks and islands are accessible Canada geese, numerous species of ducks, at low tide. plovers, sandpipers, turnstones, sanderlings, Marine Birds phalaropes, and the endangered brown pelican. The birds of the Oregon coast include year- Although most people recognize Western round residents; migrants on their way north gulls and cormorants, these familiar species to breeding grounds in the Arctic or south to are only a very small part of the picture. The u- wintering areas in warmer climates; oceanic biquitous western gull accounts for about 1.5 birds coming ashore to nest and fledge their percent of the total breeding population of young; and inland birds feeding on the rich seabirds along the Oregon coast. Common mur- resources of the estuaries and coastal streams. res and Leach's storm-petrels number in the The nearshore rocks and islands are hubs hundreds of thousands and account for over 90 of bird activity. Huge breeding colonies use the percent of Oregon's population of breeding rocks and islands. Many marine birds take off seabirds. from nesting sites on the rocks and forage wide- Common murre colonies are often extreme- ly over the entire width of the continental mar- ly large and dense. Tens or hundreds of gin. Some species use the rocks as staging thousands of birds can be packed shoulder-to- areas where individuals congregate to get shoulder on the rocks during the summer ready for long migrations. The rocks are also breeding season. Nesting sites are usually flat rest stops and shelters in the migratory routes rock surfaces on island tops or rocky ledges. of other species. Murres lay a single egg and both parents will Although the length of the Oregon coast is feed the chick until it is ready to leave the nest. less than a quarter of the entire California- Murres are deep divers and will travel far Oregon-Wasbington coastline, over one-half of along the coast searching for small fish which the nesting seabirds of the entire continental they bring back to the nest one at a time. U.S. Pacific coastline are found along the 82 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan National Wildlife Refuges The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) ad- cated along the open coast, while the fourth is lo- ministers four National Wildlife Refuges along cated at Bandon Marsh, a salt marsh in the Coquille Oregon's ocean coast. Three of the refuges are lo- River Estuary. Cape Meares Nationoll Wildlife Refuge Located at Cape Meares, southwest of Til- tion Department and the USFWS. lamook Bay, this refuge protects one of the few The refuge is managed as an ecological remaining coastal old growth forests and a number preserve with no habitat alterations. Public use of of vertical cliffs which serve as breeding habitat for this refuge is limited to hiking on the trail that marine birds. Endangered species using the area in- meanders through the forest and links up with the clude American peregrine falcons and bald eagles. adjacent Cape Meares State Park. The 138-acre refuge is designated as a Research Natural Area by the federal government and is managed jointly by the Oregon Parks and Recrea- Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge Located just offshore from Oceanside and refuge, including: the American peregrine falcon, south of Cape Meares, this refuge is composed of bald eagle, Aleutian Canada goose and California six small rocks and three large rocks totalling.about brown pelican. The Seal Rock Unit of the refuge is a 17 acres. Only the area above mean high tide line haulout area and pupping area for northern sea on each of the rocks is actually within the refuge. lions. The refuge is the largest breeding colony of The refuge is closed to all public entry to en- seabirds in Oregon. Twelve of the thirteen species sure that marine birds and their nesting habitats of seabirds which nest along the Oregon coast are remain undisturbed. No human-related habitat al- found here. The common Murre colony at Three terations of the refuge are allowed. Arch Rocks is the largest colony south of Alaska. Endangered species make extensive use of this Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge This refuge stretches from Tillamook Head cons, bald eagles, Aleutian Canada geese, and south to the California border and includes more California brown pelican. Harbor seals, northern than 1400 rocks and islands. Only those portions of elephant seals, northern sea lions, and California the rocks and islands that are above mean high tide sea lions make extensive use of the refuge for pup- and are separated from the mainland at mean high ping and haulout areas. The breeding colonies of tide are included within the refuge. (There are a few northern sea lions on the Rogue and Orford Reef exceptions to this rule where rocks are privately Units of the refuge are the largest south of Alaska. owned or administration has been maintained by The refuge is a wilderness area and ecological the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.) preserve. No habitat alterations caused by humans The wildlife resources of the refuge are tremen- are allowed. Public access is not allowed at anytime dous. The majority of the more than one million with the limited exception of officially approved marine birds that breed in Oregon nest within the scientific research projectsAe boundaries of this refuge. Endangered species using the refuge include American peregrine fal- Leach's storm-petrels are very small, some- and leave the burrows under the cover of dark- what secretive birds. Although it is the second ness to avoid being killed and by gulls. Once most common bird along the Oregon coast, few the single egg is laid, one of the parents will birdwatchers have ever seen one. A rock that stay in the burrow on the nest while the other looks barren, with perhaps just a few gulls on parent forages for food. Once the chick hatches, it, may actually have tens or hundreds of the fishing efforts of both parents are needed, thousands of small storm petrel burrows just so the chick will be left alone in the burrow. under the surface. Adult storm petrels enter Storm-petrels range far across the continental Marine Birds and Mammals e 83 margin and the open ocean to forage for tebrates and come to shore to breed, bear their zooplankton and small fish. young, and rest. Nursery areas, called Marine Mammals rookeries, and resting areas, called haulout The cold waters of the Pacific Ocean and areas, are located on protected shore areas and the rocks, islands and reefs off the Oregon on the nearshore rocks and islands. Seals and coast are important habitats for a variety of sea lions are very particular about rookery and marine mammals: whales, dolphins, porpoises, haulout sites and will return to the same site seals and sea lions. year after year. Nearly everyone who visits or lives along Harbor seals are year round residents and the Oregon coast is familiar with the gray are the most common seal along the Oregon whales. The gray whales migrate between their coast. Biologists estimate that there are as summer feeding grounds in the Arctic and many as 5200 seals along the Oregon coast. winter calving lagoons of Baja California. Harbor seals eat bottom fish, rockfish, herring Migrating whales travel within a few miles of and salmon. Seals awkwardly scoot along on the coast and can often be seen from shore. The their bellies when out of water and usually southern migration takes place from November haulout on rocks only a few feet from the through late January and the northern migra- water. Although gregarious with their own tion occurs from March through May. A small kind, harbor seals are shy around humans and part of the population, probably mostly young will abandon their haul out areas when ap- individuals, spends the summer along the proached. Oregon coast. Small numbers of northern elephant seals Once threatened with extinction from whal- travel northward in the summer from their ing, the gray whale population has recovered in range in central California to haulout areas recent years. Whale watching has become a along the Oregon coast. From shore, Northern popular tourist attraction and a number of elephant seals can be seen hauling out on charter fishing boats add whale watching trips Simpson Reef near Cape Arago. to their activities. Northern fur seals breed in islands in the Minke, sperm, blue, humpback, fin, sei, Bering Sea and Baja California. After breeding, and right whales also migrate past the Oregon they spend most of their time at sea and can be coast, usually many miles from shore. Pods of seen about 10 to 100 miles from shore migrat- killer whales, or orcas, can be seen near the ing past the Oregon coast. shore and at the mouths of coastal rivers where Two different species of sea lions, the north- they feed on fish, seals and sea lions. The ern (or Steller's) sea lion and the California sea smaller harbor porpoise and white-sided dol- lion, are seen along the Oregon coast. phin are also common in Oregon's nearshore Sea lions not only are larger than harbor waters. seals, but they are built differently. Sea lions The whaling industry that threatened ex- walk on their front flippers and can propel tinction of many whale species has almost themselves up and over rocks. When in the stopped worldwide. However, many whale rookeries or haulout areas sea lions can be species are still listed as endangered by the found on rocks many feet above the water. Sea federal government, because populations are lion are quite noisy. Their barks can often be still low. clearly heard from considerable distances. Seals and sea lions depend on both the land The California sea lions are the most abun- and the sea. They feed at sea on fish and inver- dant sea lion along the coast. They are blackish brown and males will grow to around seven 84 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Endangered, Threatened and Sensitive Species Extinction Extinction is the ecological death of a species. Biologists are concerned that the rate of extinc- When a species cannot adapt to changing condi- tion has dramatically increased as human influence tions and fails to produce enough young to keep on the planet has grown. Besides irreversibly pace with its death rate, a species will eventually be- destroying genetic diversity, species loss to an come extinct. Extinction is a lingering process. At ecosystem can render the system less stable and first, a species disappears from a section of its nor- adaptive to climatic or geological changes. mal range. As the region of extinction spreads, the Loss or alteration of habitat is the major cause participation of the remaining populations in ecosys- of human-induced species extinction. Other major tem dynamics becomes less and less. Eventually, if causes include direct killing or poisoning, pollution, the populations cannot revive, the species becomes and the introduction of non-indigenous competing or extinct. Whole ecosystems can be affected by the predatory species. extinction of a single species. Endongered and Threatened Species Under federal law, an endangered species is "a and threatened species and for developing species that is in danger of extinction throughout all programs to protect these species. or a significant portion of its range" and a The marine birds and mammals along the threatened species is "a species that is likely to be- Oregon coast which have been listed by the federal come an endangered species within the foresee- (US) and state (OR) government as endangered (E) able future throughout all or a significant portion of or threatened (T) include: its range". Bald eagle (US, OR: T) The Endangered Species Act of 1972 directs federal agencies to conserve endangered and Aleutian Canada goose (US, OR: E) threatened species and the ecosystems on which American peregrine falcon (US, OR: E) these species depend. The goal is to bring popula- California brown pelican (US, OR: E) tions levels of endangered and threatened species back to a level at which the species no longer are in Western Snowy Plover (OR: T) danger of extinction and no longer need special Gray, right, blue, fin, sei, humpback, and sperm protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and whales (US, OR: E) the National Marine Fisheries Service are required to identify and list species which are endangered or The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife threatened. also maintains a watch list of sensitive species which may become eligible for listing as threatened The Endangered Species Act makes it unlawful or endangered if populations declines should con- to "harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, tinue. A number of birds and mammals along the trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in coast are considered to be "sensitive" including: any such conduct". fork-tailed storm petrel; dusky and cackling Canada Oregon's wildlife laws have sections which are geese; northern goshawk; greater yellowlegs; long- similar to the federal Endangered Species Act. The billed curlew; marbled murrelet; purple martin; bank Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has the swallow; and northern sea lionAe responsibility for identifying and listing endangered feet long. California sea lions range from the fall at about 3500 individuals. California British Columbia to Mexico, but all breeding oc- sea lions feed on hake, herring, rockfish, scul- curs south of Oregon. After mating is over in pins and salmon. During the winter California mid-July, some of the young males migrate sea lions can be seen in "flotillas7 in river northward as far as Canada. Aggregations of mouths and bays. up to 2000 young male sea lions are common at The northern or Steller's sea lion is a much Simpson Reef in early September. The young more easily disturbed than the California sea males move south again in the spring to breed. lion and is quite vulnerable to disruption from Oregon seems to have a healthy population of human activities. Northern sea lions have a California sea lions. The population peaks in Marine Birds and Mammals 9 85 tawny pelt and the males develop a thick mane is sometimes mistaken for food and, when around their bulky necks. Northern sea lions eaten, clogs an animal's digestive system. are larger than California sea lions. Males Disturbance and Loss of Habitat grow to 12 or 13 feet and weigh around 2000 Human disturbance probably poses an pounds. Females are about half the size of the equal, if not greater, long-term and ongoing males. Northern sea lions range from the Chan- threat to marine birds and mammals than pol- nel Islands off southern California, north along lution. Loss of suitable habitat for breeding, the coast to the Bering Sea, and south around nesting, foraging, roosting, resting, and winter- the Kamchatka Peninsula to the Sea of Ok- ing, whether at sea, on the coast, or inland, hotsk. Northern sea lions feed primarily on also threatens survival of healthy populations squid, whiting, herring and rockfish. of marine birds and mammals. Even existing About 2500 of the world population of conflicts with fisheries activities put stress on 250,000 northern sea lions breed in Oregon on bird and mammal populations. a few rocky outcrops. The Rogue and Orford Impacts of human disturbance range from Reefs are the largest breeding sites for the slight disruption of courtship, mating behavior, northern sea lion in U.S. waters south of Alas- incubation, and feeding activities to outright ka. Northern sea lions have also colonized mortality due to unusual exposure to heat or caves near Heceta Head. These "sea lion caves" cold, trampling of the young by frightened are a popular tourist site and the owners of the adults, and predation of unprotected eggs or upland access have provided means to observe nestlings. the animals without disturbing them. In July, after the end of mating season, some of the Marine bird colonies are especially suscep- males travel northward into British Columbia tible to disruption during late spring and sum- and Alaska. Most of the Oregon females and mer. This is the breeding season and the pups remain along the Oregon coast season of the lowest tides, when access to the throughout the winter. In April 1990, the Na- rocks from shore is easiest. A single distur- tional Marine Fisheries Service listed the bance can result in the loss of a significant por- northern sea lion as a threatened species tion of the young for that year. For example, throughout its range. even one person coming onto a rock where tufted puffins are building nests or incubating Risks eggs will cause the puffins to abandon the rock Pollution for that breeding season. Even if the puffins Marine birds and mammals require uncon- can find an alternate site, which is unlikely, taminated coastal and ocean waters. Pol- the delay usually will prevent the birds from lutants, including oil, chemicals, plastic debris, successfully breeding that year. and other contaminants, pose real threats to The cumulative effects of a number of the health and survival of marine birds and small disruptions can reduce or even decimate mammals. Many of these pollutants come from marine bird or mammal populations across land-based, human activities. Chronic pollution widespread areas. The reproductive rate of from oil or other chemicals decreases reproduc- many marine birds and mammals is quite low, tive success and lowers survival rates. Oil from therefore, a few years of poor breeding can major tanker spills, oil well accidents or have major effects on population sizes. When blowouts, and even bilge discharges can kill human induced mortality over a few years is many birds and mammals. Plastic pollution is coupled with the natural mortality from low a growing threat. Animals may die when food supplies for a couple of years, such as trapped by floating nets or lines. Plastic debris during the recent El Niflo, colonies of birds can 86 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan be wiped out. Observations in California and to popular fishing, shellfish harvesting, or Washington indicate that murre colonies which recreational boating areas. The rocks and is- were decimated during the early and mid lands are also subject to noise and harassment 1980's have not come back. from low airplane and helicopter flights, includ- Although the observed effects of close ap- ing military overflights and search and rescue proach to a breeding colony may seem small, operations. the results can be disastrous. Biologists report The rocks and islands are the last possible a recent example where a small boat was ob- refuge for many birds and mammals. Once com- served quietly watching a breeding colony of mon on the onshore cliffs, bluffs and beaches, double-breasted cormorants. Some of the birds marine birds and mammals have retreated moved just a few feet off their nests to get a bet- from the advancing humans to the offshore ter look at the people. As soon as the cor- rocks and islands. morants moved away from the nests, ravens Before human settlement of the coast, the approached the unguarded nests ate large num- marine bird populations were much larger than bers of cormorant eggs. they are today. Biologists estimate that 100 More disturbing events cause more years ago the bird population along the Oregon dramatic impacts. Loud noises from boats coast may have been as much as two to three anchored up next to the rocks or from low times as large as it is today. Birds nested in flying aircraft can scare whole colonies off the large colonies on the many cliffs and bluffs rocks. Frightened, stampeding birds may along the shore and on the nearshore rocks and trample eggs or young and can knock the eggs islands. Human presence has pushed the bird or young chicks off the nests to tumble to their colonies offshore to the undeveloped rocks and death in the rocks or water below. islands, the only remaining habitat for the For marine mammals, there are even fewer birds. isolated rocky outcroppings suitable for resting Seals haulout on sand bars or mud flats, and rearing young. Marine mammal colonies but the rookery areas are only on the nearshore are easily disturbed, especially during pupping rocks and islands. This was not always the seasons. Disturbance can be caused by people case. Before humans disrupted their behavior, gaining access to the rocks at low tide and by the seals would establish nursery areas on the fishermen or divers anchoring their boats and beaches. The nearshore rocks are less desirable noisily operating near the rocks. rookery areas for the seals, but they are the only sites left where the seals are relatively Management Issues protected from disturbance. Population Declines Archeological evidence indicates that north- and Loss of Habitat ern fur seals used Whale Cove for a pupping Oregon's nearshore rocks and islands, so area. Now northern fur seals do not breed important as rookeries and haulout areas, are anywhere along the Washington-Oregon- quite vulnerable to human disturbances. California coast. Remains from Indian middens Several key bird and mammal colonies along indicate that northern sea lions used the the Oregon coast are currently threatened by beaches around Seal Rock as pupping and nurs- disturbance and noise from nearby human ac- ery areas. Today northern sea lions are entirely tivities and from unauthorized intrusion. Some absent from this area. of the rocks and islands along the Oregon coast Repeated disturbance at one site can result are located near shore and are accessible by in its abandonment with little chance of reloca- small boat or by foot at low tide. Some are close tion and can cause permanent population Marine Birds and Mammals 87 Northern (Stellar) sea lions rest on rocks of Rogue Reef about three miles off the mouth of the Rogue River. This is the largest Northern sea lion rookery south of AJaska, and serves as an important year-around feeding andresting area. (ODFWphoto) declines. Since 1987, biologists have noticed in Alaskan fisheries may have decreased the that, although the number of northern sea lion food supply of the northern sea lion. Additional pups at the rookeries on the Rogue and Orford factors such as entrapment in trawls and gill reefs has been relatively stable, the number of nets, pollution, and habitat disruption combine adults tending these rookeries during the pup- to seriously threaten the survival of the north- ping season has declined substantially. ern sea lion in Alaska. Populations in the east- Biologists are concerned that the reduced num- ern Pacific near the Kurile Islands may be ber of adults on the pupping rocks may result experiencing similar declines. In California, in reduced survival of pups and a future popula- where once there were a number of large tion decline. This decline has occurred at the rookeries, only two small northern sea lion same time as there has been an increase in rookeries remain and these appear to be declin- boat activity around the rookeries, primarily as- ing. sociated with sea urchin diving, and an in- So far, the Oregon population of northern crease in low flying aircraft over the rocks, sea lions has been somewhat stable. However, primarily Coast Guard overflights. recent observations raise questions about the Biologists are seriously concerned about long term viability of the northern sea lion the survival of northern sea lions. The north- population in Oregon. Disruptions ofadult ac- ern sea lion population in Alaska has declined tivity at the pupping areas have been observed. precipitously in the past few years. The growth Also, there are no suitable alternative rookery 88 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan sites for northern sea lions along the Oregon dangered and threatened species. Generally, coast The ultimate fate of the Oregon northern NMFS has primary responsibility for marine sea lion population is uncertain. As populations mammals and USFWS is responsible for decline elsewhere, the health of Oregon's north- marine birds. ern sea lions will become more and more sig- All of the nearshore rocks and islands are nificant to the survival of the entire species. within the state's territorial sea, so the state The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has jurisdiction over the surrounding waters has listed the northern sea lion as a "sensitive" and land below the water. The Division of State species. Lands has proprietary jurisdiction over the In April 1990, the National Marine ocean bottom and the rocks below the water Fisheries Service used its emergency line. The Oregon Department of Fish and authorities, under the Endangered Species Act, Wildlife can regulate the harvest of fish and in- to list the northern sea lion as a threatened vertebrate animals around the rocks. ODFW species throughout its range. Two protective has the dual responsibility of managing measures became immediately effective off the fisheries to assure long term returns and to Oregon coast as a result of this listing. First, minimize disruptive impacts of local economies shooting at or near northern sea lions is from shifts in the fisheries industry and of prohibited. Killing northern sea lions has been protecting marine habitats and animals from illegal since 1988. But now, commercial fisher- adverse disruption. men are no longer permitted to shoot around or Navigation and vessel safety is the concern at the animals in order to scare them away of the U.S. Coast Guard. Aircraft activities are from fishing gear. Second, emergency measure the concern of the military and civilian aviation allows observers to be placed on fishing vessels, agencies, such as the Federal Aviation Ad- Fragmented State and ministration and the Aeronautics Division of Federal Responsibilities the State Department of Transportation. No single government agency has respon- In May 1989, the USFWS officially re- sibility for the many valuable marine birds and quested that the Ocean Resources Task Force mammals of Oregon's coast and ocean. Nor establish special management areas with buff- does any single agency have the authority to er zones and use restrictions around a number manage the many activities which occur of the nearshore rocks and islands. The around sensitive marine bird and mammal USFWS identified thirty-three areas where habitats. they believe human disturbance and habitat The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service degradation are threatening the viability of im- (USFWS) has management authority for the portant marine bird and mammal colonies. over 1400 rocks and islands which are part of (The USFWS proposal and the 33 areas are the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. briefly described at the end of this section of These rocks and islands are important breed- the Ocean Plan). ing, nesting, and resting areas for marine birds The USFWS believes that protection of and mammals. The USFWS authority covers marine birds and mammals requires better only the dry land part of these rocks and is- cooperation and coordination between state lands. (See the information box on National and federal agencies and that new federal-state Wildlife Refuges). comanagement arrangements are needed to ad- The National Marine Fisheries Service dress issues which neither the federal govern- (NMFS) and the USFWS share the lead respon- ment nor the state government can do alone. sibilities for identifying and protecting en- Effective management and protection of the Marine Birds and Mammals & 89 marine bird and mammal populations will re- clusions can still be very difficult. quire specific knowledge of the nature of the Counts of marine bird and mammal popula- disturbances at each specific site and the tions can vary greatly from year to year, cooperation of a number of state and federal seasonally, and even hourly. Annual variations agencies. in oceanic conditions and food supply; seasonal However, management programs and variations in animal behavior, especially regulations are only partial solutions. Enforce- reproductive cycles; and daily activities, such ment of even existing regulations is difficult as foraging for food, must all be considered by without a commitment of much greater time biologists trying to estimate population sizes, and money. Creative non-regulatory ap- determine population trends over time, or draw proaches will also be needed to complement conclusions on the effects of environmental management schemes. variables on population size. Limited Scientific Information Recently, biologists examining data from Unfortunately, there is very little historical the 1979 marine bird survey and aerial photos or scientific data on marine bird and mammal of some of the nearshore rocks which were populations of the Oregon coast and nearshore taken in 1979 before the survey was conducted waters. Knowledge of normal and abnormal have concluded that the 1979 survey probably animal behavior, historical diaries, research at underestimated the common murre population. Indian middens, and studies of specific sites The photographs shown many more common and species can provide some background infor- murres than counted in the survey. The survey mation. was apparently conducted after the common Data does exist for the California coast and murre nesting season was completed and many the Washington coast, especially in Puget of the birds had left the rocks. Sound. This data clearly shows the decline of Marine bird and maninial populations also marine bird and mammal populations and the vary greatly from place to place along the displacement of breeding colonies with increas- coast. The exact nature of problems with distur- ing pressures from human activities. Profes- bance and habitat disruption differs from site sional biologists infer that what has happened to site depending on habitat type, species af- along the Washington and California coasts fected, proximity to human activities, and has or is happening along the Oregon coast. specific use conflicts. Two coastwide surveys of marine birds The task of obtaining more information can along the Oregon coast have been conducted, be narrowed by focusing on the specific areas one in 1979 and the other in 1988. Although identified in the USFWS proposal to the Ocean these surveys provide valuable information, Resources Task Force. (See description of the they must be used with caution. The data from proposal at the end of this section of the Ocean just these two points in time are not adequate Plan). There may be more than the 33 sites to draw scientific conclusions about population identified by the USFWS which need addition- trends. al protective management or there may be less, Exact data on the size of marine bird and but the first important step is to develop addi- mammal populations is difficult to obtain and tional documentation of these 33 areas. requires many, many hours observing animals Limited Public Understanding in the field over many years. Such efforts can Because many of the marine birds and also be very costly. And, even if accurate counts mammals cannot be readily seen from shore, are obtained, comparing data and drawing the public is often unfamiliar with their scientifically supportable and meaningful con- variety, numbers and behavior. Likewise, the 90 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan effects of human activities on these important mals along Oregon's coast. and vulnerable species are often unnoticed ex- 0 Better and more extensive programs are cept by professional biologists. Impacts of needed to educate the public about marine human activities on marine bird and mammal bird and mammal resources along the coast populations may be subtle, cumulative, and and about the impact of human activities occur over long periods of time. on these animals. Education programs also Human disturbance of marine birds and need to be targeted toward ocean users, in- mammals often stems from unintentional and cluding the fishing industry, on the specific uninformed activities. Pilots in low flying effects of their activities on marine bird aircraft may simply not be aware that their and mammal populations. sight-seeing flights over a breeding colony of 0 Protection of marine birds and mammals common murres can leave a trail of ecological and their habitats requires improved damage that will last for years. Adventurous cooperation and coordination of state and beach visitors may not know that their chal- federal agencies, and local governments. lenging climb up a rocky cliff can lead to sig- Opportunities for comanagement need to be nificant disruption of breeding habitat. SCUBA explored. divers anchoring alongside a nearshore rock while diving may not realize that their ac- Decisions to prohibit, restrict or allow ac- tivities can decrease the likelihood of successful tivities to continue around sensitive areas must birthing and rearing of sea lion pups. be a careful balancing act involving the public, Also, many people are not familiar with or ocean users, local governments, and state and do not understand the reasons for the federal federal resource management agencies. and state laws protecting marine birds and The question of allowing anchorages near mammals. Some people, especially tourists, sensitive marine bird and mammal populations may also simply not be aware that the near- will require special attention. Fishermen tradi- shore rocks and islands are part of a wildlife tionally use the areas around the rocks and is- refuge and that trespass on them is prohibited. lands for night and foul weather anchorages. Traveling in the lee of the rocks and islands Conclusions also provides safe passageways during rough and Recommendations seas. Concern for the needs of fishermen and Conservation of the marine bird and mam- for the safety of people and their boats neces- mal resources of the nearshore rocks and is- sitates full consultation with affected parties lands requires priority attention. and careful consideration of any proposed spe- cial management measures around the near- � Human activities have and will continue to shore rocks and islands. affect marine bird and mammal popula- The goal of the Oregon Ocean Plan is to tions along the coast of Oregon. Oregon protect marine birds, marine mammals, and must act to assure the continued viability their habitats from adverse disruption, from in- of these populations and the quality of the tentional or unintentional harassment, and habitat upon which they depend. from pollution, especially oil spills and plastic � More scientific information on marine bird debris. and mammal populations and their suscep- Recommended Policies tibility to disruption is needed. More site 1. Promote public awareness and appreciation specific information is necessary to design of marine birds, marine mammals, and appropriate and effective management ap- their habitats. Develop public education proaches to protect marine birds and main- Marine Birds and Mammals 9 91 and interpretation programs to increase as appropriate to each specific case. Sup- public understanding of the biology of port increased enforcement efforts of exist- marine birds and mammals, their habitats ing state and federal agencies. needs and the vulnerability of marine birds 8. Until Oregon completes an evaluation of the and mammals to human disruption and dis- sensitivity of specific marine bird and mam- turbance. Ensure that these education mal populations and their habitats and programs are readily available and widely until Oregon adopts a plan for the ter- distributed. Develop targeted education ef- ritorial sea or other enforceable programs forts to specific ocean resources user which provide specific protection for sensi- groups, including the fishing industry and tive marine bird and mammal populations recreational boaters. and their habitats (See Needed Actions): 2. Provide state protection to marine birds and 0 Allow fishing and the harvest of renewable mammals, especially endangered, resources around all of the nearshore rocks threatened and sensitive species, and to and islands unless the Oregon Department habitats which are critical to maintaining of Fish and Wildlife determines that a viable marine bird and mammal popula- specific use or activity adversely affects sen- tions. sitive marine bird or mammal populations. 3. Develop provisions in Oregon's plan for the 0 With the exception the fisheries activities territorial sea that will improve protection which do not adversely affect sensitive of sensitive marine bird and mammal marine bird or mammal populations and populations and will provide for the safe passage and anchorage where neces- development of site-specific management sary to protect human life, prohibit all programs. other activities within 1/4 mile of the thirty- 4. Strengthen state programs to complement three sensitive areas identified below. federal bird and mammal protection Prohibited uses include such recreational programs. Actively pursue comanagement activities as jet skis; sea kayaking; SCUBA opportunities. diving; tidepooling; birdwatching; and 5. Prohibit activities around nearshore rocks sightseeing boats, planes, and helicopters. and islands which threaten the continued 0 Prohibit exploration and development of viability of marine bird and mammal nonrenewable resources, including oil, gas populations, especially endangered, and marine minerals, within three miles of threatened, and sensitive species on the all nearshore rocks and islands. Allow thirty-three sensitive areas identified academic and public agency scientific re- below. search on nonrenewable resources within 6. Support the use of the nearshore rocks and is- three miles of the nearshore rocks and is- lands for safe passage and anchorage lands, if ODFW determines that these ac- where necessary to protect human lives. tivities will not adversely affect sensitive Allow anchorage and passage for matters of marine bird or mammal populations or convenience only if these activities do not their habitats. adversely affect sensitive marine bird and 9. Support the outstanding contribution of mammal populations. volunteer wildlife rehabilitation centers to 7. Support a range of resource management and protect Oregon's marine bird and mammal protection measures which include both populations and provide state support regulatory and non-regulatory approaches, through equipment, information, training, 92 0 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan and funding, as appropriate, to increase 11 The Ocean Policy Advisory Council should: Oregon's capability to care for injured 0 Provide a policy forum and assist the ef- wildlife and respond to oil spill events. forts of state and federal agencies to docu- 10. Increase communication among the Oregon ment the use and significance of specific Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon sites to marine bird and mammal popula- State Police, Oregon Department of Parks tions; to document site specific use con- and Recreation and wildlife rehabilitation flicts; to develop alternatives for resolving centers on marine mammal protection. use conflicts around specific sites; and to 11. Develop protocols for involvement of wildlife analyze and develop specific proposals for rehabilitation centers in oil spill response any needed additional protective manage- planning and implementation. ment measures around specific marine bird Needed Actions and mammal habitats. The thirty-three sen- sitive nearshore rocks and islands iden- Oregon's plan for the territorial sea should tified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service include: should be used as the focal points for this Criteria for the identification, designation discussion and evaluation. However, other and protection of sensitive marine bird and sites may be considered if further research mammal populations and habitats. and evaluation indicate that there may be An evaluation of the sensitivity of marine other important marine bird and mammal bird and mammal populations and their habitats. These evaluations and assess- habitats focusing on the thirty-three sensi- ments should be given high priority by tive areas identified below plus any other state agencies and should be completed as sites which the Oregon Department of Fish soon as possible. and Wildlife determines are in need of 0 Assist efforts of state agencies to provide evaluation. (See list at the end of this sec- immediate protection for stressed marine tion). bird and mammal communities. � An analysis of the need for and adequacy of 0 Request the assistance of the U.S. Fish and alternative protective measures around sen- Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic sitive marine bird and mammal popula- and Atmospheric Administration to help tions and habitats. identify specific problems and solutions to � Site-specific measures to protect sensitive protect sensitive marine bird and mammal marine bird and mammals populations and populations and their habitats. habitats that include enforceable policies 0 Encourage and assist efforts to develop and interagency or intergovernmental marine bird and mammal interpretive management agreements where necessary. programs for areas near rookeries or During the development of the plan for the baulout areas to educate the public about territorial sea, the Oregon Department of Fish marine birds, marine mammals, and their and Wildlife should continue to work with habitats and about their vulnerability to other state agencies and with the U.S. Fish and human disruption. Encourage the develop- Wildlife Service and the National Marine ment of marine education programs on Fisheries Service to find ways to advance the these subjects throughout Oregon's school objectives of the Oregon Ocean Resources system. Support the educational efforts of Management Plan to protect marine birds and the Oregon Sea Grant Program. mammals and their habitats. 0 Provide a forum to work with the National Marine Birds and Mammals 9 93 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 0 Evaluate the sensitivity of marine bird and Pacific Fishery Management Council, mammal populations at specific sites. As- Federal Aviation Agency, Coast Guard, sess the sources and levels of disruptions at Oregon Marine Board, and any other af- specific sites. fected agencies to find ways to reduce dis- 0 Examine resource protection needs of turbances from a broad range of human specific sites. Analyze alternative protec- activities to marine bird and mammal tive management approaches for protecting colonies. marine birds and mammals. � Facilitate the efforts of the Oregon Depart- 0 Develop site-specific measures to protect ment of Environmental Quality and local sensitive marine bird and mammals popula- governments described in the section on tions and habitats from adverse disruption. marine water quality to protect water Develop enforceable policies, administra- quality in Oregon's ocean waters, including tive rules, and interagency or inter- promoting recycling of plastics and other governmental agreements where necessary. wastes. � Facilitate efforts to develop a strong state 0 Examine the need to establish state oil spill prevention, response and cleanup wildlife management refuges that either capability as described in the section on oil overlay or surround the federal refuges and spills. to develop a comanagement scheme with the USFWS for such areas. If necessary 0 The Department of Fish and Wildlife and appropriate, seek additional authority should: for such refuges. � Conduct and support scientific research on Develop, in cooperation with wildlife marine birds, marine mammals and their rehabilitation centers, specific educational habitats to provide information for use in programs and informational materials to management decisions to improve protec- educate state and local police and coastal tion of these resources. park employees about marine birds and � Identify key marine bird and mammal mammals and the appropriate actions to be habitats, including habitat requirements taken to protect these animals. for breeding, foraging, and resting. Develop protocols for involvement of � Establish criteria for the designation and wildlife rehabilitation centers in planning protection of sensitive marine bird and for and responding to oil spills. mammal habitats. 94 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Sensitive Marine Bird and Mammal Habitats During 1989, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species diversity on an individual nearshore (USFWS) came to the Oregon Ocean Resources rock or island. The size of the populations of Management Task Force with a proposal for addi- marine birds and mammals and the percentage tional state protection of the marine birds and mam- of the total Oregon population of a particular mals of the nearshore rocks and islands. species on an individual rock or island. The USFWS, with the help of the Oregon The current stresses and the severity of im- Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), examined pacts of human activities on the habitat and biologi- all of the approximately 1400 nearshore rocks and cal community. The vulnerability of the biological islands in the Oregon Islands National Wildlife community and the habitat to the adverse effects of Refuge, major headlands along the coast, and the pollutants, noise, seismic testing, habitat alteration, remaining rocks and islands not in the Refuge, to human trespass, and harvesting. determine which marine bird and mammal colonies The USFWS suggested that buffer zones and may be in need of additional protection. The use restrictions may be needed in the following USFWS identified thirty-three as especially crucial cases: habitat for marine birds and mammals. (These thirty If an endangered, threatened, or sensitive three areas are identified and briefly discussed species requires a specific area for part of its below). The USFWS officially requested that the life cycle (e.g., reproduction, feeding, or nest- Ocean Resources Task Force designate these thir- ing), then a total exclusionary buffer zone of ty-three areas as special management areas. The 500 feet is necessary for that portion of the year USFWS proposed that the state manage human ac- that the species requires use of that area. tivities around these areas to protect the marine birds and mammals using these habitats and to If an area contains a high percentage of the complement the needs and objectives of the total number of marine bird or mammal species Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The found along the Oregon coast, then a total ex- USFWS suggested that buffer zones and use clusionary buffer zone of 500 feet is necessary restrictions be developed for each of the thirty three for that period of time that those species require areas. its use. The USFWS and ODFW developed the follow- If an area contains a high percentage of the ing factors to evaluate the significance, sensitivity, total state population of a species, whether and vulnerability of the marine bird and mammal breeding, wintering, or general population habitat areas along the coast: levels, then a total exclusionary buffer zone of 500 feet is required for that period of time when � The ecological significance of the area to main- the area is in use. taining ecosystem structure, biological produc- If a species or habitat is highly vulnerable to a tivity, biological diversity, and representative particular human activity which causes adverse species assemblages. impacts on the species or habitat, then a mini- � The ecological significance of the area to impor- mum exclusionary buffer zone of 500 for that ac- tant life history stages of marine organ isms, tivity is necessary for as long as the species or especially special feeding, courtship, breeding, habitat is vulnerable to that activity. nursery, parental foraging, overwintering, and The USFWS suggested these buffer zones and resting or haulout areas. use restrictions as their best professional judgment � The presence of state or federally listed sensi- and as a starting point for discussion. Applying the tive, threatened, or endangered species. The above guidelines to the thirty three areas, the ecological importance of the area to maintain- USFWS identified ten areas which they believe ing populations of sensitive, threatened, or en- need permanent buffer zones. (These areas are dangered species. identified in the following list). Marine Birds and Mammals 9 95 Tillamook Head Rocks Castle Rock (Arch Cape) This site includes a group of rocks and pin- This rock is located approximately 3/4 mile west nacles located immediately adjacent to Tillamook of Arch Cape in Clatsop County. In 1988, more than Head. These rocks provide breeding habitat for 10,000 common murres were recorded nesting here more than 1,000 Brandt's cormorants and several in addition to 4 other species of marine birds. This hundred common murres. Up to 150 harbor seals site also serves as a roosting area for endangered use this area as a pupping area in spring and early brown pelicans. summer and as a resting area year around. Low flying aircraft and close approaching boats Low flying aircraft and boats approaching too are the major concerns here. close to this area pose a threat. Gull Rock (Arch Cape) Tillamook Rock (Lighthouse) This rock is located 1/4 mile west of Cove This privately-owned rock with an abandoned Beach and about 1/2 mile south of Arch Cape. More lighthouse is located one and a half miles west of than 6,000 common murres and 100 Brandt's cor- Tillamook Head. This rock and the associated aban- morants nested here in 1988. This site may also be doned structures serve as a major seabird breeding used as a roosting site by endangered brown colony with more than 7,000 common murres and pelicans. 400 Brandt's cormorants recorded here in 1988. This rock is very near Castle Rock listed above This rock also serves as a roost site for hundreds of and, therefore, has the same aircraft and boat distur- endangered brown pelicans. bance concerns. Human presence on the rock and boat and aircraft traffic around the rock pose potential harm. Unnamed Rock (Cape Falcon) The rock's isolation aggravates these potential This is a large unnamed rock immediately ad- problems since human disturbances are difficult to jacent to Cape Falcon in Tillamook County. This site observe. serves as a major Brandt's cormorant nesting Sea Lion Rock (Ecola Point) colony with 668 birds recorded here in 1988. This site is the second largest resting area for This is an isolated section of coastline, so northern sea lions on the north Oregon coast. The human trespass is not a concern. However, low rock is used year round by northern sea lions with flying aircraft and close approaching boats may be population sizes up to 250. More than 2400 com- impacting the birds. mon murres were recorded nesting here in 1988 Pyramid Rock (Cape Meares) and the rock serves as a roosting site for en- dangered brown pelicans. This rock is located approximately 3/4 mile northwest of Cape Meares. Over 9,000 common Low flying aircraft and close approaching boats murres and 288 Brandt's cormorants nested here in are the principal concerns here. The USFWS sug- 1988. The diversity of marine birds nesting here is gested a permanent buffer zone around this rock. high. Seven of the thirteen species nesting along Bird Rocks (Chapman Point) the Oregon coast are found here. This site is also used by the endangered brown pelican. This area includes four rocks just off Chapman There is a high volume of low level aircraft Point approximately 1 mile north of Cannon Beach. flights and boat traffic around this rock resulting in Together these four rocks provide nesting habitat repeated disturbances. for more than 41,000 common murres and 3,100 Brandt's cormorants. This is the second largest con- Pillar Rock (Cape Meares) centration of nesting Brandt's cormorants in Oregon and the third largest in the world. The endangered Located about 1/4 mile northwest of Cape brown pelican uses these rocks for roosting and Meares, this rock is a major seabird colony support- threatened bald eagles have been observed preying ing more than 10,000 nesting common murres. on murres here. Located very near Pillar Rock, this rock also There is a high volume of low level aircraft dis- receives a high volume of low flying aircraft and turbance here and trespass on the eastern rock is a close approaching boats. problem on low tides. Boats are generally not a Three Arch Rocks problem here because the rocks are located in or very near the surf. However, people on surf boards Three Arch Rocks is immediately offshore from are becoming a problem. the community of Oceanside. This site includes the three large rocks and six smaller rocks, including one on the east end known locally as Seal Rock. 96 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan The USFWS suggested a permanent buffer zone Seal Rock is the largest haul out or resting site around these four rocks. for northern sea lions on the north Oregon coast. As The three large rocks collectively support more many as 300 animals have been recorded here. In than 200,000 nesting seabirds making this the recent years, this site has also served as a breeding largest seabird colony between central California location for northern sea lions with the small num- and British Columbia. Three Arch Rocks contains ber of pups being produced making this the only the largest breeding population of common murres breeding location for northern sea lions in Oregon south of Alaska and the largest population of tufted north of Cape Blanco. Also, low numbers of Califor- puffins in Oregon. In addition to the huge number of nia sea lions use this rock as a haul out site from birds, diversity is extremely high. Twelve of the thir- fall through spring. teen species of nesting seabirds along the Oregon Human disturbance at Three Arch Rocks is coast breed on Three Arch Rocks. Endangered very high. Although trespass on the rocks does not species also make extensive use of this site. The occur very often, the area is plagued with low flying endangered Aleutian Canada goose uses the aircraft that flush thousands of birds from their nests western rock as a nocturnal roost site and feeding and scare sea lions off the rocks. There is also a areas from October through April. Endangered high volume of boat traffic around the rocks that oc- brown pelicans use these rocks as roost sites from curs daily in fair weather, In addition to motoring June through November. Endangered peregrine fal- right up to the rocks, large boats have been ob- cons have been seen here throughout the year. On served going through the arches in the rocks flush- occasion, threatened bald eagles are seen over the ing nesting birds out. rocks apparently preying on murres. mom Ll -Row C 44 7hree Arch Rocks just off the community of Oceanside is the site of the largest seabird breeding colony on the Oregon coast. Although these rocks are designated as a National Wildlife Refuge, human disturbance is very high. (Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation) Marine Birds and Mammals e 97 jacent rocks just off Cascade Head. Together these Cape Lookout (south face) three rocks form a major marine bird colony which The south face of Cape Lookout is a major supports more than 32,000 nesting common murres seabird colony site. The diversity is high. Eight of and 104 Brandt's cormorants. This area also serves the thirteen species nesting along the Oregon coast as a roosting site for endangered brown pelicans. are found here. In 1988, more than 12,000 common Low level aircraft flights in this isolated areas murres and 562 double-crested cormorants were are of great concern and occur frequently. Boat traf- recorded at this site. Endangered peregrine falcons fic is also of concern but is less common. have been observed here and the site is a historic breeding site for this species. Gull Rock (Offer Rock) Low aircraft flights are particularly disturbing to This large rock is located about 1/2 mile the birds possible due to the acoustic effects of the northwest of the town of Otter Rock. This is a major sheer rock wall. This is also a popular anchorage seabird breeding site with over 20,000 common mur- location for boats. Much of the time wind noise res and 558 Brandt's cormorants nesting here. probably 'masks the noise of the boats. Problems There is also a good diversity of nesting marine bird can occur if the boats get too close to the birds. species here. In addition to its value as a major seabird colony, up to 100 harbor seals haul out to Haystack Rock (Pacific City) rest at this site throughout the year and to give birth This site is located 3/4 miles offshore from to pups in spring and early summer. Pacific City near Cape Kiwanda. This rock provides Trespass by humans seldom occurs here now, breeding habitat for more than 3,000 marine birds however, there is a high volume of low level aircraft and for twelve of the thirteen species of seabird flights and close approaching boats at this site caus- which nest along the Oregon coast. This rock is ex- ing disturbances. The USFWS suggested a per- tremely important to endangered Aleutian Canada manent buffer zone around this rock. geese and dusky Canada geese (sensitive species). Both of these Canada geese subspecies Shell Island and Simpson Reel (Cape use this rock for roosting and feeding from October Arago) through April and are easily disturbed. The Shell Island and Simpson Reef rocks are lo- This rock receives a high volume of low level cated west of Charleston near Cape Arago. This aircraft flights and a high amount of boat traffic group of rocks is occupied by the greatest diversity literally within feet of the rock. of seals and sea lions found anywhere on the Oregon coast. Between 500 and 1,000 harbor seals Cliff Creek Cove (Cascade Head) use this site with numbers peaking during the spring This beach area on Cascade Head is the site of and early summer pupping period. This is the the second largest aggregation of California sea primary shoreline reproductive areas for harbor lions in Oregon. From September through April, up seals in the state. Up to 2,000 California sea lions to 1,000 California sea lions use this location as a use this haul out and resting area during the fall resting area. An additional 100 northern sea lions northward migration; the largest single concentra- can also be found at this site during the same tion of this species in Oregon. In addition, over 100 period. northern sea lions and nearly 20 northern elephant The area is fairly remote. Pedestrian distur- seals occupy this location at various times bance is probably not serious. Boats and aircraft throughout the year. may disturbance problems at times. Pedestrian traffic at low tides is extremely heavy in this areas and there is a high volume of Unnamed Rock at Cascade Head low flying aircraft resulting in serious disturbances This site is located at Cascade Head in Til- to the marine mammals of this area. The USFWS suggested a permanent buffer zone around this lamook County about 1/2 mile north of Two Arches group of rocks. Rock and includes a small headland and two ad- jacent rocks. Together these sites support over North Coquille Point Rock (Bandon) 4,700 nesting common murres and 664 Brandt's cor- morants. This rock is among a group of rocks just off- The isolation of this site eliminates human shore from the City of Bandon. In 1988 this rock trespass as an issue, but there are a significant supported more than 9,000 nesting common murres number of low level aircraft flights past here and a and 214 Brandt's cormorants. The diversity of nest- ing seabird species is high with a total of seven lesser number of nearby boat traffic. species found here. The endangered Aleutian Two Arches Rock (Cascade Head) Canada goose can be found using this rock during spring staging and migration. Endangered brown This site includes Two Arches Rock and two ad- pelicans use this rock as a roost site. 98 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan The rock is west of the beach intertidal zone thus trespass by humans does not occur and close Gull Rock (Cape Blanco) approaching boats are not often a problem since This major seabird colony is located about 1 the rock is either in or very near the surf zone. mile north of Cape Blanco and is just west of the There is a high volume of low flying aircraft. surf zone. Seven species of marine birds breed Several other nearby rocks are also important here including more than 36,000 common murres habitats for marine birds and mammals. Elephant and 1,020 Brandt's cormorants. This site is also Rock and Table Rock support breeding populations used by endangered brown pelicans as a roost site. of tufted puffins, common murres, pigeon guillemots Gull Rock is also one of the five major haul out and other species. This area is also used as a pup- areas for harbor seals on the south coast, between ping and nursery ground by harbor seals. The U.S. 100 and 200 harbor seals use this site for pupping Fish and Wildlife Service highlighted this area, but during the spring and for resting during the entire recognizes that much of this area is so close to the year. beach and is accessible by foot at low tide that spe- Disturbance problems are associated with low cial coordination with the city and state govern- flying aircraft and boats approaching too closely. ments will be necessary to protect these resources Trespass by boat access is very easy during calm and still respect the public's right to use the weather. The USFWS suggested a permanent buff- beaches. Several citizens specifically requested in- er zone around this rock. clusion of this area during public meetings on the draft policies. Orford Reef Cat and Kittens Rocks (Bandon) This special area includes Long Brown Rock, This is a group of rocks located about 1/4 mile Large Brown Rock, Best Rock, Square White Rock, southwest of Coquille Point near Bandon. This is a Seal Rock, Conical White Rock, Arch Rock and major seabird colony with more than 30,000 com- West Conical Rock. Together these rocks serve as mon murres and 218 Brandt's cormorants nesting a major seabird breeding site and a major sea lion here in 1988. Up to 250 harbor seals use this site haul out and pupping area. This site is one of the throughout the year as a resting area and for birth two most important haul out areas for northern sea and care of young during spring and summer. This lions on the Oregon coast, both in terms of the num- location is one of the five major use areas for harbor ber of northern sea lions using the and in the num- seals on the southern Oregon coast. ber of pups born here. This site may be occupied by nearly 1,000 animals and may produce 100 to 150 The birds and mammals here are very sensitive pups each year. The northern sea lion is listed by to the high volume of low flying aircraft that pass the state as a sensitive species and the National over and to boats that approach too close in calm Marine Fisheries Service is considering listing it as weather. The USFWS suggested a permanent buff- endangered or threatened under the Endangered er zone around this group of rocks. Species Act. This site along with the Rogue Reef, constitute the largest reproductive area for northern Face Rock (Grave Point) sea lions in U.S. waters south of Alaska. In addition This rock is about 1/4 mile offshore from Grave to its importance for marine mammals, the Orford Point near Bandon. In 1988 this rock supported Reef is also a major seabird breeding location. The more than 4,800 nesting common murres and 312 rocks of the reef support seven nesting species of Brandt's cormorants. The diversity of nesting marine birds including more than 34,000 common seabirds is high with seven species recorded here murres and 400 Brandt's cormorants. The reef is in 1988. also used by endangered brown pelicans as a roost- Disturbance problems here are associated with ing site. low flying aircraft and close approaching boats. Castle Rock (Cape Blanco) This large rock is located at the mouth of the The plot on the facing page shows the loca- Sixes River about 2 mile north of Cape Blanco. tions of nearshore rocks and islands that serve Castle Rock provides breeding habitat for ap- proximately 600 double-crested cormorants. as important bird and mammal habitats, and Although the rock can be reached by wading, which require more protection from human in- its vertical sides prevent climbing and, therefore, terference than that afforded by existing laws, trespass by humans does not occur. Close ap- regulations, and programs. proaching boats may occasionally be a problem. Source: ODFW and USFWS Low flying aircraft are the main concern at this rela- tively isolated location. Tillamook Head Rocks Tillamook Rock Sea Lion Rock Bird Rocks Castle Rock. Gull Rock Unnamed Rock ;> Pyramid Rock Pillar Rock Three Arch Rocks Cape Lookout Haystack Rock Cliff Creek Ye Unna med R k Two Arches Rock IV Gull Rock. MW am by Simpson Reef Shell Island N. CDquille Point Rock Cat and Kittens Rock, Face Rock Castle Rock Gull Rock Orford Reef Redfish Rocks, Island Rock . Unnamed Rock Dog Rock Rogue Reef (Dwbh NeMl@ & Py...d R.W a.A Hunters Island Mack Arch;. Whaleshead Islands Twin Rocks Goat Island Marine Birds and Mammals * 99 Disturbance from close approaching boats and Boats approaching too close scare the birds the activities of commercial and sport fishermen as and seals from the rock as do low flying aircraft. The divers is extensive in this area. Low flying aircraft USFWS suggested a permanent buffer zone around are also believed to be a problem. These human ac- this rock. tivities are seriously threatening the use of this area by the northern sea lions and are affecting the Double, Needle and Pyramid Rocks in the ability of these animals to successfully breed and Rogue Reef rear their young. Nesting seabirds are also being ad- Rogue Reef is the major haul out and rookery versely impacted. The USFWS suggested a per- for northern sea lions in Oregon. Along with Orford manent buffer zone around these seven rocks. Reef, these two sites comprise the largest rookery Redfish Rocks (Port Orford) for northern sea lions in the U.S. south of Alaska. Between 1,000 and 1,500 northern sea lions may This group of five rocks is located west of Coal use the Rogue Reef during the spring and summer Point about 3 miles southeast of Port Orford. These pupping and breeding season. Over 500 pups are rocks serve as major seabird breeding sites with born here each year. This area is also an important over 20,000 common murres and 200 Brandt's cor- resting or haul out area for northern sea lions and morants recorded here in 1988. Diversity is high California sea lions at all times of the year. In addi- with seven different species of marine birds breed- tion, the rocks south of Pyramid Rock are one of the ing here. five major haul out areas for harbor seals on the Low flying aircraft and boats approaching too south coast. All of these marine mammals are close to the rocks are the major concern here. protected under federal law. The northern sea lions is listed as sensitive by the State of Oregon. Rogue Island Rock (Humbug Mountain) Reef is also an important seabird breeding colony Island Rock is a large rock located 1 1/2 miles with seven species nesting here including over 500 southeast of Humbug Mountain in Curry County. Brandt's cormorants and 3,600 common murres. This is a major seabird colony with a diverse as- Disturbance from commercial and sport fishing semblage of breeding species. Eleven of the thir- boats and by divers coming in too close to the Reef teen species of seabirds breeding along the Oregon is very high. There is also a high volume of low coast are found here, including more than 20,000 flying aircraft flights. These activities are adversely common murres, 762 Brandt's cormorants, and 300 affecting the marine birds and mammals of the tufted puffins. Endangered species use is high here Rogue Reef. The USFWS suggested a permanent also with Aleutian Canada geese using the rock buffer zone around these three rocks. during the spring and brown pelicans roosting on Hunters Island the rock from spring through fall. Low flying aircraft and close approaching boats This large rock is located just south of Cape are the main concerns here. Sebastian about 1/4 mile offshore. The breeding seabird fauna is extremely diverse here with ten of Unnamed Rock (Hubbard Mound) Oregon's thirteen coastal breeding seabirds found here including over 19,000 Leach's storm-petrels This large flat rock is located about 1 and 1/2 and 466 double-crested cormorants. Endangered miles west of Hubbard Mound and serves as a species use this rock including Aleutian Canada major seabird breeding colony. In 1988 over 20,000 geese during spring migration and brown pelicans common murres and 162 Brandt's cormorants from spring through fall. Up to 200 harbor seals also nested here. Endangered brown pelicans also use use this location. This rock is the southern most of this rock as a roosting site. the five major haul out and pupping areas for harbor This rock is very low to the water so that when seals on the south Oregon coast. boats approach too close nesting seabirds can be Current problems at Hunters Island include severely disturbed. Low flying aircraft are also a con- boats coming too close to the rocks and low flying cern here. aircraft over the rock. The USFWS suggested a per- Dog Rock (Hubbard Mound) manent buffer zone around this rock. This rock is located about 1 mile west of Hub- Mack Arch bard Mound. In 1988 approximately 3,000 common Mack Arch is located 1 mile west of Burnt Hill murres and 30 Brandt's cormorants were recorded Creek near the northern limit of Samuel Boardman nesting here. Endangered brown pelicans use this State Park. This rock serves as a major seabird rocks as a roosting site. The rock is one of the five colony with more than 21,000 common murres nest- major haul out areas for harbor seals on the south ing here. Oregon coast and is used by 150 to 200 seals throughout the year, including pupping season. Low flying aircraft and close approaching boats Intertidal Plants and Animals * 101 Intertidal Plants and Animals Resources green and brown algae are just a few of the or- The plants and animals of the intertidal ganisms of the lower intertidal and very near- live at the boundary between the ocean and the shore subtidal. land, in the zone buffeted by tides and waves. Risks The tidepools, rocks, boulders, and nearby reefs Pollution support dense, colorful, and diverse com- Intertidal ecosystems are vulnerable to pol- munities of marine plants and animals. Many lution from sources both on land and at sea. of the plants and animals of these intertidal communities live only in the intertidal zone Miscellaneous trash carelessly tossed aside and very nearshore subtidal waters. in parks or at roadside pulloffs or left after a Intertidal communities differ from place to beach picnic becomes beach litter. Once cap- place along the coast depending on how shel- tured by the waves and tides this trash can be tered the community is from the waves and on transported up and down the coast and can whether the bottom is sand, mud, basalt, come ashore many times before it is finally granite, or sandstone. deposited in a mussel bed, eaten by a marine Rocky shores are densely populated by bird, or entangles the head of a seal. Volunteer plants and animals which have remarkable efforts to clean up beaches report that the most adaptations and abilities to stay put with the litter is found near parks and recreation areas onslaught of the pounding surf. The biological and that more litter comes in on each high tide. community of the wind swept sandy beaches is Poorly designed, operating, or located less rich than the rocky areas just a few feet ocean outfalls from municipal sewage systems away. The constantly shifting sands are can contaminate intertidal organisms with dis- suitable homes only for those animals which ease-causing bacteria. The chemicals used in can burrow or tunnel into the sand. treating the sewage can poison intertidal or- Intertidal communities also change ganisms and can leaved bleached and sterile rocks where there were once vast beds of mus- dramatically within a few vertical feet, sels and barnacles. Animals and plants high on the rocks are Oil spilled from tanker accidents or dis- adapted to long exposures of air or salt spray charged when a ship pumps out its bilge can and may be covered by the tides for only a few coat and kill intertidal plants and animals. The hours during several days out of every month. only ways to clean up oil soiled rocks and sandy Mussels, barnacles, and limpets are the com- mon animals of the high intertidal. The beaches include washing rocks with detergents; animals and plants of the low intertidal zones bulldozing or shoveling the beach and trucking tend to be more delicate creatures which are the oiled, sandy, rocky mess to a disposal site submerged most of the time and are only ex- somewhere else; and blasting the rocks with posed to air during the very low tides a few high pressure water jets. These clean up times a year. Anemones; a variety of starfish, methods also destroy intertidal biological com- including the huge sunflower star and the munities and habitats. bright red blood star; purple and red sea ur- Overuse and Abuse chins; delicate nudibranchs or sea slugs; spon- Intertidal plants and animals, especially ges; tunicates, primitive ancestors of animals those of the rocky shores, are easily damaged with backbones; and a vast variety of red, by habitat disruption, pollution, and physical 102 Oregon"s Ocean Resources Management Plan L Ali; 777, '44., _7@ Low tide reveals a fringe of rocky interfidal habitat at the foot of the cliff at the Inn at Otter Crest. This fringe, often of volcanic basalt or very hard sandstone, is typical of many promontories on the Oregon coast. (Oregon Sea Grant photo) damage from increasing numbers of curious Management Issues humans exploring the intertidal areas. Limited Public Awareness Intertidal communities are slow to recover Visitors to Oregon's tidepools may be com- from disruption. Many organisms grow slowly pletely unaware of the effect of their actions on and live for many years. A single destructive the viability of intertidal communities. Know- event can have long term effects. And, most in- ing and following very simple guidelines for tertidal organisms don't move around very tidepool etiquette could substantially reduce much, so repopulation from adjacent undis- the impact of visitors and school groups on in- turbed areas can be extremely slow. tertidal ecosystems. The simple act of many people walking on Few opportunities currently are available snails, anemones, other invertebrates, and near popular shoreline areas for visitors to marine plants can denude intertidal com- learn about intertidal ecology and human im- munities. When overturned rocks are not care- pacts. Increased education opportunities and fully and quickly replaced, habitats are on-site interpretive programs can raise the destroyed and animals killed. Thoughtless col- lection of starfish and other organisms for inter- stewardship consciousness of visitors to tidal souvenirs results in waste and destruction. Oregon's coast. Impoverished Interfidal Areas Along the Oregon coast, the very low tides of the spring and summer months attract Intertidal Plants and Animals * 103 hundreds of visitors a day to a few highly popular and relatively small intertidal areas. A Tidepool Etiquette few places along the coast that once abounded Everyone needs to learn about rocky interticlal with diverse intertidal life are now im- ecosystems and about "tidepool etiquette." Informa- poverished. Other areas all along the coast are tional signs and educational programs are needed in danger of being degraded by overuse and at popular intertidal and tidepool areas, in the will need special management attention in the schools, and at tourist and recreational facilities. Development of new interpretive programs at future. Oregon's State Parks along the coast would be a Haystack Rock and Yaquina Head are two valuable contribution. well-known areas where overuse and abuse Visitors to the rocky intertidal can consciously conserve living marine resources by following a few denuded intertidal communities. The diversity simple guidelines: of life forms found in the intertidal areas has Don't collect animals as souvenirs or simply for decreased. Starfish and sea urchins are less the sake of collecting. A dry starfish on a book- abundant than in similar places along the shelf or, worse, a rotten starfish in the bottom of a beach bucket is a senseless waste. School coast. Actions by concerned members of the children don't need to collect "one-each" of public, assisted by state and federal agencies, everything they see. A single specimen may be have helped restore these areas. The Haystack more than enough for a school project or study. Rock Awareness Program has improved the Study and observe plants and animals in their natural settings. Don't put them in a bucket to protection and preservation of intertidal com- carry up the beach. Much more can be learned munities through education. about a plant or an animal by carefully watching it in its natural environment than in a bucket or Growing Tourism and an inadequate aquarium. Even if an organism Coastal Populations survives the crowding or low oxygen conditions in a bucket, returning an animal to somewhere Oregon's coast is attracting increased num- it doesn't normally live may be the same as kill- bers of visitors and residents. The coast offers ing it. outstanding recreational opportunities, Carefully pick up only a few animals to look at and then replace each one, just as carefully, pleasant residential communities, and beauti- precisely where it was found. A fragile organism ful scenery. This growth offers many economic which normally lives in protected crevices can benefits, yet with these benefits come increased die or become easy prey if it is just tossed back risks of negative impacts on the quality of inter- into the sea or placed on the top of a dry rock. 0 Carefully replace any overturned rocks to their tidal ecosystems. All of the problems of pollu- original location. The homes of organisms living tion, overuse, and abuse will undoubtedly under and on top of rocks are destroyed when worsen as the numbers of both visitors and a rock is overturned in search of tubeworms, small fish or hermit crabs and then left exposed coastal residents increase. to the sun and predators. To have both growth and healthy intertidal 0 Don't litter and, if possible, remove trash found communities will require Oregon to act quickly on the shore. and positively to improve public awareness and e Tread lightly and remember that the interticlal will remain a rich and fascinating place only if appreciation of intertidal ecosystems, to protect everyone acts as a responsible ocean resour- and restore those areas which have already ces steward.4, been degraded, and to provide high quality recreational opportunities along the coast. Fragmented State Agency Responsibilities Both the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Parks Department have concerns about protecting fragile intertidal com- 104 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Haystack Rock munities and providing high quality recreation- al and educational experiences for the public. Awareness Program But neither agency alone can conserve inter- tidal communities. The vision of the Haystack Rock Awareness ODFW can regulate the taking or harvest Program is simple and direct: "To create a group of of intertidal animals. ODFW regulations make dedicated people joined together to preserve and it unlawful to wantonly waste or destroy any in- protect the precious natural wonder of the Haystack tertidal animal at any time. ODFW regulations Rock habitat". The Haystack Rock Awareness Pro- gram provides interpretive and educational oppor- also set harvest or personal bag limits, and es- tunities to help coastal visitors and residents tablish a permit system for commercial harvest understand and enjoy and, thereby, become a part of intertidal organisms. ODFW has no of the "stewardship circle" for marine resources. authority to regulate the harvest of marine The program offers active interpretive programs both on and off the beach. On days of the very low plants or to manage areas to reduce the effects tides, interpreters and volunteers can be found of human activities, other than harvesting in- giving talks, helping visitors see nesting birds tertidal animals, on intertidal ecosystems. through spotting scopes, and showing visitors samples of intertidal life in tide pools and under Enforcement of existing rules can be ex- microscopes. Volunteers also stop and talk to tremely difficult. Even if illegal actions are visitors who venture unknowingly into closed wildlife protection areas or are collecting prohibited reported immediately to fish and wildlife offi- species. When not on the beach, interpreters and cials, actually being able to catch someone in volunteers give public evening programs and slide the act and stopping the destruction is unlike- shows and do the work to keep this important effort going. ly. Enforcement of existing regulations would Life long learning experiences are being not solve the problem of unintentional overuse created for the community and for visitors. and abuse. Begun as a pilot project in 1985, the Haystack The State Parks Department operates a Rock Awareness Program is clearly a success. The series of excellent coastal parks and has active- Program involves local citizens in providing positive protection of community resources, increases ly promoted public access to the beaches. But, awareness of marine resources and the the focus of these parks tends to be toward on- stewardship responsibilities of every citizen and shore recreational opportunities, not managing visitor, and creates an opportunity for preserving the high quality of life along the coast while providing intertidal areas or providing interpretive for economic growth through enjoyable and educa- programs on intertidal ecology. tional tourism opportunities. The Division of State Lands also has a The Program receives funding and support from the City of Cannon Beach, the Seaside School limited role as the "landlord" for intertidal District, the Oregon Department of Fish and areas and as the permitting agency for the har- Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and vest of marine plants. many local individuals, businesses, and community groups. 44- Conclusions and Recommendations The problem of conserving the intertidal plants and animals of Oregon's ocean coast re- quires priority attention. A number of Oregon's intertidal and the ad- jacent subtidal communities are threatened with destruction through overuse and abuse. Intertidal Plants and Animals e 105 � Education and heightened public aware- close the area between Cape Foulweather and ness can help conserve intertidal resources. the Devil's Punch Bowl. Within this area it is � Growth of tourism and development of coas- unlawful to take, catch or molest any intertidal invertebrates. ODFW called this area a tal areas will place additional stresses on 11 marine garden". The ODFW has also estab- Oregon's shoreline and intertidal plants lished marine gardens at Cape Perpetua, Ya- and animals. quina Head, and Haystack Rock. � Excellent opportunities exist at sites along The ODFW marine gardens as they current- the coast for marine education and inter- ly exist are only partial answers to the pretation programs, increased public enjoy- problems of providing special management at- ment, and heightened awareness and tention to sensitive, vulnerable and valuable in- appreciation of life on the edge of the land tertidal ecosystems. ODFW`s authority is and the sea. Some of these locations need limited to regulating the harvest of animals better management in order to continue and closing areas to harvest. ODFW cannot providing these opportunities for the fu- regulate the harvest of marine plants or ture. State agencies will need to explore manage public access or use in these areas. new approaches and to coordinate existing A new and expanded concept for Intertidal programs to fulfill these opportunities. Marine Gardens can provide better protection The goal of the Oregon Ocean Resources and can enrich recreational and educational ex- Management Plan is to protect intertidal periences. ecosystems from adverse changes to biological The purpose of these new Intertidal Marine communities and habitats. Gardens would be to protect sensitive inter- Intertidal Marine Gardens tidal areas from overuse, overharvest, and ex- A few tidepool and intertidal areas along cessive collecting, and to ensure future public the Oregon coast need special management at- use and enjoyment of tidepool areas without tention. The Ocean Policy Advisory Council, jeopardizing the continued health and integrity the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, of intertidal and subtidal ecosystems. the Division of State Lands, and the State These new Intertidal Marine Gardens Parks Department should work together to would focus public attention and raise aware- evaluate ideas for "Intertidal Marine Gardens" ness about these fragile intertidal areas. Inter- and to develop a process to designate and tidal Marine Gardens should have educational manage Intertidal Marine Gardens. Local programs to increase the understanding and ap- governments, tribal groups, and the public preciation of intertidal ecosystems and to help must be involved in the evaluation, review, and every visitor become a responsible ocean resour- designation process. (Sites currently suggested ces steward. Informational displays, interpre- for consideration as Intertidal Marine Gardens tive programs, nature trails, and visitor centers are listed and briefly described at the end of at the Intertidal Marine Garden sites or at this section). nearby state parks will all be important means The term "marine garden" was first used to increase public understanding and to pro- by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife vide high quality recreational experiences. in the early 1960s. Biologists, teachers, and re- Public use of an Intertidal Marine Garden searchers asked ODFW to provide special should be encouraged as long as the integrity of protection for an area near Otter Rock. After the intertidal ecosystem is maintained. The ac- careful consideration, ODFW used its authority tual uses allowed or prohibited at a particular to regulate harvest of intertidal animals to Intertidal Marine Garden would be determined 106 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan after site evaluation and public review. In 4. Develop provisions in Oregon's plan for the general, allowable uses could include: hiking; territorial sea to protect intertidal plants, picnicking; tidepooling; recreational fishing; animals, and habitats. and harvesting individual mussels for bait for recreational fishing. Prohibited uses could in- Needed Actions clude: any other harvest of plants or animals, 0 Oregon's plan for the territorial sea should including commercial harvest; and all commer- include: cial or industrial uses. 0 Criteria for the identification, designation To protect the intertidal resources and to and management of Intertidal Marine Gar- allow time for overused or abused areas to dens. recover, sections of an Intertidal Marine Gar- 0 A designation process for Intertidal Marine den could be temporarily closed and visitors Gardens which allows full opportunity for could be directed to alternative viewing sites. the participation of local governments and This rotation of open viewing areas within an the public. Intertidal Marine Garden site could conserve intertidal ecosystems and provide continual 0 A list of suggested sites suitable for desig- recreational and educational opportunities. nation as Intertidal Marine Gardens. Site- This new concept of Intertidal Marine Gar- specific information and analysis of dens will require the Oregon Department of resource management issues at these sites Fish and Wildlife, the Division of State Lands, which make them appropriate for con- and the State Parks Department to explore sideration as Intertidal Marine Gardens. new ways to manage these areas. New legisla- 9 An analysis of alternative management ap- tion will also be required. Currently no single proaches to protect intertidal communities state agency has the necessary authority or and habitats within Intertidal Marine Gar- jurisdiction to manage and protect intertidal dens. resources, to develop and promote educational 0 Specific sites to be designated as Intertidal and recreational opportunities, and to control Marine Gardens and proposed manage- potentially damaging uses of these new Inter- ment plans for these sites. tidal Marine Gardens. 0 A description of the public information and (Note: The term Intertidal Marine Gardens education programs which will be a major as used in the Oregon Ocean Plan applies only component of an Intertidal Marine Gardens to oceanic intertidal areas and does not apply program. to estuarine areas.) 0 Proposals for any needed changes in state Recommended Policies agency programs or authorities. 1. Protect sensitive intertidal habitats and com- The process for evaluating, identifying, and munities from pollution and from overuse designating Intertidal Marine Gardens in and abuse. Oregon's plan for the territorial sea should 2. Promote public awareness, understanding, begin with the list of sites identified in the and appreciation of intertidal habitats. Ocean Resources Management Plan. (See the list at the end of this section). 3. Establish Intertidal Marine Gardens, where Until Oregon's plan for the territorial sea is necessary, to protect particularly vul- completed, the Oregon Department of Fish and nerable intertidal areas and to provide op- portunities for public enjoyment and Wildlife, the Division of State Lands, and the learning. State Parks Department should actively ex- Intertidal Plants and Animals * 107 plore ways to advance the objectives of the 0 Work with educators to develop programs Ocean Plan and should seek any new and materials that will heighten public authorities which may be necessary to do this. awareness and appreciation of intertidal The Ocean Policy Advisory Council should: habitats and communities and will help Assist efforts of state agencies and local reduce unintentional abuse and overuse. governments to provide immediate protec- 0 Be the lead agency in the development of tion for stressed intertidal communities. Intertidal Marine Gardens. Lead agency Encourage and assist efforts along the tasks include: developing criteria for the coast to develop educational materials, in- evaluation of suggested sites; evaluating cluding interpretative programs, per- specific site suggestions for Intertidal manent signs for roadsides and parks, and Marine Gardens; developing site specific suggestions for alternative viewing sites in management plans for Intertidal Marine areas currently being overused or abused. Gardens; coordinating with the Division of Encourage and assist discussions between State Lands, the Parks Department, and the Division of State Lands, the Depart- the Ocean Policy Advisory Council to estab- ment of Fish and Wildlife, and the Parks lish and manage Intertidal Marine Gar- Department to explore ways to designate dens; consulting with local governments and manage Intertidal Marine Gardens and the public in these activities. At any and to provide for public education proposed Intertidal Marine Garden site that is adjacent to a state park, ODFW will programs. work with the State Parks Department to Facilitate efforts among state agencies, integrate physically and administratively local governments, tribal groups, and the the Intertidal Marine Garden with the public to develop Intertidal Marine Gar- state park. The State Parks Department dens, where needed. Assist efforts to may need to take the lead in managing any develop criteria, to evaluate sites, to in- Intertidal Marine Gardens adjacent to ex- volve the public, and to designate sites to isting state parks. be Intertidal Marine Gardens. Develop proposals for the 1991 legislative � Facilitate the efforts described in the sec- session to define ODFWs authority to tion on Marine Water Quality to protect designate, develop management plans, and water quality in Oregon's ocean waters, in- administer Intertidal Marine Gardens. The cluding promoting recycling plastics and legislative proposals should expand other wastes. 0DFW`s management authority to address � Facilitate the efforts described in the sec- public access and use issues as well as the tion on Oil Spills to develop a strong state harvest of all intertidal plants and animals. oil spill prevention, response and cleanup The legislative proposals should also estab- capability. lish a review and consultation process with 0 The Department of Fish and Wildlife affected state agencies and provide for full should: participation of local governments and the public. Conduct or support scientific research on in- El The Oregon Parks Department should: tertidal ecosystems to provide information that will help improve protection of these Expand educational and interpretive ecosystems and will help Oregon develop programs on ocean resources at State Park its plan for the territorial sea. sites along the coast. 108 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 0 Work with OPAC, DSL and ODFW to ex- 0 Coordinate with ODFW, the Parks Depart- plore better management approaches to in- ment, and OPAC to explore better ways to tertidal areas, especially the designation of manage and protect intertidal areas while Intertidal Marine Gardens. At a proposed providing quality recreational oppor- Intertidal Marine Garden site that is ad- tunities, especially through the designation jacent to a state park, State Parks will and management of Intertidal Marine Gar- need to work with ODFW to find ways to in- dens. tegrate physically and administratively the 9 Work with ODFW and the Parks Depart- Intertidal Marine Garden with the state ment to make any necessary legal and park. At such sites, the State Parks Depart- fiduciary arrangements necessary to ment may need to be the lead management develop and designate Intertidal Marine agency. Gardens. The Division of State Lands should: da, f 511 A 15@ *Fi ! AIJ, V S 4 All Art The tidepool offers a fascinating glimpse of sea life. Several intertidal areas are threatened by thoughtless collection of starfish and other creatures. (Non Evans) Intertidal Plants and Animals 9 109 Suggested Locations for Intertidal Marine Gardens The Ocean Plan only begins the effort to iden- tify those special places which could become Inter- tidal Marine Gardens. Criteria suggested by ODFW for evaluating an intertidal site for designation as an Intertidal Marine Garden include: � The diversity, abundance and sensitivity of the intertidal communities and habitats at a par- ticular site. � The current and projected level of public use of the site. � The potential for adverse impacts on intertidal communities and habitats from overuse, over- harvesting, or excessive collecting that could occur without special protective measures at the site. � The opportunities for high quality public recrea- tional use and development of interpretive ac- tivities. Based on these criteria, the Oregon Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife and members of the public have suggested the following sites as good candidates for Marine Gardens. Their location along the coast are shown on the following pages. � Haystack Rock. Located at Cannon Beach, this "sea stack" is a large rock isolated on a sandy beach. Haystack Rock is easily acces- sible. Overcollecting has been a problem in the past and the variety of invertebrates is limited, but recovering. In 1989, the area was desig- nated as an ODFW marine garden. The boun- daries of the ODFW's marine garden are 300 yards north and south of Haystack Rock. � Otter Rock. Located nine miles north of New- port, on the north side of the community of Otter Rock, this area was designated as an ODFW marine garden in the early 1960s. The boundaries of the area are Cape Foulweather on the north and the Devil's Punchbowl on the south. Rest rooms, ample parking and good trails are available. Channels paralleling the shoreline break up the flat sandstone shelves. Numerous tidepools pocket the rocks. The area has thriving mussel and starfish populations. � Yaquina Head. Located three miles north of Newport, this is one of the most heavily used in- tertidal areas in Oregon. This is a favorite area for tours and educational programs for school 110 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan groups. The Bureau of Land Management has abruptly into the sea. Bedrock shelves along provided parking and a viewing site at the old the base of Cape Perpetua are broken by chan- Yaquina Lighthouse. The north side of the head- nels and caves which are lined with lush popula- land is relatively inaccessible, except at low tions of sponges, ascidians, and encrusting tides. Caves cutting into the headland have algae. Beds of mussels, starfish, and barnacles abundant populations of sponges, colonial as- cover the rocks and channels. Green sea cidians, and coralline algae. Paths and stair- anemones line the sides of the protected ways make the south side of the headland tidepools. This area was designated as an easily accessible. Several rocky outcroppings ODFW marine garden in the mid-1 970's. The are present, ranging from boulders to isolated is- U.S. Forest has a visitor center and maintains a lands. Channels and tidepools are widespread. network of good trails that lead down to the in- A variety of animals and extensive colonies of tertidal zone. The boundaries of this area are sea urchins are found here. The area was desig- the mouth of North Cape Creek to the north and nated as an ODFW marine garden in 1987. The Neptune State Park on the south. sandy beaches on the north and south form the Neptune State Park. Located about 5 miles boundaries of the marine garden. south of Yachats, this state park has a varied � Seal Rock. Located 12 miles south of Newport, and extensive intertidal area. Bedrock outcrop- there is good access to this intertidal area pings and sandy areas are intermixed. Most of through Seal Rock State Park. Cliffs, bedrock the common species of intertidal animals may and boulders are found intertidally around a be found in the numerous tidepools, channels, massive headland and the chain of cliffs near- and among the boulders. Algae and surf grass by. Offshore, numerous islands and reefs, give are abundant. The boundaries of the intertidal some protection to the area. The usual as- area correspond with the state park boundaries. semblage of mussels, barnacles, and sea stars Currently, collecting or taking intertidal animals is most common. Seals and sea lions are seen is allowed in this area only under special per- on the offshore rocks. mits from ODFW. � Cape Perpetua. Two miles south of Yachats, Sunset Bay and Cape AragO. Located west Cape Perpetua is a massive mountain dropping of Charleston, this intertidal area includes the Rocky Point Coquille Point Harris Beach Mari Marine Garden Sunset Beach / Cape Arago Marine Garden f ,k rine Garden 5 @/_ _2@ Intertidal Plants and Animals * Ill area between the Cape Arago lighthouse and intertidal areas and the bluff receive no special the south cove about 3/4 miles south of Cape protection at this time. Arago. A large state park, good access and Rocky Point. Located about 3 miles south of abundant intertidal areas make this the second most used intertidal area in Oregon. There are Port Orford just inside the Humbug Mountain several large coves, extensive reefs, and State Park, this area is an excellent intertidal numerous pools and channels. Several sandy area. Access is from a small road with limited beaches are also present. A good variety of in_ parking. Sandy beaches, boulder fields, off vertebrates can be found in this area. Offshore, shore reefs and kelp beds are found here. The large colonies of sea lions and seals can be area which may be suitable for a marine garden seen and heard. Currently, collecting or taking is the rocky area north of the sandy beaches. intertidal animals is allowed in this area only Harris Beach. Harris Beach State Park is lo- under special permits from ODFW. cated two miles north of Brookings. The exten- Coquille Point. Located along the western sive intertidal area lies between the Chetco shoreline of the town of Bandon, Coquille Point River on the south to about 1/2 mile north of the is a series of rocky outcroppings with adjoining state park boundary. Several rocky points, boulders of various sizes scattered on the small sandy coves, isolated rocks, and boulder sandy beach. Access is available at several fields are scattered in the area. The state park locations, including a recently built stairway just and good trails allow for easy access to this south of the point. Many of the common popular intertidal area. Animals and algae are species of intertidal plants and animals are abundant in this area and some unusual found, including those species adapted to open, species, such as solitary corals and umbrella unsheltered areas. The offshore rocks are close crabs, can be found. Currently, collecting or to the point and colonies of breeding birds are taking intertidal animals is allowed in this area easily visible. Seals, which can be readily ob- only under special permits from ODFW.-*.- served from the bluff or the shore, use the near- shore rocks as pupping and haul out areas. The Suggested Marine Gardens Cape Perpetua Yaquina Head Marine Garden Marine Garden Neptune S.P. en Otter Rock Marine Gard'J Seal Rock M.G. Marine Garden Haystack Rock Marine Garden 112 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan IN' 05' Intl Aim zR` 71r-@ 1A ZVI, 7@ Boardman State Park in Curry County preserves many miles of dramatic ocean shoreline for public use, typical of Oregon's commitment to public access to the ocean shore. U.S. Highway 707, shown here at House Rock viewpoint, serves many roles along the coast, including a commercial transporta- flon route, a local access road, and a spectacular scenic drive. (ODOTphoto, 7 972) Recreation and Cultural Resources * 113 Recreation and Cultural Resources Resources coast. As coastal tribes regain official tribal government status, they can play a major role Cultural Resources in determining how tribal cultural sites and Long before European influence spread to resources should best be protected or studied. the Oregon country, native people lived near Information from this research will not only the sea in villages on estuaries and coastal reveal the life and culture of native people but streams from the Columbia River to California. may also help identify the ancient distribution Community subsistence and ceremony were of marine animals such as fur seals and otters directly linked to the daily tidal cycle, the before trappers, traders and settlers reached seasonal flow of salmon, an abundance of fish the region. and animals and ripening of berries, bulbs, and Historical and cultural sites also exist from other plants. early non-Indian settlement and activity. Some Archaeological evidence suggest that these of these are known, designated, and protected. people first made contact with the Europeans Others, such as shipwrecks sites, are only as early as the seventeenth century. At least suspected from historical evidence. In the past, one shipwreck from this period is known to Oregon law has regarded the artifacts from exist on the Oregon coast. Recent studies these sites, especially those on state-owned sub- theorize that native people may have occupied merged lands, as available for private dis- the coast since before sea-level rise and could covery and exploitation. To preserve the have inhabited or at least hunted and fished on integrity of these resources for all Oregonians, what is now the submerged peninsula of the state law should be changed to reflect the im- Heceta Banks. These and other sites along the portance of artifacts and resources to all ancient coastal plain would have been inun- Oregonians. dated or destroyed by the encroaching ocean Recreation Resources over the last 10,000 years. The Oregon coast abounds with recreation- Relatively few village and other cultural al resources and opportunities. Some, such as sites on the Oregon coast have been identified the sandy beach or tidepool, offer an intimate and even fewer studied. Many sites are inland glimpse of the ocean's edge for those willing to along rivers. Location and study of sites is risk wet feet. Others, high above the waves on hampered by natural processes of the Oregon a cliff or hilltop, provide hikers, bicyclists and coast such as high rainfall, strearn and auto travelers dramatic vistas of the meeting of shoreline erosion, and rapid plant growth, land and sea. For the adventurous, numerous coupled with the relative impermanence of sites dot the coast for surf fishing from a rocky materials such as wood, bark, fibers and point or clam digging at low tide. Oregonians animal materials. Finally, the continuity of na- and visitors can camp, picnic, hike and relax in tive culture, traditions and materials was tragi- a multitude of state, county or federal parks cally interrupted and, for many tribes, within site and sound of the ocean. These exterminated over one hundred years ago when recreational opportunities are primarily land miners and settlers began to occupy Indian based but are made meaningful by the ocean's lands in large numbers. presence. Much more research and study is needed to Coastal recreation also extends into the better determine and understand the native ocean waters. Generations of hardy sportsmen cultural sites and resources of the Oregon have arisen before dawn to go charterboat fish- 114 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan ing for salmon "over the bar" at Coos Bay, coastal estuaries on bridges of classic design. Winchester Bay, Yaquina Bay, Tillamook Bay, From these bridges, the travelei@s eye can be- the Columbia River and other areas. Surfers hold wide tidal flats, the fringes of salt marsh, found Oregon waves cold but an excellent chal- and the communities around coastal estuaries. lenge year round. SCUBA divers have explored Travel on the Oregon Coast sheltered rocky sites near Sunset Bay, Cape As Oregon filled with settlers and the rail- Arago, Port Orford and Whale Cove. In recent road crossed the coastal mountains, the sandy years, sea kayakers and wind surfers have beaches, mild climate and recreational resour- begun to explore the potential of Oregon's ces attracted weekenders and summertime ocean waters. Whale watch charter boats offer vacationers to Seaside, Tillamook, and New- a close-up look at these migrating mammals port. Even after the automobile came to during winter and spring. Oregon, many sections of the coast could only For many, the primary attraction is the be reached by boat or by driving on the beach. ocean beach itself and the almost limitless Not until the coast highway was completed in variety of opportunities for enjoyment and the 1930s was the entire coastline opened to recreation. Three major factors contribute to automobiles. Over the past sixty years in- the popularity and enjoyment of Oregon's creased numbers of Oregonians and out of state beaches. First, unlike many states, these visitors have come to enjoy the Oregon coast beaches are a public resource. Oregon law pro- and the outstanding system of coastal state vide for the protection of the public's right and parks. access to the free and uninterrupted use of Travel surveys indicate that the coast is Oregon's beaches. Second, access to many the most popular destination for pleasure beaches is easy and free. There are several travelers in Oregon. The major travel magnet hundred access sites along Oregon's 300-mile is the natural beauty of more than 300 miles of coastline provided by cities, counties, state coastline and the almost limitless recreational parks, and federal agencies where people can opportunities on the beach, the headlands, get to the beach. Third, Oregon's beaches and dunes, estuaries and coastal cities. Travel on shoreline are still relatively clean and the coast is growing. Between 1975 and 1987, Oregonians work to keep them that way. These total commercial accommodations employment factors make the Oregon coast very attractive in the north and central coasts grew by over 62 to visitors and residents. percent compared to a rate of 26 percent for all Overall, however, is the visual drama of industries in Oregon. This growth is expected Oregon's 300 mile-long coast. Travelers can to continue. stop at high capes such as Cape Sebastian or Tourism is among Oregon's four largest sec- Neahkahnie Mountain and scan the horizon for tors of the economy and generates about $1.8 fishing vessels and freighters over forty miles billion annually, an amount similar to Oregon's seaward near the curve of the Earth. From high technology sector. Statewide, the direct hundreds of sites, ranks of rugged mountains payroll from the travel industry is about $319 to the north or to the south challenge the sea as million representing nearly 37,000 jobs. The they appear to recede into the misty distance. state also receives tax revenues from gasoline Offshore rocks dot the horizon. Along almost and corporate income tax related to travel and eighty miles of central coast, sand dunes, im- tourism. perceptibly engulfing the forest, create a gentle scene completely different from drama of the Highway 101 ocean. The flow of rivers to the Pacific provides U.S. Highway 101, completed in the late yet other panoramas where the highway vaults 1930s, links coastal cities and towns from As- Recreation and Cultural Resourceso 115 Oregon's Public Beaches In contrast to most of the nation's ' beaches,all by daily tides, but dry sands up to the vegetation but 36 of Oregon's 362 miles of shoreline are both line were actually in private ownership! In addition, accessible and reserved for public use. In other the 1965 amendments implied that the legislature states, going to the beach might involve trespass on couldsell part of the beach. private land. Oregonians have always enjoyed the In 1966, construction of a barricade on dry sand use of virtually all their beaches, but the right to do in front of a north coast motel crystallized the issues so was not established by law until 1967. of both the legal definition of a beach and the public Oregon's public beaches represent two historic right to the dry sand portion of the beach. Research threads. First, from earliest human occupation until revealed that 112 of Oregon's 262 miles of dry sand modern times, ocean beaches have been vital to beach were privately owned. coastal travel. Both native tribes and settlers found In 1967, the Highway Commission introduced the smooth ocean beaches to be ready-made trails. Oregon's now-famous "Beach Bill" in the legislature Some beaches even served as public highways for to clarify historic public rights to use ocean automobiles until what is now called Highway 101 beaches. To continue public use of the dry sand por- was completed in 1932. tion of the beach, the bill established a public recrea- Second, Oregonians have historically used the tional easement across private beach areas. The ocean shores for recreation. By the late 1800s, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee said that Oregon's beaches had become a playground for we have the finest beach recreation areas in the na- tourists brought by train from the Willamette Valley. tion; and the Highway Commission, through this bill, In the early 1900s, the first rough roads to the coast wants to keep it that way." brought automobile travellers who used the beach Passage of the bill was far from certain. Opposi- for travel as well as a place to picnic. tion focused on the location of the vegetation line, The foundation for Oregon's Beach Bill was laid the threat to all private property rights on the coast, in 1859. Upon admission to the Union, Congress and violations of the U.S. Constitution. The bill re- granted Oregon jurisdiction over all navigable mained stalled for more than four months. Finally, waters in the state. Such waters were to be ". . . Governor Tom McCall helped forge a compromise common highways. . ." over which all citizens had that led to the bill's passage. Governor McCall the right to travel. Furthermore, tidelands belonged signed it into law on July 6, 1967. to the state under both the Admissions Act and Court tests were not far behind. The new law English Common Law. was tested in cases involving both the barricade In 1872, the legislature authorized the sale of and the construction of a private road on the dry tidelands to private citizens. By 1901, the State sand beach without a permit. In both cases the Land Board had sold off 23 miles of tidal shore. At courts upheld the new law, ruling that the public had the same time, recognizing the value of 30 miles of acquired easements based on implied dedication beach on Clatsop Spit as a transportation route, the and long recreational use of the beach. The Beach 1899 legislature declared it to be a public highway. Law merely empowered the state to enforce exist- In 1913, Governor Oswald West, who opposed ing public rights to use the beach. the sale of tidelands, proposed that al/Oregon On appeal, the Oregon Supreme Court upheld beaches be designated as public highways. The the Beach Law as an excercise of the state's right legislature agreed, and established Oregon's ocean to protect the public's use and enjoyment of shore, between low and ordinary high tide, as a beaches, since neither the state nor private land- public highway. owners fully owned the disputed dry sands areas. Following World War 11, increased outdoor recre- The Court also referred to the English doctrine of ation sparked a campaign to develop park lands, Custom whereby all Oregon beaches are "public especially along the coast. The 1947 legislature recreational land according to an unbroken custom amended the beach law to allow regulation of cars running back in time as long as the land has been and airplanes on the beach, to regulate the removal inhabited." Federal courts have also upheld the con- of sand or rock, and to prohibit the state from selling litutionality of Oregon's Beach Law. more shorelands. In 1965, the legislature changed The Beach Law set the stage for Oregon's now- the designation of beaches from a highway to a familiar history of environmental legislation. It focus- state recreation area, and prohibited sale of the ed attention on the vulnerability of our beaches and ocean shore except by "special law." other natural resources to development, and on the In the 1960s, coastal development raised con- potential loss of public rights long taken for granted. cern that Oregon's authority over its beaches was Ultimately, Oregon's Beach Law paved the way for not as sound as had been assumed. State law es- the Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act and tablished public ownership of the beaches covered the Ocean Plan.A.- 116 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan toria on the north to Brookings on the south. Al- munities have begun to sprawl along the high- though it swings inland from the ocean in some way away from the city center in typical com- places, it is mostly confined to the narrow mercial strip development. Accomodating space between the coast mountains and the sea. conflicting traffic demands in these urban Highway 101 fills three primary, some- centers is a challenge to local officials and times conflicting, functions. First, as the only transportation planners. continuous transportation link along the entire Third, the highway is a major recreational coast, it is a vital highway of commerce serving resource for the state and for local com- residents, businesses and industry in coastal munities. It is a work of art designed, en- communities. Between some towns on the gineered and built with respect for the coast, no viable highway alternative exists. The limitations and possiblities of the landscape. highway has been widened and straightened Carved into the rock high above the surf, it cur- along some segments and traffic moves effi- ves around coastal headlands behind handlaid ciently at high speeds. In addition, Highway rockwork and retaining walls. In places it plun- 101 is an essential link between coastal com- ges into the coastal forest or hides in the thick munities and major highways to Oregon's inte- coastal brush behind sand dunes, only to rior. emerge again to a new vista of the sea. A series Second, in almost every coastal city and of graceful bridges carries the highway in style town, Highway 101 is the main street. Many of across coastal streams and estuaries. In spring, these main streets are congested, especially the roadsides are lined with yellow during summer, with local traffic, through traf- scotchbroom and gorse, pink wild fic, and recreational travelers. Some com- rhododendrons, and, in the open meadow hillsides of the south coast, purple flag iris. '4 or AM- :4@ Although the large bridges over Yaquina, Coos, Alsea, and other bays are more commonly photographed, U.S. Highway 70 1 crosses even small coastal streams on handsome bridges of classical design, Here at Devils Elbow State Park, the northbound traveller exits a tunnel onto this bridge over Cape Creek. (ODOTphoto, 7972) Recreation and Cultural Resources 9 117 Oregonians and travelers from the world shoreline is rapidly filling in the open spaces. over enjoy the recreational and aesthetic ex- This development highlights the foresight of perience of the highway itself as well as the Oregon's early state park program to acquire recreation to which the highway provides ac- numerous sites for public use. The rapid pace cess. Most travelers use automobiles or recrea- of development makes imperative the need to tional vehicles. But a growing number choose actively pursue opportunities to add to to bicycle along the shoulder of Highway 101, Oregon's treasure chest of publicly managed riding with the wind from north to south. In scenic and recreational sites. some areas, the Highway is linked to the Increased urbanization, strip development Oregon Coast Trail and provides shuttle access along Highway 101, and residential develop- to and from trailheads. State, federal and ment on the shoreline can impact the ocean en- private campgrounds, roadside picnic areas, vironment in several ways. Cities may need to and scenic viewsites abound along its entire turn to new ocean outfalls to accommodate in- length. Highway 101 is a statewide recreation- creased municipal sewage. As new homes and al resource of tremendous value. vacation cabins are built along the beachfront, Risks increased demand for seawalls and revetments to control the ocean's erosion may reverse the Increasing Numbers of Visitors natural beach building process and therefore In Oregon, as nationwide, coastal recrea- causes damage and loss to the public beach. In- tion is experiencing pressures and conflicts. creased pressure to build new homes and The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recrea- cabins may result in development near tion Plan (SCORP), discussed below, describes heretofore isolated bird or mammal habitat. recreation in Oregon as "facing a quiet crisis." Unmanaged or too rapid population growth As more visitors travel the Oregon coast, the on the Oregon coast can mean an unacceptable array of coastal recreational uses expands and increase in traffic congestion on Highway 101 diversifies even while traditional uses remain as well as in recreational areas, noise, litter, popular. Even isolated, out-of-the-way areas and significant degradation of air and water are increasingly used by visitors seeking quality. Coupled with growing numbers of scenery and solitude. Highway 101, the coast's recreational travelers, this growth could major transportation route, is required to hand- degrade the coastal environment and diminish le larger traffic volumes of visitors along with a the quality of the coastal recreational ex- growing number of residents. Because most perience. visitors on the Oregon coast travel by automobile or recreational vehicle, traffic con- More Recreation in the Water gestion may make coastal outdoor recreation Demand for increased "in-water" recreation areas difficult and unpleasant to reach. Once is already occurring and can be expected to in- there, visitors may very well find crowded crease both as a function of growing population areas and over-taxed facilities. The challenge and of the popularity of "in-water" recreation for Oregon is to meet increasing demands for nationwide. Some of these activities are rela- quality recreation in the face of increasing com- tively benign. Others can create conflicts with petition for land and natural resources that pro- other uses and resources. vide the recreational experience. More traditional SCUBA diving and surf- Population Growth ing continue to grow in popularity. Sailboard- Although the Oregon coast is well endowed ing, already a huge recreation activity in the with public access and parks, urban growth Columbia Gorge, is spilling over to the Oregon and rural development along Oregon's ocean coast as sailboarders seek new challenges. Sea 118 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan kayaking, although limited, is a growing sport tains boat ramps throughout the state. on the Oregon coast. Jet ski craft are being These agencies and programs are broadly used in the ocean on occasion. Sturdy rubber described and analysed in the Statewide Com- boats powered by outboard engines, such as the prehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 1988-1993 Zodiac, are increasingly used for recreational (SCORP) prepared by the Oregon Department fishing around nearshore rocks and reefs. of Parks and Recreation. SCORP profiles Other uses may not be far off. In Japan, for in- regional recreational opportunities, including stance, several companies are building and the north coast and south coast, describes state operating miniature submarines for recreation- and federal programs, assesses supply, demand al sight-seeing. and need, and provides suggestions and recom- Conflicts and Safety mendations for meeting future recreation While the ocean is vast, most recreational needs. use is limited to very nearshore areas. These SCORP provides a broad overview of areas include accessible coves and beaches Oregon's recreation system and lists various where SCUBA diving, board surfing or sail- federal, state, local and private programs that boarding may be readily and safely enjoyed. contribute. SCORP does not provide more Kayakers, divers and surfers may, upon oc- focused analysis and assessment of coastal or casion, venture into more exposed shoreline other regional recreation needs and limitations. areas. Some conflicts may arise during certain It does not consider the impact of recreation ac- seasons with some commercial fishing ac- tivities on other natural resources. tivities or between various recreation users. In Highway 101 Improvements addition, recreation in the ocean can be a high The Oregon Department of Transportation risk activity. Surfers, divers, sailboarders and Highway Division is nearing completion of a others usually have local knowledge about study of the Highway 101 coastal corridor. The weather, currents, access, temperature and study will make recommendations on improve- equipment. But as more people seek new ments for traffic flow in key sections of this recreational experiences without full apprecia- mostly two-lane highway. It investigates tion of the inherent risk, safety becomes a key 11 parkway" and scenic byway alternatives to pro- consideration in designating areas for in-water vide for through traffic flow while retaining recreation. scenic qualities for which the coast highway is Management Issues famed. Because Highway 101 is both a State Planning for Recreation transportation link and a recreational resource Planning and managing recreation in connected with the many state parks and Oregon involves a complex mix of public agen- waysides along its length, future improvements cies and private interests. The Oregon Depart- to 101 will have a significant impact on coastal recreation. ment of Parks and Recreation is the lead agency for recreation planning in Oregon, Public Concerns manages Oregon's state parks system and Oregon has no overall coordinated plan or houses the State Historic Preservation Office strategy for recreation and travel on the (SHIPO). Other public agencies, such as the Oregon coast. This kind of plan is essential be- U.S. Forest Service, the Oregon Dunes Nation- cause of the effects that increased recreation al Recreation Area, and coastal county parks use may have on other resources and activities departments provide and maintain recreation of concern to local governments and state and facilities along the coast. In addition, the federal resource agencies. Oregon Marine Board constructs and main- Recreation and Cultural Resources * 119 Oregon is not well prepared to protect or government rather than exploited for private safeguard sensitive natural resources and sites profit. from increased recreational use. Oregon's coast Improvements to Highway 101 should be has too few coastal facilities where the public carefully coordinated with recreational plans can augment their travel or recreation by learn- and should retain recreational and aestheic ing more about the coast and ocean. Oregon qualities of key segments. must protect its coastal resources through The Oregon Parks and Recreation Depart- education as well as enforcement. ment, in conjunction with other affected agen- Tourism on the Oregon coast is moving cies, local governments and citizens, should from a seasonal to a more year-round industry. develop a coastwide recreation plan to accom- But demand continues to be highest from June modate increased visitors, improve and expand through September. A sizable infrastructure of recreation opportunities and protect sensitive facilities, events and employment is geared to a natural resources areas from overuse. In par- three and one-half month rush. Some coastal ticular, Parks will need to work with the communities and businesses, however, are Division of State Lands, the Department of trying ways to expand the visitor season and Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Highway encourage "off-season" travel and recreation. Division, Department of Economic Develop- During certain times of the year, chiefly ment, and coastal cities and county govern- the summer travel season, Highway 101 in ments. some areas reaches or exceeds its capacity as a Local governments should review local com- highway of commerce for coastal communities prehensive plans to fully consider the impacts and a recreational resource for visitors. Traffic of growth and development on the recreational congestion is not only unpleasant for residents and aesthetic values of their communities. and visitors alike, it is unsafe, disrupts com- A plan for Oregon's territorial sea should merce, and degrades the coastal recreational address shoreline and in-water recreation and aesthetic experience. As coastal com- needs on a site-specific basis. munities grow and recreational travel in- creases, this problem will only increase and The goal of the Ocean Plan is to provide will not be easily or quickly resolved. quality marine recreation opportunities for resi- Archeological and other cultural resources dents and visitors. are not well known and are not addressed in Recommended Policies depth in this plan. These resources are impor- 1. Prohibit development activities in the ter- tant to Oregonians, especially to the Indian ritorial sea which would impair the cul- tribes of the Coast and should no longer be con- tural, scenic, or recreational values of the sidered available for private exploitation. near shore areas. Conclusions and 2. Prepare a comprehensive coastal and marine Recommendations parks and recreation assessment and plan to accommodate increased recreational Oregon needs an aggressive program to demands while protecting coastal and identify, acquire, and establish new public ocean resources. recreation areas in the water as well as the 3. Pursue an aggressive program to identify and coastal upland. Cultural, historic or archaeological resour- acquire additional public recreation resour- ces and sites of Oregon should be retained by ces and sites on the Oregon coast and to the general public or by the appropriate tribal provide for public recreation opportunities in the marine environment. 120 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 4. Plan for improvements to Highway 101 which 0 Completion of the Beach Access Plan, in- maintain, restore, or enhance recreational, cluding an update of access site inventory, scenic, and interpretive opportunities. a list of new sites for public acquisition and 5. Place strong emphasis on education, informa- an evaluation of future demand tion and interpretation to protect marine 0 Specific proposals for a coordinated marine resources, provide for economic develop- education and information program to use ment and enhance visitor appreciation of state parks as focal points for information coastal resources and economies. and to establish Ocean Watch Sites at 6. Designate cultural and historic sites, includ- scenic viewpoints along highways and in ing shipwrecks, as important resources for parks. This element would involve Oregon the general public and not private exploita- State University Sea Grant, Sea Grant Ex- tion. tension, appropriate state agencies, coastal Needed Actions local governments and citizens 0 Oregon's territorial sea plan should include The Oregon Highway Division should: in-water recreational needs, opportunities, 0 Preserve major segments of Highway 101 and limitations. The Oregon Parks and as significant recreational, aesthetic, and Recreation Department and Division of historical resources of the State of Oregon State Lands, in consultation with local 0 Incorporate ocean views and vistas, government, should identify specific sites shoreline recreational, and opportunities for marine parks to be included in the plan for interpretation and education into plans for the territorial sea. for improving Highway 101 The Oregon Parks and Recreation Depart- 0 The Oregon Legislature should change ar- ment should coordinate a recreational plan chaeological and treasure trove laws to and strategy for the Oregon coast which in- protect archaeological sites and shipwrecks cludes: as public resources and prohibit private ex- A scenic resource analysis of the Oregon ploitation on public lands. coast that identifies outstanding coastal El Local governments should: views and ocean areas visible from high- 0 Review comprehensive plans to assess the ways, parks and beaches affects of growth and development on coas- An evaluation of possible marine park sites tal and marine recreation, tourism, cul- to expand and diversify in-water recreation- tural and aesthetic resources al and educational opportunities while 0 Should seek and identify sites appropriate protecting ocean and coastal resources for acquisition as recreational or scenic An evaluation of upland sites which should sites by the Oregon Department of Parks be acquired to expand Oregon's state park and Recreation or other public entity system on the coast Water and Air Quality * 121 Marine Water and Air Quality Resources dynamic marine system and relatively small Clean ocean waters and coastal air are es- volumes of pollution. While the physical sential to a healthy marine environment. dynamics of the marine environment will Marine ecosystems, from the microscopic remain relatively constant, the amount and kinds of pollutants entering Oregon's ocean plants and animals near the ocean's surface to area are growing. the deep ocean, can be adversely affected by al- most undetectable amounts contaminants. Ocean Waste Disposal Even when not lethal, contaminants can inter- For centuries, civilization disposed of waste act with each other or add to overall pollution in the ocean on the assumption that the ocean levels to weaken individual organisms, could absorb this waste without harm. The diminish populations, alter the composition of ocean provided a convenient and inexpensive communities of various plants and animals and dump where the waste was soon out of sight threaten entire ecosystems. These effects can and out of mind. Certainly, the amounts of go undetected until the problem becomes acute, waste was relatively small compared to today certain parts of the marine ecosystem lose their and, in many cases, the kinds of waste were fuctional value, and the marine environment is more "organic". jeopardized. Today, however, waste disposal in the Clean air and water are the foundation of ocean is a different story. Some ocean areas, in- much of Oregon's coastal economy. Fish, crabs, cluding parts of the United States,are squid, shrimp and other seafood caught by com- threatened because the volume of waste has ex- mercial and recreational fishermen are the panded tremendously and the kinds of waste products of healthy, viable marine ecosystems. now include toxic materials, persistent plastic A polluted marine ecosystem may mean that debris, and exotic chemical waste. Some waste fish may simply not be available to be caught is discharged directly to the ocean and is regu- or, if caught, will be sick and contaminated. lated as a "point source," such as treated Health risks may arise, consumer demand municipal sewage or industrial effluent, and decrease, and product prices fall. Oregon enjoys a positive reputation for quality seafood sand or mud dredged from rivers and bays. products from a clean environment. This Other waste reaches the ocean indirectly, dis- reputation may mean a market advantage in charged under numerouse individual permits coming years if coastal waters remain clean. into creeks, rivers, and estuaries. As cities grow and industry expands, more individual Residents and tourists alike expect clean permits add to the total pollutant load of the beaches, clean ocean water, and clean air. Pol- stream and thus the ocean. luted water and beaches are not only unattrac- A significant amount of waste enters the tive but unsafe and unhealthy. Oregon's ocean ocean from agricultural, forestry or urban "non- waters and air are still relatively unpolluted in point sources," runoff in upstream watersheds. contrast to some coastal areas in the United Catchbasins in the streets of most cities drain States. High environmental quality is a there- rainwater runoff laden with a mixture of oil, an- fore a resource of comparative advantage for tifreeze, bits of plastic debris, lawn fertilizer, Oregon's coastal travel and recreation industry. and other material. Most farm and forest opera- The cleanliness of Oregon's ocean waters tions use a variety of chemicals and generate and air is a function of two variables; a large, sediments which find their way into a gully, a 122 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan creek, a river, an estuary, and the ocean. In- sludge to continue to be dumped at sea. dustrial sites, both existing and abandoned, In 1977, the law was tightened to phase out contribute oil, grease, chemicals, or heavy me- ocean dumping by 1981 of certain industrial tals to the pollutants that wash into streams waste and municipal sewage sludge which and the ocean from the rain. would "unreasonably degrade" or endanger Ocean disposal of waste will continue to be human health and the marine environment. a fact of life for Oregon and the rest of the Full implementation was difficult, particularly world because of two realities. First, the on the East Coast and some cities continued to geologic reality that the world's rivers empty dump sludge at an EPA designated site. into the ocean means that many wastes from In 1988, Congress reacted to public outrage land activities will continue to end up in the over waste on the beaches and passed the ocean. Second, ocean disposal will be one of Ocean Dumping Ban Act which prohibits all several waste management options, including ocean dumping of municipal sewage sludge and reducing and recycling wastes, incinerating industrial waste by the end of 1991. The 1988 wastes, and land disposal, to meet pressing Act requires the EPA to set up specific problems of waste management. For some timetables with ocean dumpers to phase out kinds of waste, the ocean disposal may, in fact, dumping. However, dumping of dredged be the most appropriate. Oregon must there- material can continue at approved ocean sites. fore address marine water and air quality as part of overall ocean resources management, International Agreements take steps to monitor the health of ocean water on Ocean Dumping and air and take preventative or corrective ac- Ocean dumping is an international issue tion as necessary. which concerns many nations. The United Ocean Dumping: States is one of 64 countries which have A Brief History ratified the terms of the 1975 London Dumping Convention (LDC), which establishes interna- Ocean dumping is defined as the tional policy for ocean dumping in both ter- "deliberate disposal at sea of wastes or other ritorial seas of signatory nations and matter from vessels, aircraft, platforms or international high seas. The LDC lists a other manmade structures at sea" (see London variety of substances that cannot be dumped in Dumping Convention, below). "Dumping"is dif- the ocean, including mercury, cadmium, persist- ferent from "discharge" of waste from a pipe ent plastics, crude and other oils, high-level from shore. radioactive wastes, or materials for chemical or In 1972, Congress began to regulate the dis- biological warfare. The LDC lists other substan- charge and dumping of materials in the ocean ces that require special permits for dumping. through the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, commonly called the Ocean Risks Dumping Act. This Act banned dumping of a Marine biological resources are at risk variety of toxic, radioactive and biological when water quality is not sufficiently high agents, placed dumping of dredged materials enough to support healthy biological com- from navigable waters under the regulation of munities. Toxic contaminants bioaccumulate in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and re- the marine food web and create shifts in com- quired, for the first time, dumping permits munity structure and composition. Convention- from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen- al pollutants such as organic materials with cy. The 1972 law allowed municipal sewage high BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) can rob marine waters of enough oxygen to support Water and Air Quality 123 Now t 411 @_ 4 "K- Jj' 94 Urban andrural development increases the number ofpollution sources into coastal and ocean waters. Close inspection of this view of Brookings and the mouth of the Chetco River will reveal sour- ces of potential pollution typical of a/1 cities along the coast. (ODOTphoto, 7 978) fish and aquatic life especially in localized bays ter which contributes to biological oxygen and estuaries. Although large scale water demand (BOD), nutrients such as nitrogen and quality impacts are unlikely at this time, phosphorous, particulate matter, pathogens smaller, more localized impacts could cumula- which can carry disease, and other flotable tively affect the balance in ecological integrity materials, detergents, oils, and grease. For of marine biological communities along the several coastal cities, combined storm and Oregon coast. sanitary sewers pose problems when heavy MunicipalWaste rains cause the volume of runoff to exceed the In Oregon, six coastal wastewater treat- treatment plant capacity and untreated sewage ment facilities discharge treated sewage ef- is discharged into the estuary or ocean. fluent directly into the ocean. Another thirty Industrial Waste discharge into estuaries where the effluent Several industries discharge treated liquid mixes with estuarine waters before flowing out wastes directly into the ocean. These include to sea. Wastewater treatment reduces or pulp mills at Toledo, Gardiner, and North removes several basic components: organic mat- Bend. Discharges from pulp mills vary with the 124 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan specific process used but generally consist of Even though the amount of debris from vessels large quantities of wood fibers and wood is decreasing under MARPOL, much plastic sugars. Although the percent of these solids is remains at sea. Rivers also bring debris from low and Oregon's turbulent marine environ- urban areas and highways. Beach users con- ment disperses them widely, the solids dis- tribute marine debris by littering. Debris kills charged by coastal pulp mills account for about sea life, damages vessels'and litters Oregon's 75 per cent of the total BOD discharged along beaches. Because plaseic degrades at such a the coast. slow rate, it accumulates and remains in the en- Other industrial waste enters the ocean vironment for years. Recent beach cleanup ef- from estuaries and rivers, including creamery forts in Oregon yielded over 26 tons of debris in waste from dairy processing; fish, shrimp and a single day. A project at the Port of Newport fish wastes from seafood processing; and oils, showed that proper waste disposal and recy- chemicals and wood particles from forest cling facilities in ports are essential to proper product manufacturing. disposal of trash in port rather than at sea. Nonpoint Sources Nuclear Wastes Runoff from coastal watersheds carries a Between 1944 and 1971, significant variety of pollutants into rivers, estuaries and amounts of radioactive materials from the ocean. Urban runoff contributes oils and plutonium-producing reactors at Hanford, chemicals from parking lots, streets, and roof- Washington, reached the Pacific Ocean via the tops which all shed rain water in a pulse. Columbia River. Radionuclides from these dis- Agricultural and forestry activities that are charges were detected as far south as northern critical to the coastal economy can also con- California and as far offshore as 200 miles. Un- tribute pollutants such as pesticides and her- certainties with radioactive wastes currently at bicides, sediments from road building and Hanford may mean slow seepage of con- streamside erosion, and organic material from taminants into groundwater and discharges of cattle or other livestock. radionuclides into the ocean via the Columbia. Vessels Hazardous and Toxic Chemicals Vessels at sea discharge or accidently leak Several kinds of hazardous and toxic chemi- fouled water, oils and other wastes from bilges cal wastes are now entering the ocean. For or holding tanks. While these are dissipated many, there is little or no ability to determine through dispersion, the cumulative effects con- the amount discharged or to monitor effects. tribute to degradation of marine water quality. Trace metals and hazardous chemicals con- These discharges may be more pronounced tained in municipal effluent and industrial dis- when many vessels berth in the sheltered charges also enter the ocean via streams and waters of Oregon's ports. particulates in the air. These include mercury, Marine Debris copper, lead, chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT), chlorinated biphenols (PCB), other pesticides Nondegradable debris, such as plastic and and herbicides. These materials can effect the glass, enters Oregon's ocean from a variety of marine environment even at extremely low sources. Prior to the recent AIARPOL agree- levels. For instance, antifouling paints with ment to reduce marine debris (see below), the tributyltin (TBT) can leach TBT from boat primary source was the dumping of garbage at hulls in amounts so small as to be virtually un- sea by foreign and domestic merchant marine detectable. TBT was found in Oregon and other vessels, military vessels, commercial fishing states to be deforming oysters. Although vessels, cruise ships and recreational vessels. Oregon and federal law now strictly controls Water and Air Quality 9 125 Shipboard Waste CAA MARPOL/MPPRCA Clean Air Act Industrial Waste CWA ODA Clean Water Act -4011111w- NPDES (point Sources) Sec. 4W (dredged materials) Dredged Material Sewage Sludge MARPOL CWA/NPDES ODA ODA Annex V, Protocol of 1978 Relating to Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Shipboard waste) MPPRCA Dreaged Material Marine Plastics Pollution Research and Control CWA/NPDES CWA/Sec 404 Act WA/NPDES Federal Waters ODA Ocean Dumping Act 3-12 miles CWA/? RCPA Air Discharge 'NPDES 'CAA Resource Conservation and RecoverY Act SDWA State Waters Inclusti 0-3 Miles Safe Drinking Water Act Sewage Treatm t ::en A/NPDES WQA Disposal Well. WaterQuolltyAct N Dredged Material CWA/Sec 404 @Septlc Tank, late DEQ, RCIZA ..''Urban Runoff- x River/Watershed Runoff WQA, others Major federal regulation of pollutant discharges in marine waters the use of these paints, some effects may still teen specified dumpsites in Oregon's nearshore occur from residual amounts. In addition, little ocean. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has is known about other possible contaminants. jurisdiction over these operations. Historically, oils these dredged materials have consisted of clean Oil spills, as a function of offshore oil and marine sands with little or no organic matter gas development or from marine transporta- or other pollutants. However, more recent tion, are treated in a separate section of this operations in rivers and bays have yielded plan. However, significant volumes of oil enter more muddy sediments with higher organic con- the marine environment in other ways, espe- tent. Concern has been voiced that dredging cially from runoff from urban streets and park- near industrialized areas in some estuaries can ing lots, leaking storage tanks or improperly cause sediments contaminated with chemicals, disposed oil, boat engines, and other equipment metals, and organic material to release con- located near streams. The amount of oil enter- taminants into the water and enter the food ing ocean waters off Oregon from such sources chain. isunknown. Airborne Particulates Dredged Materials Scientists have recently begun to study the Sand, mud and rock dredged from Oregon's surface layer of the ocean and the effects of air- estuaries and rivers for harbor maintenance bome particulates and molecules of man-made chemicals on this critical air-water boundary. and improvement are routinely dumped at six- Although Oregon may directly contribute vary 126 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan little to this particulate "rain" because of rela- The Marine Protection, Research, and tively low air pollution levels and winds which Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA), also known blow mostly onshore, there is growing concern as the Ocean Dumping Act, regulates ocean about effects of airborne pollutants on the dumping of all types of materials, including ocean environment. dredged materials. 1988 amendments to this Act aim to end dumping of sewage sludge and Management Issues industrial waste in the ocean by 1991. The EPA Federal Pollution Control Programs and the Corps are responsible for administer- Although some sources of pollution in ing the Act and the National Oceanic and At- Oregon's ocean area are generated within the mospheric Administration (NOAA) is charged state, the problem of marine pollution is nation- with ongoing research and monitoring. al, even international, in scope. Major federal The Marine Plastics Pollution Research laws have been passed, programs developed, and Control Act of 1987 directs EPA to find and efforts organized to study and protect ways to abate plastic pollution. 1988 amend- marine waters. These federal laws and ments to the Act require degradable plastic programs are the primary governmental ac- ring carriers for cans and bottles. This Act im- tions concerning marine pollution on the plements the international agreement on ocean Oregon coast. garbage titled Annex V of the Protocol of 1978 The Clean Water Act, administered by the Relating to the International Convention for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is the the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MAR- single most important law dealing with the POL). MARPOL is a primary impetus for ports quality of water in the U.S., including marine in Oregon to provide garbage disposal and recy- waters. Under the Act, EPA, through an agree- cling facilities for vessels. ment with the Oregon Department of Environ- The National Marine Pollution Program is mental Quality (DEQ) regulate all "point composed of all federal marine pollution source" (e.g. a pipe) discharges into rivers, es- programs, especially those from the EPA, tuaries and the ocean through the National Pol- NOAA, and the Department of the Interior lutant Discharge Elimination System Minerals Management Service (MMS). The (NPDES). Section 404 of the Act regulates goals of this research program are to under- dredged materials dumping and is ad- stand the fates and effects of toxic materials, ministered by the U.S. Army Corps of En- nutrients, and biological agents in the marine gineers. environment; the effects of loss or modification The Water Quality Act, a 1987 amendment of marine habitat; the status of marine ecosys- to the Clean Water Act, focuses on planning tems; and the implications for human health and comprehensive solutions to pollution from marine pollution. Results of research and problems in specific important coastal areas study under this program are available to such as Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay, and Oregon. major estuaries and near coastal waters. Under The Clean Air Act of 1977 is the legal this program, Oregon's DEQ is conducting a framework for all air quality regulations in the pilot project with citizens and local govern- U.S. and directs EPA to set National Ambient ments to identify and control pollution in the Air Quality Standards. States are required to Coquille River estuary and watershed. DEQ develop and implement plans to attain and also has a nonpoint source assessment and con- maintain these national standards. Nonattain- trol program and is working with landowners ment areas are those which do not meet the - and municipalities to reduce runoff. standards for which special controls are needed Water and Air Quality e 127 N X 7, tl j j This pile of plastic debris was collected during one of Oregon's annual beach cleanup drives, CitLzen beach cleanup efforts, pioneered in Oregon, have helped reduce the amount of plastics along Oregon's shore. However, plastic use throughout society requires constant vigilance to protect marine life from plastic pollution. (ODFVV) such as lowering existing amounts of air emis- NPDES permits (see above) and to administer sions to make room for new ones while making clean air regulations which carry out the Na- progress toward overall attainment. In areas tional Ambient Air Quality Standards. Local where air is cleaner than national standards, governments, through municipal sewerage and regulations prevent significant deterioration storm water facilities, land use plans and local (PSD areas). The Oregon coast is a PSD area ordinances, also play a role in controlling pollu- and air quality is virtually pristine. tion sources on land which may affect ocean State Pollution Control Programs resources. The Oregon Department of Environmental Oregon has no marine water and air Quality (DEQ) has primary responsibility for quality program which coordinates the various water and air quality in Oregon's territorial federal programs, local government efforts and sea. State law gives DEQ authority for a host of growing state involvement in marine water pollution control measures. DEQ also works and air pollution issues. Oregon has only a few closely with the federal EPA to administer marine water quality standards that address federal permits which are required for point the special environmental conditions, biologic source discharges into state waters through resources or pollutant loading of ocean and es- 128 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan tuarine waters. Existing water quality policies assessments have been made which evaluate a and standards, based on freshwater conditions site off Oregon. Exotic chemicals contained in in state river basins, apply to marine waters industrial and municipal discharges accumu- only for specific pollutants. These standards late in unknown amounts and add to the were written and adopted by Oregon's Environ- ocean's burden. These and an increase in mental Quality Commission when knowledge shoreside industry can cause air quality effects of and demands on estuarine and marine water such as ozone formation, visibility reduction, quality was minimal. undesirable emissions and acid rain. There is little baseline information specific Conclusions to the Oregon coast's ambient air conditions and water quality in nearshore, as well as off- and Recommendations shore, waters. Although NOAA maintains a Oregon's marine water quality is relatively marine monitoring program throughout the good at present and must not be degraded. country, Oregon has no coordinated system to However, these waters are in jeopardy from in- monitor the health of marine air and water and creasing demands for waste disposal and from then integrate new information as development lack of a coordinated state and federal program occurs and waste disposal demands increase. aimed at the special conditions of Oregon's Increased Waste Disposal ocean and estuarine waters. A vigorous marine As Oregon's coastal population grows, water quality program, including research, visitor counts increase, and industrial develop- monitoring, and regulations, is necessary to an- ment occurs, waste will increase and add to pol- ticipate problems and protect ocean and es- lution loads on estuaries and the ocean. Water tuarine water quality. consumption will increase and, once used, con- Oregon must step up efforts to reduce, at taminated water will enter the waste treat- the source, the amount of wastes entering ment system, adding to effluent outflow. rivers, estuaries and the ocean. Local govern- Growing coastal communities will need larger ments, both on the coast and inland, should sewage treatment plants with increased and critically review urban growth and rural improved capacity for treatment and discharge. development plans and work with state agen- In addition, coastal communities will need to cies to buffer urban runoff, reduce plastic litter, revamp existing systems to separate storm and improve wastewater treatment systems, and sanitary flow to prevent overload discharge of promote recycling. untreated sewage into estuaries and the ocean. Oregonians as a "public" demand clean air New Kinds of Waste and water. Yet as individual citizens and busi- The ocean off Oregon will be called upon to nesses, more awareness is needed to reduce waste and of the adverse affects on ocean water absorb wastes not previously discharged in quality from inappropriate waste disposal prac- large amounts. Ocean disposal is being con- tices. Oregon needs programs to promote public sidered by some federal agencies and in- understanding that prevention of pollution is dustries for future disposal of hazardous and both an ethic and a cost-effective way to protect radioactive wastes. Incineration of solid wastes quality of the environment. on ships at sea or on abandoned oil platforms is being proposed for the Gulf of Mexico by in- Ocean waters of the world are a "commons" dustry and some local governments. Similar belonging to everyone and to no one. Global proposals could be made for offshore Oregon. ocean pollution problems ultimately affect, and Disposal of nuclear waste in the deep ocean is are therefore a responsibility of, Oregonians. under consideration and environmental impact The state should actively participate in inter- Water and Air Quality * 129 state and international efforts to prevent 3. Require that discharge of pollutants into the marine air and water pollution and protect the airshed of Oregon's Ocean Stewardship commons. Area is consistent with the policies of this Oregon's coastal air quality is very high plan and such standards as may be and is a valuable resource. Oregon needs to es- developed to carry out this plan. tablish a baseline of air quality measurements 4. Increase information and data to analyze the and a program for monitoring to protect air effects of air pollution from ocean resources quality from degradation by new sources of pol- development on marine and onshore air lution. quality. Oregon, through the Department of En- Marine Water Quality vironmental Quality and the Ocean Policy Ad- 1. Assert Oregon's leadership role in protecting visory Council, should take a leadership role in marine water quality through improved protecting marine water and air quality in state management capability and through Oregon's Ocean Stewardship Area. A coor- a coordinated program of federal, state and dinated program should be established to en- local government. sure that state and federal regulatory and 2. Encourage citizens, local governments, busi- research programs and local government ac- tions protect water and air quality. nesses and ocean users to minimize waste The goals of the Oregon Ocean Resources disposal in the ocean by reducing waste at Management Plan are to: its source, conserving water, controlling pol- lution sources on land and in the water, � Prevent degradation of the air and waters promoting proper waste disposal, and recy- of the Oregon coast cling. � Protect, maintain, and where necessary, re- 3. Emphasize prevention of marine water pollu- store the quality of Oregon's coastal and tion by promoting recycling and debris col- ocean waters to protect human health; lection in Oregon ports, requiring that maintain recreational use of beaches and discharges from coast and offshore ac- water; and protect and propagate fish, tivities be the minimum necessary and be shellfish, and wildlife treated to prevent degradation, reducing � Promote increased public awareness of the the use of water, eliminating or minimizing importance of marine air and water the use of toxic substances. quality, the effects of pollution and debris 4. Establish marine air and water quality in the marine environment, and the role of monitoring systems and promote research citizens, governments, and industry in to analyze the effects of pollution on inter- keeping marine air and waters clean tidal and oceanic ecosystems. Recommended Policies 5. Support and participate in interstate and in- Air Quality ternational efforts to reduce and eliminate marine debris and pollution. 1. Emphasize pollution prevention rather than 6. Promote the use of products that can be cleanup and remedial measures. recycled or manufactured without adverse 2. Require that highest and best controls be affects on marine water quality. used to minimize emissions from ocean ac- tivities and assure that they do not degrade Needed Actions the existing high quality of Oregon's 0 Oregon's plan for the territorial sea should marine and coastal air. include marine water and air quality 130 o Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan protection measures. These measures and relative benefits and risks from es- should be derived from a coordinated state- tuarine and ocean discharge of municipal federal marine water and air quality protec- wastewater effluent tion program for the Oregon Ocean 0 A marine debris management program as Stewardship Area. This coordinated state- part of Oregon's solid waste program federal program should address the follow- The Department of Environmental Quality ing: should coordinate preparation of the � A coastal air quality monitoring program to marine air and water quality program for provide baseline data and information, Oregon. define sensitive airsheds and develop air The Department of Fish and Wildlife quality models to address potential impacts should: to surface and upper air from offshore and onshore sources 0 Provide technical assistance during develop- � A marine water monitoring program to es- ment of a marine water quality protection tablish baseline water quality data at key program for the Oregon Ocean Stewardship sites and provide additional data and infor- Area mation over time to ensure that Oregon's 0 Coordinate with the Department of En- marine life and marine ecosystems are not vironmental Quality to establish baseline being adversely affected by waste dischar- sites to monitor marine water quality and ges into estuaries or the ocean biologic communities � Marine water quality discharge and dump- The Department of Land Conservation and ing standards to prevent degradation of Development should: waters and sediments of Oregon's Ocean Assist coastal local governments to develop Stewardship Area land use policies and implementing � Better siting standards, backup facilities measures to reduce marine pollution from and emergency procedures for municipal upland sources and industrial ocean outfalls to ensure that 0 Coordinate with local governments and marine water quality, recreation areas, other state and federal agencies to plan for shellfish harvest, research and critical and promote activities which increase habitat areas are protected public awareness and information about � A research program to study the effects marine pollution and debris. Oil and Gas * 131 Oil and Gas Resources Oil and Gas Development Steps Oregon's offshore geology is complex and Based on activities elsewhere, the following only generally understood. While the available five steps are described as typical steps in geologic information indicates that several developing offshore oil and gas resources. sedimentary basins exist off Oregon where oil These steps assume two things: one, that the may be trapped, these basins are ill-defined. No "recoverable" deposits of oil and gas have ever been discovered off Oregon. More geologic information is needed to make better estimates of petroleum resources and location offshore Oregon. In 1981 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) G estimated 300 million barrels of oil and 1.5 tril- . ..... lion cubic feet of gas on the Oregon-Washing- VVILWAIPA WAIS@+. ton Outer Continental Shelf. USGS believes there is a 50 per cent chance that at least 100 million barrels of oil (at 42 gal./bbl) and 600 bil- lion cubic feet of gas would be recoverable. By comparison, a 1984 Minerals Management Ser- vice (MMS) report estimates that a total of 180 million barrels of oil and 3.26 trillion cubic feet A-;-roRLo-, eAst of gas lie within the entire planning area, of which a smaller amount is thought to be recoverable. Z@ C The world oil market has a great influence 0 on whether oil and gas off Oregon is worth recovering. MMS estimates that at $15.75/bbl, 50 million barrels could be economically recovered off Oregon and Washington. At $32.50/bbl, double the price, 60 million barrels 1i OPIE. could be recovered from the same area. cz@a RASIN Risks J` Exploration and development for oil and gas off the Oregon coast is still many years away, if ever. But already, Oregon is trying to anticipate the kinds of risks inherent in this EASIN S kind of ocean activity. Because these risks vary RAM ARGA- according to the stage of exploration or develop- ment, these stages are discussed first. For more information, see the Interim Report. 1q77 132 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan oil industry has an interest in exploring and would be the first opportunity for Oregon to developing oil and gas off Oregon and, two, that clearly apply state standards to regulate off- a lease sale could ever be successfully held. shore oil and gas activities in federal waters. The first of these steps, seismic surveys, Fourth, should exploration confirm the would usually come before a lease sale. The presence of commercial oil or gas deposits, a second would be to obtain a lease from either permanent production platform would be federal or state government. The last three erected on the site and a number of wells steps would come only after a lease sale and drilled to determine the extent of the field. would be focused on blocks leased by the com- Major planning decisions would be made about pany. Each step would increase the detail of in- both offshore and onshore facilities. A plan of formation available to a company, Minerals development (POD) would be required and Management Service and Oregon. would be reviewed and approved by MMS, First, prelease exploration would involve several federal agencies and by affected states. seismic survey vessels using acoustic signals to An environmental impact statement (EIS) obtain profiles of geologic structures down to would be required for the first production plat- several miles below the seafloor. In Oregon form in this Washington-Oregon frontier plan- waters, these surveys would require a permit ning area. Review of the POD and EIS would from the Division of State Lands. In federal provide an opportunity for Oregon to impose waters, Oregon has no regulatory authority but state regulatory standards on oil development does have a Memorandum of Agreement with activities in federal waters. MMS to coordinate these surveys with current Fifth, as an oil or gas field is developed, fishing activity to avoid conflicts at sea. preparations would be made for production of Second, a company would need to obtain a crude oil and transportation to refining plants. lease in order to drill for oil. If oil and gas Oregon state agencies and local governments leases were ever offered in state waters, the would have the ability to regulate these on- lease would be entered into by the State Land shore facilities through the "consistency" Board. In federal waters, the Department of provisions of the state's coastal management the Interior Minerals Management Service is- plan, local comprehensive land use plans and sues leases after receiving bids. Oregon has implementing ordinances. limited influence on federal lease sale Effects of Offshore decisions, as discussed below. Oil and Gas Development Third, if a lease sale were held and a com- Offshore oil and gas development activities pany successfully obtained a lease, mobile ex- have the potential for a wide range of adverse ploration rigs would be brought in to drill effects on the marine environment as well as exploratory wells to determine whether oil is, coastal communities. in fact, present. These rigs range from special 0 Oil Spills drill ships which anchor into position to huge The risks most associated with offshore oil floating platforms with legs that jack to the and gas development are from oil spills. While seafloor. The exploration stage may take oil spills from offshore platforms are rare, several years. Companies would need to submit tanker accidents are far more frequent and can a plan of exploration (POE) to MMS for review be dramatic, such as in Prince William Sound, and approval. Oregon would also review that Alaska. The volume of spilled oil is not neces- POE and would require the POE to be "consis- sarily the critical factor. A small event in the tent" with provisions of the federally approved wrong place at the wrong time, such as near a Oregon Coastal Management Program. This critical seabird feeding area, has the potential Oil and Gas 133 Offshore oil and gas platforms, pumping from as many as forty wells. ore sophisticated industrial facilities located in the marine enVronment. 7his one, off Long Beach, California, includes a processing platform to separate oil from natural gas and water before piping it to shore. (DLCD photo, 7983) to be worse than a large spill. Beyond the of chlorides, hydrocarbons and gases. Air pollu- drama of the spill event, the effects of oil on tion from diesel engines used to power offshore marine ecosystems life is varied and complex. operations is a contaminant of concern off A spill forty miles at sea in winter may have California. very different effects from a small spill in sum- 9 Disturbance and Noise mer near the mouth of an estuary. Similarly, Vessel and aircraft traffic can adversely af- the economic effects of an oil spill on coastal fect marine mammal or seabird colonies, espe- communities will vary. In addition to large, cially during breeding, nesting or pupping spectacular spills, chronic release of oil in seasons. Likewise, noise from offshore plat- small amounts can contribute to degradation of forms is a potential risk to seabirds and marine coastal waters. mammals. Some coastal residents and visitors o Contaminants may be adversely affected from these same Contaminants result from offshore oil and noise, aircraft or vessel activities in relation to gas development in several forms. Oil spills, offshore development. The Ocean Plan recom- discussed above, are one kind. But others in- mends that no oil and gas activities take place clude drilling muds and cuttings used to lubri- within three miles of offshore rocks and is- cate the drill bit and flush cut rock chips to the lands. surface. Formation waters (water trapped in e Habitat Alteration or Removal sediments in the rock strata) have high levels Drilling muds and cuttings (above) can 134 * Oregon"s Ocean Resources Management Plan smother bottom dwelling communities of sea life near drilling operations. On soft sand or mud bottoms, subsurface pipeline installation results in short-term sediment mounds and T11"0QX HEAD trenches in swaths which can smother or v"% '6LATSOP remove these organisms. Work on rocky or hard sediment bottoms requires blasting with -------- 5 - "@-- _w__ -T --@'@"LAMOOK resultant removal of habitat. 711 U A. Conflicts with other Users D-DDK There are two principal kinds of potential conflicts with ocean fisheries: space-use con- flicts where drilling or production activities take up ocean space from fisheries, and pipeline or subsea equipment conflicts with fishing gear. Both may have economic conse- quences for fishing operations. The Ocean Plan recommends that oil and gas activities HE @T be prohibited ftom important fishery areas 77m -1 'LINCOLN Col (see Ocean Fisheries policies). If Onshore Impacts Offshore oil and gas exploration and development operations can generate a num- ber of onshore impacts, depending on the LANE na phase of the operation, the location, and the size of the oil deposit. These impacts can have wide-reaching economic and environmental impacts in coastal communities. After a lease L-, - Z @.AEEDSPDRT sale, companies which begin exploration need ----- @T a range of onshore support facilities, includ- oAy ing docks for supply vessels, vessel repair yards, airfields for helicopters, storage areas 16 5 - YEAR for drilling muds and equipment. - LEASING PROGRAM 1% MID-1987 TO MID-1992 If oil is found, these support services would continue to be needed as platforms are WASHINGTON - OREGON PLANNING AREA established and production wells drilled. EXPLANATION _y '98, Production of offshore oil would require a fton oF U'S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR means of transporting oil from the platform to MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE SUBAREA a refinery. Pipelines would be the likely DEFERRALS method of bring oil ashore to a marine ter- minal for short-term storage and transship- r-" HIGHLIGHTED LJ AREAS o ment to processing. If transported by tanker, a number of risks arise from potential tanker accidents within or near the host estuary. If BROO-G$/ transported by pipeline from the marine ter- minal, impacts from the pipeline would ensue OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF OF OREGON Oil and Gas * 135 along its entire length. whether from the state or the federal govern- Environmental Record of Offshore ment, there is tremendous financial and politi- Off and Gas Development cal momentum to proceed to development and, if oil or gas is found, production. Oregon must The environmental record of the U.S. make all key decisions about oil and gas petroleum and offshore oil development in- development before leasing, not after. An under- dustry is mixed and incomplete. Some facts are standing of the leasing process is important to known and others have yet to be studied. Some addressing Oregon's concerns. short term effects from oil and gas activities have been studied; some long term cumulative State Oil and Gas Leasing effects have not been studied. Within Oregon's three-mile territorial sea, The oil industry points out that there have the Division of State Lands (DSL) has been no major oil spills from offshore platforms authority to enter into leases for oil and gas ex- in U.S. waters since the 1969 Santa Barbara ploration and development. The DSL has never oil blowout. There are several reasons for this: issued leases for oil and gas within the ter- improvements in drilling technology and proce- ritorial sea. dures, tougher federal safety and pollution re- The 1989 Oregon Legislature, following quirements and inspections in federal waters. early recommendations of the Ocean Resources However, many smaller spills, less than 1000 Management Task Force, imposed a gallons each, occur each year related to off- moratorium through 1995 on oil and gas ex- shore platform activity but are not included in ploration and development within state waters. the environmental record of platforms in This plan recommends that Oregon prohibit oil federal waters. and gas exploration and development within Cumulative, long term environmental im- the territorial sea and does not suggest a time pacts from offshore activities have not been limit. well studied. The cumulative effects of small, Federal OCS Leasing Program chronic oil spills is not known nor is their (Note: see also the Interim Report of the cumulative interaction with other discharges Oregon Ocean Resources Management Task from "formation waters," (i.e. water which con- Force, July 1, 1988, for a more detailed discus- tains hydrocarbons, heavy metals and salts sion of the federal OCS leasing program and which is pumped to the surface along with oil), Oregon-Washington Lease Sale #132.) and the dumping of drilling muds and cuttings Beyond three miles, the federal govern- into the marine environment. However, studies ment controls oil and gas leasing on the "outer in the Gulf of Mexico show significant changes continental shelf'(OCS). The Outer Continen- in the composition and diversity of marine tal Shelf Lands Act gives the U.S. Department biotic communities in areas of chronic low-level of the Interior authority and a mandate to pollution from hydrocarbons. Other "monitor- lease for oil development on the outer continen- ing studies" are underway off Southern Califor- tal shelf. Interior has prepared a five-year na- nia. tional OCS lease sale program for 1987-1992 Management Issues which includes Lease Sale #132 in April, 1992, A principal concern of the State of Oregon off Oregon and Washington. is the process by which areas of the public's The Oregon-Washington OCS Planning ocean are ]eased for private exploration and Area extends from three miles seaward to well development. Leasing is the crucial step for beyond the continental margin. It encompasses Oregon. Once a company obtains a lease, nearly 70,000 square miles or over 48 million 136 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan acres. Washington, affected Indian treaty tribes, 9 Developing Oregon's Position and Interior is needed to make leasing During 1985, 1986, and 1987, Oregon decisions in the Northwest Governors Atiyeh and Goldschmidt provided e Pacific Northwest OCS Task Force comments to Interior during preparation of the In February, 1988, Governor Goldschmidt, 1987-1992 lease sale program. Among other is- Washington Governor Gardner requested then- sues, the governors requested that a number of Secretary of the Interior Hodel to establish a areas be deleted from lease sale consideration state-federal-tribal task force to resolve issues (see map), including: related to OCS leasing in the Pacific � Areas deeper than 200 meters (600 feet), Northwest. In January of 1989, Secretary which is the edge of the continental shelf Hodel agreed to establish the Pacific Northwest � The Heceta-Stonewall Banks complex and OCS Task Force (PNWOCSTF) composed of Coquille Banks representatives of the Governors of the States of Oregon and Washington, the Northwest In- � Six mile buffers around the rocks and is- dian Fisheries Commission, the Columbia lands of the Oregon Island National River Intertribal Fish Commission, and the Wildlife Refuge, the mouth of the Salmon Department of the Interior Minerals Manage- River and Cascade Head Natural Research ment Service (MMS). Area The PNWOCSTF is charged with preparing � Six mile buffers around the mouths of Coos recommendations to the Secretary on a host of Bay, Yaquina Bay, and the Columbia River OCS leasing issues. As a priority, the Task Only areas deeper than 900 meters were ac- Force, through its technical and scientific ad- tually deferred. All other requested deferral visory committee, is coordinating development areas, which total about 900 square miles, were of regional plan and strategy for environmental "highlighted" for "special pre-sale considera- studies. In February, 1990, the Task Force tion.,, recommended to the Secretary that Lease Sale In addition, the governors expressed #132 be cancelled and any leasing decision several basic policies that Oregon would use in deferred until needed environmental studies evaluating offshore leasing proposals: are completed and the results analysed. That may take seven to ten years. Eventually, the � Federal consistency with the requirements PNWOCSTF may take up issues of which, if of Oregon's Coastal Management Program any, areas should be leased for oil and gas. � Goal 19, Ocean Resources, which gives 9 Litigation priority to use of renewable marine resour- In March, 1988, Oregon joined a lawsuit ces over nonrenewable and which requires with Washington, other states and environmen- that decisions be based on scientific infor- tal organizations to challenge the 1987-1992 mation OCS Lease Sale Program, in particular the ade- � Inadequate scientific information exists to quacy of the Environmental Impact Statement. determine potential environmental impacts The plaintiffs argued that the Secretary should from OCS leasing and development have considered alternatives to offshore leasing � Lease sales should be based on specific such as energy conservation measures, that areas of geologic potential rather than there was no criteria for determining which broad administrative units OCS areas were scheduled for leasing and � A regional coordinating group of Oregon, which ones weren't, that the leasing areas should have been based on geologic rationale, Oil and Gas * 137 and that the EIS contained a flawed cost- Task Force and the Pacific Northwest OCS benefit analysis that undervalued costs to Task Force that Lease Sale #132 be cancelled many areas. The states lost almost every issue and that environmental studies be conducted in federal court. before, not after, leasing decisions are made. Congressional Moratoria Public Concerns on Offshore Leasing Few issues so galvanize public concern as Since 1983, Congress has used the annual does the prospect of offshore oil and gas budget process for the Department of the Inte- development. Throughout the Ocean Plan rior to impose "a moratora" on certain lease process Oregonians consistently expressed sales or any official planning step leading to strong concerns for scenic and aesthetic lease sales opposed by the public and states, qualities, the ocean's immense biological Moratorium language has been written into In- productivity, significant ocean fisheries and terior's appropriations bill aimed at areas off degradation of Oregon's clean, healthy, marine California, Florida, and areas in the Atlantic environment. Oregonians asked tough ques- Ocean to prohibit spending funds to plan for or tions about the need to drill for oil in a sensi- conduct OCS leasing activities. A number of tive ocean area in the absence of a national lease sales have been stalled for years through energy policy. this Congressional tactic. Because no lease sale 9 Lack of Information activities were yet occuring off Oregon and Marine scientists and natural resource Washington, Congressional appropriations lan- agency staff agree that until much more is guage requested by the states was aimed at known about Oregon's marine environment, conducting needed environmental studies and Oregon should not make commitments to oil establishing the Pacific Northwest OCS Task and gas leasing, exploration, or development. Force. Major information gaps must be filled with Presidential Action Cancell- studies on ocean currents, exchanges with es- tuaries, marine ecology, fisheries, marine mam- ing OCS Lease Sale # 132 mals, and seabirds. Even with additional On June 26, 1990, President George Bush information, these experts believe that living announced the delay or cancellation of lease marine resources virtually anywhere on the en- sales off California and Florida which had been tire continental margin could be at risk from the focus of an OCS Task Force established by offshore petroleum production. the President in February, 1988. The Presi- Major information gaps and research needs dent also announced that he was accepting a are identified in the section on Research and In- recommendation from Secretary of the Interior formation Needs. A technical and scientific sub- Manuel Lujan to cancel Lease Sale #132 for committee of the Pacific Northwest OCS Task Oregon and Washington, hold no lease sale Force (see above) has recommended a program until after the year 2000 and conduct a series of environmental studies for the Oregon- of` environmental studies over the next five to Washington OCS Planning Area. These studies seven years to provide the Pacific Northwest would be carried out by the Minerals Manage- OCS Task Force and the states with informa- ment Service's OCS Environmental Studies tion for future lease sale planning. This Program. Even if funded consistently at ade- Presidential action for the Pacific Northwest quate levels, the recommended studies would responded directly to the recommendations of take seven to ten years to complete. the Oregon Ocean Resources Management 138 o Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan o Conflicts with Other Resources and Act requires that the OCS leasing program Uses balance the need to find and develop domestic The Oregon Ocean Stewardship Area, the petroleum resources with environmental protec- continental margin, is an area of very high tion and state coastal zone management needs. ecological, fishery, and aesthetic values, all Oregon has sought to restore this balance by in- which are renewable. In this area are a host of sisting on thorough environmental studies and existing uses such as fishing activities which analysis before leasing decisions are made and take place year round throughout the entire by insisting that the state must be a partner, not merely a respondent, in making crucial region, recreation along the shoreline and in decisions about whether, where and when to nearshore waters, navigation and transport of lease. In this way Oregon can ensure that en- goods, and aesthetic enjoyment. Marine mam- vironmental, social, and economic considera- mals and seabirds depend on the entire Ocean tions are adequately addressed to protect Stewardship Area for habitat. The benefits to Oregon's ocean and coastal resources. Oregon and its coastal communities from the economic and social uses of these renewable o National Energy Policy resources appear to outweigh benefits from oil Oregonians are fully aware that the debate and gas development. Oil and gas development over offshore oil and gas goes well beyond pos- in this Oregon Ocean Stewardship Area would sible effects to the Oregon coast and ocean. jeopardize resources and uses in both federal Oregonians are not willing to risk valued ocean and state waters. resources for a few days worth of petroleum o Onshore Issues especially when the federal government has not If ever permitted, offshore oil and gas ex- moved decisively to require more fuel efficient ploration and development would bring a new cars and appliances. The simple question is industrial use to the Oregon coast. Several is- asked: Why risk drilling in Oregon's sensitive sues would arise from onshore impacts. Actual and productive ocean area when alternatives shore facilities such as docks, marine ter- easily available to the Nation could yield even minals, and supply yards would probably be lo- more energy? Oregon made this question cated at one of three deep-draft development central to the lawsuit challenging the Five- estuaries; Coos Bay, Yaquina Bay, or Columbia Year OCS Lease Sale Program (above) and in River. Even in these ports, issues of oil spills discussions with the Secretary of the Interior within the estuary, air pollution, noise, aircraft on canceling Lease Sale #132 while the Pacific Northwest OCS Task Force and MMS conduct traffic and space-use conflicts with fishing ves- additional studies. sels would be raised and need resolution. Local comprehensive plans and implementing or- Conclusions dinances, along with some state agency per- mits, would guide decisions about shore and Recommendations facilities related to offshore development. Oregon has declared, as a statewide plan- o A Balanced National Program ning policy, a legislative policy and a policy of Oregon has been concerned that the nation- this Ocean Plan, that renewable ocean resour- al OCS leasing program has strayed from its ces must have priority over nonrenewable mandate for a balanced approach to leasing resources. Therefore, coastal and ocean renew- and instead has followed a political mandate to able resources and their uses must be protected open vast areas off the Nation's coast to in- from adverse effects from offshore oil and gas dustry with only minimal attention to exploration and development. "balance." The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Oregon is committed to a thoughtful Oil and Gas * 139 response to oil and gas issues. The 1987 tegrated into the federal process. Oregon's Con- Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act and gressional delegation should continue to sup- this Ocean Plan were designed by the Legisla- port and promote this state-federal ture to be major components of that response. coordination through both budget and program Through the Act and the process of preparing actions. this plan, Oregon has considered the entire At present, postponing, preventing, or shap- range of ocean resources and uses affecting the ing a lease sale in federal waters is largely a coast, articulated its overall ocean resources function of state-federal negotiation and politi- values, expressed its priorities for ocean cal leverage through the Congressional delega- resource use, and developed policies for future tion. Oregon prefers that OCS leasing decisions ocean management. be made through a state-federal process that Oregon has assessed available scientific in- fully considers state coastal management formation and concluded that renewable resour- responsibilities and is based on thorough inven- ces throughout the entire Ocean Stewardship tories of coastal and ocean resources and condi- Area would be at risk from offshore oil and gas tions, tough assessments of the risks and development. Resources and uses within the benefits and consideration of alternatives to state's territorial sea, including seabirds and OCS leasing. marine mammals and their habitats, beaches Alternatives to offshore leasing exist and and other recreation areas, important fishery must be fully utilized before turning to sensi- areas for commercial and recreational fishing, tive ocean areas. Oregon's ocean and coastal and estuaries, are especially vulnerable to ad- resources and values need not be jeopardized verse effects. by failure of the federal government to develop Within its own territorial sea, Oregon can those alternatives. control whether or not oil and gas exploration The goal of the Oregon Ocean Plan is to and development take place. The Oregon Legis- protect its coast and ocean resources from ad- lature has imposed a moratorium through 1995 verse effects of offshore oil and gas exploration on oil and gas activities in state waters. In and development. federal waters, Oregon has limited ability to in- fluence federal leasing decisions and must as- Recommended Policies: sert its ocean policies in a variety of forums to In State Waters: affect lease sale decisions. 1. Prohibit oil and gas exploration and develop- A fundamental difference exists between ment within the state territorial sea. the mandate of the U.S. Department of the In- Note: terior to lease for offshore oil and gas develop- nient and the goals and policies of Oregon's After the Task Force adopted this policy coastal and ocean resources management recommendation, the 1989 Oregon Legislature programs. It is essential that Oregon coor- enacted a six-year moratorium on any oil and dinate with MMS on offshore oil and gas issues gas leasing within state waters as part of especially in preliminary, prelease environmen- Senate Bill 1152. tal studies and planning work. The Pacific Minority position: Northwest OCS Task Force is the primary Consider petroleum exploration and vehicle for this coordination. It provides a development activities that do not adversely af- forum and mechanism whereby the goals and fect the ecological integrity and beneficial uses policies of the Oregon Ocean Resources of marine waters within the state territorial Management Program can be effectively in- sea. Inventories on inshore and continental 140 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan shelf areas to develop a better understanding of lished resources and potential impacts would also be Special management areas identified in the allowed under this policy. Oregon Ocean Resources Management In Federal Waters: Plan as needing protection from oil and gas 1. Call upon the Secretary of the Interior to can- activities are not offered for lease, includ- cel Lease Sale #132. ing important fishery areas listed under 2. Oppose any federal lease sale for the Ocean Fisheries Washington-Oregon OCS Planning Area 0 An oil spill prevention and response plan until at least the following conditions are for the Oregon coast has been developed on met to the satisfaction of the Oregon Ocean an interagency basis and adopted by the Policy Advisory Council: U.S. Coast Guard and the Oregon Depart- � Any lease sale is made part of a balanced ment of Environmental Quality national energy program. This program 0 Damage assessment standards and must require conservation of energy and protocols have been approved by the consider alternatives to development of oil Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and gas resources in environmentally sensi- the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and tive OCS frontier areas other responsible agencies � The rights of Pacific Northwest Indian 0 A compensation program has been estab- Tribes are considered and fully protected in lished to compensate the state and other all decisions concerning OCS leasing in the ocean users for a range of costs, including region cleanup, loss of gear, loss of resources and � Environmental studies that the Oregon opportunities Ocean Policy Advisory Council agrees are 3. Participate in the Pacific Northwest OCS necessary for prelease decisions are con- Task Force. ducted and the results analyzed, fully con- 4. Call upon the Congress to review and revise sidered, and made available for all parties the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. � State environmental standards are met. No Revisions should result in an OCS oil and degradation will be allowed which would gas program that is part of a national ener- jeopardize the ecological integrity or benefi- gy policy that requires conservation, a cial uses of marine waters affecting the management regime that gives priority con- Oregon coast sideration to renewable resources over non- � Onshore economic, social and regulatory im- renewable, and includes coastal states as pacts on local communities and govern- full partners in all OCS management ments are fully considered and appropriate decisions. monitoring and mitigation programs estab- Oil Spills * 141 Oil Spills Resources crease the risk of a catastrophic oil spill. The in- Numerous resources could be affected by a creased port and offshore activity associated coastal oil spill, including significant and exten- with oil development and production will also sive intertidal and estuarine habitats; near- increase the likelihood of minor or chronic shore fish spawning areas; coastal bird and spills. The risks to Oregon's environment over- marine mammal colonies; many endangered or all will be significantly increased. threatened organisms; wildlife sanctuaries; Vigilance and strict enforcement of existing parks and beaches; and the livelihoods of many laws can help prevent spills. As the Exxon Val- Oregonians who depend on fishing and tourism. dez incident pointed out, however, present sys- The rugged, picturesque Oregon coastline tems are inadequate to deal with a catastrophic is world famous. But the dynamic natural for- spill. Efforts are underway at all levels of ces that attract so many tourists to the coast in- government to reduce the risk of oil spills. Alas- crease the chances of a catastrophic spill and ka, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, decrease the chances of an effective response and California are all implementing legislation and cleanup. Strong winter storms are com- designed to address the problem. The four mon. Navigation is treacherous at all times. states have formed a task force with British Shipwreck sites are too numerous to count. Ex- Columbia to address inteijurisdictional oil spill perts agree that containing a spill on the issues. Oregon coast would be difficult under the best Private industry is also taking actions to of circumstances. In a winter storm, it would be reduce the risks of oil spills. For example, the impossible. American Petroleum Institute (API) recently Oregon is currently ill-prepared to respond announced that it will establish a Petroleum In- to a major oil spill, regardless of its source or dustry Response Organization (PIRO) consist- location. Existing contingency plans provide a ing of a Headquarters Group in Washington, framework for responding to spills and identify D.C., and five Regional Centers. One of the sensitive resources in some key areas, but ac- centers will be located in Seattle, with support tual response resources are woefully inade- facilities located in Portland. Regional Centers quate. will have all the equipment and expertise neces- sary to respond to a spill of 216,000 barrels of Risks oil (9,000,000 gallons). Substantial oil tanker traffic already exists All experts agree that prevention of spills is off the Oregon coast. Most of the large tankers the only way to significantly reduce the risk to are destined for California. However, medium- the environment. Once large amounts of oil are sized tankers regularly ply the Columbia River on the water, present technology cannot ade- and make occasional calls in Coos Bay. quately protect natural resources. A number of Medium-sized tankers carry enough petroleum prevention alternatives are being considered, products to cause a catastrophic spill. In addi- including double-hulled tankers, tanker rout- tion, all large ocean-going vessels carry more ing patterns, vessel tracking systems, in- than enough oil to foul many miles of Oregon's creased staffing and training of tanker crews, coastline and devastate sensitive areas. more rigorous inspections of equipment, man- Oil and gas exploration and development in datory contingency plans, and regular oil spill the Washington and Oregon OCS will only in- response exercises. Oil spill prevention must be the top policy priority for Oregon. 142 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Management Issues ocean shoreline has been addressed in such a plan. The 1989 Oregon Legislature enacted Vulnerability to a Coastal Spill Senate Bill 1039, which directs DEQ to develop Quick action, the availability of materials an oil spill response plan for the coastal waters and expertise, and the existence of a spill con- of Oregon by mid-1991. This includes the coast, tingency plan for Yaquina Bay have all been the Columbia River to Bonneville, and the Wil- given partial credit for the relatively low level lamette to Willamette Falls. SB 1039 specifical- of damage resulting from the Blue Magpie spill ly requires DEQ to work with volunteer groups, of November 1983. The Blue Magpie spill is the affected local, state, and federal agencies, and only major oil spill to occur to date on the adjacent states to develop the plan. Oregon coast. The coastal spill response plan will contain Oregon's three deep draft development es- the following components: tuaries-the Columbia River, the Yaquina Bay, 0 Computerized maps and information about and Coos Bay-have all been addressed in spill the waters of the state, showing: fish and contingency plans. However, none of Oregon's Oregon's Spill Regulations Regulations State regulations for spill containment and con- over the oil shall collect and remove the oil immedi- trol presently appear to be adequate. State law ately, or if that is not feasible, shall contain, treat, makes it illegal for any quantity of oil that would and disperse the oil. If immediate action is not produce a sheen to enter the waters of the state taken, DEQ may contract for cleanup and may from a ship or any on- or offshore facility. ORS also recover up to three times its cost to do so. states that any person owning or having control Spill Response Part of the Oregon Emergency Operations Plan munications, agency responsibilities, and resource is concerned with oil spills. Annex 0 of the plan, protection. Oregon's Oil and Hazardous Material Emergency Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Idaho, are Response Plan, outlines the authorities, respon- members of the Environmental Protection Agency's sibilities, command structure, and notification proce- Region 10 Regional Response Team (RRT). The dures for all such spills in Oregon. This plan is RRT predominantly serves to coordinate the spill complemented by spill response contingency plans response activities of thirteen federal agencies that for Oregon's three deep draft development es- make up the rest of the team. tuaries: the Columbia River, Yaquina Bay, and Coos Bay. These contingency plans address com- Coordination Annex 0 addresses the major coordination con- Now known as the States-B.C Oil Spill Task Force, cerns that are likely to arise in response to an oil the group is addressing several interstate and inter- spill. In the event of a spill on the Columbia River, national spill response coordination issues that the responsibilities of Oregon and Washington offi- arise in the course of a spill. The purpose of the cials are described in both Annex 0 and in the task force is to "...enhance existing means of Columbia River spill contingency plan. Both states prevention and explore new ones, research and im- are members of the Regional Response Team, plement means of financial recovery for both the which itself provides for coordination among agen- province and the state[s], and establish ongoing cies in the event of a spill. technology sharing." The Task Force's work is en- Early in 1989, in response to the Nestucca acci- tirely independent of the federal response teams. dent and spill, British Columbia and Washington Oregon and Washington have applied for a met to address trans-boundary spill response is- Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Section 309 sues. Oregon and Alaska were invited to participate Grant to implement the recommendations of the after the March 1989 Exxon Valdez spill, and Califor- States-B.C. Oil Spill Task Force. The proposal iden- nia has monitored the Task Force's discussions. tifies three issues - the use of dispersants, oiled Oil Spills * 143 wildlife habitats, shoreline sensitivity, the spill, coordinate with Washington and refuges and sanctuaries, recreational California, assess damages, and recover facilities, areas of economic importance, costs. water intakes and discharges, and access In addition, the plan will attempt to ad- points for responders. dress the following issues: � Identification of the resources most vul- Prevention nerable to spilled oil, a scheme for prioritiz- Prevention will be a key element in ing them for protection, and possible Oregon's spill control strategy. The extreme dif- protection methods. ficulty of containing oil once it is spilled in the � An index of potential emergency spill ocean means that prevention must be the response workers and equipment, including state's first line of defense. Existing state and sites for possible disposal of oiled debris. federal regulations will be examined along with � A strategy to evaluate the spill, notify the States/B.C. Task Force Recommendations response personnel, contain and clean up to determine what steps Oregon can take to debris disposal, and volunteer management - that Oregon's own spill response contingency planning the states intend to address in concert. California efforts would benefit greatly from the grant work. and Alaska have both been invited to participate. Damage Assessment Oregon law establishes the state's authority to shown, however, that it is difficult to agree on a assess natural resource damages from a spill. monetary value for something that has no defined Authority for damage assessment now rests jointly market value. In addition, it is nearly impossible to with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife identify all of the natural resource losses from a and the Oregon Department of Environmental spill. In practice, the expense of identifying losses Quality. has usually exceeded the cost of the damaged Oregon has not adopted a systematic method resources. for assessing natural resource damages resulting Newer damage assessment methods base the from a spill. In an emergency, Oregon would probab- calculation of damages on the amount and type of ly use the traditional approach to damage assess- oil spilled and the types of habitats impacted. ment, which attempts to place a monetary value on the organisms lost in a spill. Case after case has Liability and compensation: Section 301c of the federal Comprehensive En- limits to a spiller's liability for damages resulting vironmental Response, Compensation, and Liability from a spill, the extent of a spillers liability might be Act of 1980 (CERCLA) provides authority for the established by federal law (see also the discussion state to recover damages for injuries to natural below). resources, including the reasonable costs of assess- In 1989 the Oregon Legislature enacted SB ing such damages. 1038, which establishes financial assurance require- Oregon law provides that a party responsible ments for ships that transport oil and hazardous for injury, contamination, or destruction of fish or materials in Oregon waters. It also enacted 1-113 wildlife or associated habitat is strictly liable for the 3493, which imposes civil penalties on anyone who value of the fish or wildlife and for all costs of restor- intentionally or negligently discharges oil into ing fish and wildlife production and habitat in the Oregon waters. Penalty amounts are to be deter- areas affected by a spill. mined by the Director of the DEQ after consulting In Oregon, a spiller is strictly liable for damages with the Director of ODFW. Penalties are to be paid to persons or property without regard to fault. into an Oil Spillage Control Fund, from which ap- Damages to natural resources are not explicitly in- propriations may be made by DEQ to advance the cluded in the law. Since Oregon law neither directly costs of spill cleanup and fish and wildlife rehabilita- establishes limits nor specifies that there are no tion. 144 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan AW ;jL, R tl@ 7 Je The November 1983 wreck of the freighter Blue Magpie at Yaquina Bay demonstrated that Oregon's coast is vulnerable to oil spills from many sources. Cleanup crews worked with shovels and plastic bogs to scrape oil off the beach. (DLCD photo, 1983) prevent spills. Spill planners will work closely the best available technology. Consequently, with the Oregon Congressional delegation to en- resources have simply not been available to sure that pending legislation provides better fully address the use of volunteers at a spill. standards and enforcement. What should volunteers do? Who is liable Volunteer Monagement for injuries to volunteers while they are work- The cleanup of nearly every coastal oil spill ing at a spill? Are facilities available to shelter in recent years has been assisted by concerned the volunteers? Who is in charge? Oregon's citizens numbering into the hundreds. Rarely coastal oil spill response plan will result in lists are there facilities and expertise immediately of both volunteers and the issues surrounding available to properly use the concerned crowds. their management. The CZMA Section 309 In addition, most who show up to help need spe- grant should allow the state to develop cial training to do what many of them want to guidelines for managing volunteers. Additional do, which is to care for oiled birds and wildlife. work will be necessary to effectively implement Most spill response planning efforts focus on those guidelines, and to make citizen volun- how to protect environmental resources with Oil Spills * 145 teers a valuable component of Oregon's spillers can be held liable for damages to the en- response to a coastal oil spill. vironment. Damages to lives and property are Dispersant Guidelines addressed in Oregon law, but the limits of a Under certain conditions, substances that spiller's liability for damages to the environ- break up an oil slick into small particles that ment are not specifically addressed in state sink can be used in the very early stages of the law. If any limits on liability are established by response to a spill. Some experts maintain that state or federal law, or agreed to in internation- dispersants provide a safe and effective way to al protocols to which the United States is a sig- respond to a spill. However, the effect of using natory, they must be high enough to cover a dispersant can be as damaging to fish and resource damages, the assessment of such wildlife as the spill itself. damages, and the costs of restoration. Rules must be developed. The decision to use dispersants must be Wildlife Rehabilitation made quickly. Ideally, guidelines for making a dispersant decision are clear, and the informa- The rehabilitation of oiled wildlife is al- tion necessary to make the decision is immedi- ways a key issue in any major spill response. ately available to the spill response team. Efforts must be made to help injured wildlife. Dispersant use has been addressed in state The public's attention will be focused in this laws and rules in the past. The DEQ may area, and many people will volunteer to assist authorize the use of oil dispersants in a spill in caring for oiled wildlife. Potential rehabilita- response emergency. However, the guidelines tion centers must be identified, necessary used to determine the appropriateness of dis- equipment must be obtained, emergency proce- persant use are now dated. Under the old dures must be developed, and a cadre of volun- guidelines, the opportunity to use dispersants teers must be organized and trained. will have passed by the time the necessary in- At the present time, Oregon has no or- formation is gathered and a decision is made. ganized rehabilitation program and no New guidelinesmust be prepared. mechanism for implementing a major oiled wildlife rescue and rehabilitation effort. Plan- Damage Assessment ning efforts must address this issue. Two issues related to oil spills are how to Debris Disposal assess the damage to living resources and the Mountains of oiled debris are the inevitable environment, and how to assign value to the damaged or destroyed resources. Both are aftermath of a major spill. Disposal of this necessary for eqitable settlement of claims debris presents communities with difficult against the responsible party. Oregon does not decisions. Advance preparations can facilitate have an agreed-upon method to determine the the disposal process and overcome potential extent of natural resource damage from a spill. barriers. All alternatives need to be critically Nor has it adopted a method for assigning examined, and appropriate decisions regarding value to damaged resources. Consequently, as- methods, needed permits and variances, and ac- sessment and evaluation efforts could double ceptable sites need to be made. the cost of spill response. It could also leave the Interstate cooperation may be critical. state's determination of damages vulnerable to Therefore, agreements need to be developed legal challenges. A new methodology inust be before a crisis occurs. Oregon has not sys- developed. tematically studied the disposal of oily debris. Liability for Damages Planning efforts must focus on the problem. An associated issue is the extent to which 146 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Vessel Safety Coast Guard to require double-hulled vessels The United States Coast Guard in charged for petroleum transport in U.S. waters. There with setting and enforcing safety standards for is strong evidence that double hulls could sig- all vessels, including tankers, and for estab- nificantly reduce but not eliminate, the risk of lishing vessel traffic control systems in areas of spilled oil from tanker accidents. Implementing congested vessel activity, like San Francisco such a requirement will take time and intema- Bay. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in March, 1989, tional cooperation. reignited a move within the Congress for the Federal Oil Spill Issues As with many other natural resource issues, cumscribed by federal laws. Federal oil spill issues state laws operate within a context that is clearly cir- that are important to Oregon include the following: Spill Response Planning In October, 1989, the U.S. General Accounting most significant issue is that no single authority is Office released a report on Coast Guard Adequacy designated to ensure that oil spill contingency plan- of Preparation and Response to Exxon Valdez Oil ning preparations are adequate. U.S. Coast Guard Spill (GAO/RCED-90-44). The report identifies officials the absence of such authority is "...the most several issues and offers some items that might be significant limiting factor in the contingency planning considered for Congressional action. Among the process." Oil Spill Ualbillity At present, a patchwork of federal laws pertain tion laws do not limit a spiller's liability. The Senate to oil spills. While there is general recognition that has not wanted to preempt state no-limit liability comprehensive legislation is needed to more ade- laws, while the House has wanted to override state quately address liability and compensation for spills, liability provisions. Congress has been stuck for fifteen years on the In 1989 the House and Senate finally came to issue of whether to preempt state liability limits. agreement on preemption, and both houses passed Since 1975 the U.S. Congress has tried to pass bills that do not preempt state liability laws. Issues comprehensive oil spill liability legislation. Common the conference committee needs to address in 1990 wisdom held that a catastrophic spill was necessary are whether to mandate double hulls on oil tankers, to settle differences between the Senate and the and whether to implement international oil spill House. As expected, the March 1989 Exxon Valdez protocols. (The House would require double hulls im- spill appears to have broken the deadlock. mediately and require implementation of internation- At issue has been whether federal laws should al protocols. The Senate would wait for another preempt state laws that establish financial respon- study on double hulls, and would not implement in- sibilities for spill cleanup and compensation. At least ternational protocols.) Differences over the interna- 17 of the 24 states that have liability and compensa- tional protocols are concerned, again, with the liability limits that can be established by the states. Cleanup Costs Of the four federal laws that address oil spills, Exxon Valdez spill, the fund had only $4 million. the Clean Water Act is the most comprehensive. The size of the fund was a factor in the Coast However, a revolving fund it established to pay Guard's decision not to take over spill cleanup ef- cleanup and restoration costs beyond a spiller's forts. Exxon had far more money than did the Coast liability is severely underfunded. At the time of the Guard to manage spill response. Establishing Liability At present, federal law requires proof of gross feel that the potential for punitive damages could negligence, rather than mere negligence, to estab- motivate spill response and cleanup efforts. V* lish liability for spill damages. In addition, damages at present do not include punitive damages; some Oil Spills * 147 Conclusions and 6. Insist that federal laws be changed to clearly Recommendations remove all limitations on the liability of any party responsible for spilling oil or haz- Every effort must be made to prevent oil ardous materials into the waters of the spills from occuring in Oregon's coastal and state. ocean waters. 7. Coordinate with other coastal states to en- Despite preventive measures, Oregon must courage the U.S. Congress to designate the plan for a coastal oil spill that would over- U.S. Coast Guard as the sole federal agen- whelm every available means for immediate cy with authority to review industry spill response. prevention and response plans for ade- Oregon is preparing a coastal oil spill quacy. response contingency plan to protect sensitive 9. Oregon's coastal oil spill prevention and resources and address critical oil spill issues. response plan shall be a part of the state's Oregon is a participant in a regional oil territorial sea plan. spill task force that also includes the states of NeededActions. Washington and Alaska and the Province of 0 The Department of Environmental Quality British Columbia. should work with other state agencies, ad- Recommended Policies jacent states, federal agencies, industry rep- 1. Emphasize strategies to prevent spills from resentatives, and Oregonians to: occuring in Oregon waters. 0 Update existing spill contingency plans, 2. Commit sufficient resources to maintain ongo- and develop spill contingency plans for all ing spill planning activities so that plans the remaining estuaries and the entire can be updated, expanded, and exercised on Oregon coastline. a continual basis. 0 Ensure that oil spill contingency plans iden- 3. Promote efforts within industry to assure tify spill prevention strategies. that oil spill -response equip-ment and 0 Identify opportunities to establish wildlife trained cleanup personnel will be available rehabilitation centers on short notice in the to respond immediately to a spill during event of a spill. any activity involving petroleum produc- 0 Identify methods to manage volunteers tion or transport in Oregon waters. who want to assist in oil spill cleanup ef- 4. Emphasize the importance of policies and forts. strategies for dealing with wildlife 0 Identify the means for disposing of oily rehabilitation, oiled debris disposal, volun- debris from the cleanup of an oil spill. teer management, damage assessment, and dispersant use. 0 Develop a policy for the use of dispersants 5. Ensure that any party engaging in petroleum and other oil reactive agents. If the policy exploration, production, storage, or allows their use, adopt a clear protocol or transport in or near Oregon waters shall guidelines to govern their use in an emer- develop and acquire approval from the ap- gency spill response. propriate authority for oil spill contingency 0 Develop a comprehensive damage assess- plans. The foremost plan element shall ment strategy so that a value can be placed demonstrate that all possible steps have on damaged natural resources; appropriate been taken to prevent spills from occurring. fees or fines can be assessed; and suitable restoration measures can be taken. 148 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Damage assessment work must also sitivity to spilled oil, and guidelines for develop realistic criteria to be used to deter- various cleanup techniques. mine when a site has been sufficiently The Territorial Sea Plan should also in- cleaned up. clude policies and standards for oil spill con- � Seek continuous funding for contingency tingency plan requirements, the use of plan development, updating, and exercising. dispersants, liability limits, damage assess- � Seek commitment from industry to develop ment, and compensation, that are enforce- and maintain necessary response able in Oregon waters. capabilities. El With the assistance of the Attorney The Ocean Policy Advisory Council should: General, the Ocean Policy Advisory Council should: 0 Incorporate major elements of the coastal oil spill prevention and response plan into 0 Investigate the need, feasibility, and the territorial sea plan. These elements in- legality of requiring bonding to engage in clude a site specific inventory of shoreline, offshore oil and gas exploration and estuarine, and intertidal areas, their sen- development. Marine Minerals 9 149 Marine Minerals Resources Gold was recovered from the beach at Gold Significant mineral resources may exist in Beach and Whiskey Run, north of Bandon, both state and federal waters off Oregon's from the mid-1800s until the early twentieth coast. Concentrations of chromium, titanium, century. During World War II some 450,000 garnet, gold, and other precious "black sand" tons of raw chromite-rich sands were mined minerals are found off the southern Oregon from terrace deposits north of Bandon which coast as placer deposits on the ocean floor. eventually yielded about 52,000 tons of con- Titanium-rich sands occur on beaches along centrated black sands, of which 37-39 percent the entire Oregon coast. Some gravel deposits was chromite. These upland deposits are also exist. Polymetallic sulfide mineral deposits thought to be similar to offshore deposits. with iron, lead, copper and zinc may exist in Oregon's offshore placer mineral deposits the Gorda Ridge area in deep water nearly 100 are discussed more fully in the Oregon Ocean miles off Cape Blanco. Book and the Task Force's Interim Report sum- The Oregon Department of Geology and mer, 1988. Mineral Industries (DOGMI) has published Risks Mineral Resources Map, Offshore Oregon (GMS- Environmental Considerations 37) which locates and describes the mineral resources offshore Oregon. Because the locations of these surface black sand deposits are fairly well known, it is pos- Black Sand Placer Deposits sible to begin to describe the biologic resources The black sands deposits off Cape Blanco and environmental conditions which must be and the Rogue River are of highest interest at considered if Oregon ever chooses to allow com- present. These deposits appear to be con- mercial mineral exploration or development. centrated in areas where the water is less than The-two largest known areas of possible placer 100 meters deep. They lie within both state deposits are located off the southern Oregon and federal waters and have been sampled only coast. One stretches from Cape Sebastian on the surface of the ocean floor. No core north past the Rogue River from nearshore samples have been taken to determine thick- seaward of Rogue Reef. The other is off the tip ness or composition. A program of limited core of Cape Blanco on the north side of Blanco Reef. sampling to determine deposit thickness to Within or adjacent to these areas are a about thirty meters is planned for fall, 1990 by diversity of living marine resources and other a joint state-federal task force (see below). ocean uses. The rocks and islands of the Rogue Placer deposits were created by repeated Reef, Orford Reef and Blanco Reef and other sorting and reworking of sediments flushed rocks nearer shore are within the Oregon Is- from the ancestral Siskiyou Mountains. Wave lands National Wildlife Refuge. All provide im- action and longshore ocean currents carried portant habitat for seabirds and marine away lighter sand grains and left concentra- mammals and many are listed in this Ocean tions of the heavier grains at various locations Plan as sensitive bird and mammal habitat. along the coast. This process was apparently Several rocks in Rogue and Orford Reefs are repeated several times at successive sea levels critical pupping and rearing areas for the since the last ice age. Northern Sea Lion, now listed by the U.S. Fish These deposits occur on beaches and and Wildlife Service as a threatened species. uplifted coastal terraces of the Oregon coast. The combination of submerged rocks and -tuft see', bgUe RLM FAd 0 Heavy Mineral Samples Measured as a Percent of Sand Fraction '4" +30% Cape Fermro :21% - 30% 0 0 :11% - 20% 6% 10% 1% 5% Map Scale 1:405,000 Marine Minerals & 151 reefs with sandy and muddy bottoms within mouth of the Rogue River. This towboat lane is this area provides rich, varied habitat for fish used by towboats pulling barges along the coast and shellfish. Many of these species are com- and results from an agreement between tow- mercially important including Dungeness crab, boat operators and the crab fishing industry to pink shrimp, sea urchins, petrale, English and establish towboat lanes to avoid crab gear los- Dover sole, lingeod, and several species of rock- ses. Off Cape Blanco, this towboat lane passes fish. Coho and Chinook salmon stocks from the several miles seaward of the known placer Elk, Sixes, Rogue and other rivers to the south deposit areas. pass through these areas as seagoing smolts Needed Research and again as returning adults. The marine environment off the southern Strong summer winds produce significant Oregon coast is not well studied. Major re- upwelling along the southern Oregon coast. search is needed on environmental conditions, This upwelling brings cold, nutrient-rich ecology of marine life, and the mineral deposits. waters to the surface which provides food for Ocean circulation in this region is virtually phytoplankton blooming in the strong summer unstudied. Upwelling and the effects of Cape sunlight. The oceanic environment is therefore Blanco on the flow of nearshore and offshore highly productive. ocean currents are not well known. Bottom cur- Existing Ocean Users rents, both longshore and cross-shelf, need to From late spring through the summer a sig- be studied. The action of storms which stir sedi- nificant recreational and commercial Coho and ments from the bottom and other seasonal tur- Chinook salmon fishery is centered on the bidity factors need further research. region from Cape Blanco to Cape Sebastian. Biological studies of bottom dwelling crea- This fishery is highly managed by the Pacific tures which live in sediments both in and near Fishery Management Council and any addition- mineral areas are needed. The use of these al management considerations posed by marine areas as spawning or nursery areas for fish mineral operations will undoubtedly be con- species needs to be known. The activities of troversial. marine mammals and seabirds and use of food Other commercial fisheries exist at various sources in the region must be more fully under- times throughout the year in the region. These stood. include crabbing, groundfish and mid-water The mineral deposits themseves need fur- trawling. The exact location of these fisheries ther study to determine size, thickness, and varies but most use the areas of placer deposits mineral composition. Other geologic factors at one time or another. A sea urchin fishery tar- also need study including thickness and com- gets the submerged rocks of Rogue, Orford and position of unwanted sediments and stability of Blanco Reefs. Important Fishery Areas are surrounding sediments. identified in the Ocean Fisheries section and in- No comprehensive research program has clude Rogue Canyon, Coquille Bank, and areas been prepared to guide field studies and re- off Cape Blanco. This Plan recommends that search to ensure that a balance of information nonrenewable resource use be prohibited in is obtained. Two recent studies will provide a these areas. basis for such a research plan: Management of Navigation is principal existing use of the Living Marine Resources, A Research Plan for ocean in some areas where placer deposits the Washington and Oregon Continental Mar- exist. A two mile-wide towboat lane passes gin, November, 1989, Oregon Department of directly over an area of major black sand con- Fish and Wildlife, and An Assessment of En- centration about three to four miles off the vironmental and Biological Impacts of Placer 152 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Mining on the Southern Oregon Coast, Oregon tion contracts. Because of unresolved issues State University College of Oceanography for and lack of information related to marine the state-federal placer task force. Additional minerals, DSL has agreed with the recommen- research needs are identified in this plan in the dations of this Plan to defer consideration of section on Ocean Research and Information. any commercial exploration for at least five Management Concerns years. Even if exploration contracts were to be is- State Regulations for Minerals sued, current law makes it clear that DSL can- Just as the state is in the beginning stages not go beyond exploration contracts until of leaming about offshore minerals, so too is several key steps are taken. First, new legisla- the state beginning to fully consider the kinds tion would be necessary to build an appropriate of laws and regulations that would be neces- regulatory regime. Second, the State Land sary to protect renewable marine resources. Board could only approve mineral mining Many questions remain unanswered about which is consistent with an adopted manage- mineral deposits, environmental conditions, ment plan for Oregon's territorial sea. Third, and effects of exploration and development. As proposals for leasing must be reviewed and ap- these questions are answered, Oregon will be proved against the requirements of Goal 19 for able to better determine the quality and quan- which administrative rules have not been tity of the minerals, whether mineral develop- developed by the Department of Land Conser- ment is appropriate, and if so, what regulations vation and development. are needed. Oregon should proceed cautiously, e Goal 19 insuring that the regulatory framework Statewide Planning Goal 19, Ocean Resour- developed provides effective public controls ces, requires that scientific inventory informa- over all phases of private mineral activities. tion must be used to assess effects from Senate Bill 606: Exploration Contracts proposed actions. Administrative rules are 1987 Senate Bill 606 (now ORS 274.611- needed to spell out the requirements of such an .640) allows, but does not require, the Division inventory and effects assessment for all phases of State Lands (DSL) to enter into exploration of marine mineral exploration and develop- contracts with private companies to explore for ment. When adopted by Land Conservation minerals. Meant to encourage limited industry and Development Commission, these rules will exploration for minerals in order to increase provide a yardstick for interagency review of the state's information base, the law requires proposals for exploration contracts and other that all information be released to the state. If private mineral activities. DSL were to consider entering into exploration Federal Marine Mineral Program contracts, the law requires DSL to make exten- The U.S. Department of the Interior has sive determinations under ORS 274.760 about jurisdiction over mineral leasing, exploration environmental impacts from exploration. In ad- and development activities in federal waters dition, DSL would have to make an assessment beyond the state's three-mile territorial sea. of environmental and socio-economic effects of The Minerals Management Service (MMS) ad- exploration under Statewide Planning Goal 19, ministers the federal marine mineral program Ocean Resources, prior to any exploration con- under provisions of the Outer Continental tract. Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and has adopted DSL has not entered into any exploration regulations for mineral leasing and for mineral contracts and has not adopted any administra- exploration and development. tive rules or regulations for considering explora- MMS has not offered any leases for placer Marine Minerals 9 153 minerals off Oregon. In 1984, MMS announced Oregon Continental Margin by Nick Wetzel its intention to bold a lease sale on the Gorda and Scott Stebbins of the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Ridge for polyrnetallic sulfide minerals. That The placer task force coordinated a field lease sale was cancelled after the Environmen- program of limited core sampling in fall, 1990, tal Impact Statement revealed that this off Cape Blanco and the Rogue River to obtain proposal was premature and unwarranted. more information about the thickness and com- Coastal states, environmental organiza- position of deposits. Biologic and oceanographic tions and private industry have long com- studies were carried out at the same time. plained that the OCSLA is designed to meet Results of this program will provide the State the needs of the offshore oil and gas industry of Oregon, MMS, and the public with better in- and is not suited to marine mineral needs. formation on mineral deposits and environmen- These groups have advocated that Congress tal considerations off the south coast. pass new laws more appropriate to the uncer- Public Concerns tainties and risks of marine mineral explora- Varied Public Perspectives tion and development. State-Federcil Task Forces Oregonians differ on the issue of marine minerals. Many oppose marine minerals ex- In 1984, in response to Interior's proposal ploration and development altogether. Others for a lease sale on Gorda Ridge, Oregon agreed want better information but are concerned that to join California and the MMS in a technical exploration by industry would inevitably lead task force to examine scientific and technical to commercial mining. Some would support implications of a lease sale on Gorda Ridge. A commercial exploration with proper environ- team of scientists subsequently conducted mental restrictions. Most support university several annual summer research dives on the and government research programs, although Gorda Ridge and concluded that leasing was these are chronically short of adequate re- premature. The MMS has officially terminated search funds. its leasing process. Some are concerned that minerals informa- In late 1988, a state-federal placer task tion will outstrip biologic and environmental in- force was formed by Oregon and MMS to assess formation and that the state will be existing information and examine technical is- overwhelmed by momentum to proceed with sues related to placer mineral deposits off development. Others point out that Oregon has Oregon. That task force has released three existing controls but must enact others, includ- reports through the Oregon Department of ing the clear ability to completely stop the Geology and Mineral Industries: process at any time. An Assessment of Environmental and Lack of Information Biological Impacts of Placer Mining on the Oregon must have a great deal more infor- Southern Oregon Coast, by Susan Ross, Oregon mation before making any decisions about State University College of Oceanography. whether or not marine mineral development Preliminary Evaluation of Heavy Mineral would be in the best interests of the state, local Content of Continental Shelf Placer Deposits off communities and the ocean environment. At Cape Blanco, Rogue River, and Umpqua River present there is not enough biologic, by LaVerne Kulm and Curt Peterson, Oregon oceanographic, or geologic information avail- State University College of Oceanography. able to fully assess risks and benefits. In filling A Preliminary Economic Appraisal of Poten- these information gaps, Oregon must obtain a tial Heavy Mineral Placer Deposits Along the balance of information about biologic resources and environmental conditions as well as 154 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan marine minerals. Information should be suffi.- State-Federal Placer Task Force might obtain cient to allow Oregon to prescribe permit additional information about marine placer terms, conditions and stipulations on all phases deposits which could set off a "gold rush" that of commercial mineral activities. Oregon could not control and which would lead o Environmental Impacts inevitably to mining. These members felt that Coastal residents, local governments, and any field research, even if conducted by agency state and federal agencies are concerned about scientists and universities, should be cancelled potential adverse impacts from marine mineral outright as premature or postponed until a com- mining, These impacts could be minor and tem- prehensive research program could be prepared porary or they could be major and long-lasting. which balanced environmental with mineral in- Impacts depend on a variety of factors: the size, formation. location, and timing of mining operations, the This minority position was retained even dynamics of the ocean in the operations area, after the majority of the Task Force agreed to the physical setting and mineral characteristics prohibit any commercial exploration contracts of the deposits and the nature and value of the until additional environmental and mineral in- marine resources in the affected area. formation was acquired to allow state and It is possible that commercial fishing or federal agencies to make a decision about crabbing could be temporarily disrupted. Fish whether or not commercial exploration was habitat in the mining area may be altered. desirable or possible. The minority remained Marine mammals could be affected by noise convinced that Oregon should not condone and disturbance. Mining excavations could publicly funded academic research to gain more modify wave approach to the shoreline and information about marine minerals and the cause erosion of beaches and cliffs. These pos- marine environment even when all results sible effects require that Oregon proceed were made available to the public. cautiously. Minority Position B: Encourage o Continued State-Federal Coordination Commercial Exploration Oregon must also be mindful of federal Several Task Force members argued that government interests in these same black sand Oregon should not only allow public research deposits adjacent to Oregon's territorial sea but should encourage commercial exploration boundary. Because exploration or mining in under the conditions outlined by existing state these areas could directly affect Oregon's ocean law, Senate Bill 606. These members felt that resources, state and federal agencies must the Task Force bad an obligation to prepare a cooperate to ensure that programs are com- plan which would carry out Legislative policy patible. Such efforts, already begun with the to "encourge ocean resources development current state-federal placer task force, will which is environmentally sound and economi- need to continue to ensure a coordinated cally beneficial". This minority argued that ad- ditional information is needed to gauge both cautious, marine mineral program for both the environmental or economic aspects of state and federal waters. marine mineral development and that without Spectrum of Positions the participation of industry, no real assess- Minority Position A: No Further Re- ment of either would occur. Industry will not search commit resources to exploration off Oregon if in- A minority of Task Force members centives, such as the "preference righVin exist- reflected the views of some concerned citizens ing state law, are not provided. These members that research planned for Fall, 1990, by the felt that the majority Task Force policy also contradicts another legislative policy to Marine Minerals e 155 "promote research and development of new, in- minerals. The territorial sea plan should also novative marine technologies for exploration include a comprehensive framework research and utilization of ocean resources." program for marine minerals and related Majority Position: Public Research Will biologic and environmental factors. Help Build Information Base The state should not enter into exploration The majority of the Task Force felt that contracts with private industry under current scientific research funded by public agencies is law for at least five years enabling state agen- needed to obtain information upon which to cies and the public to obtain better information base future decisions. The majority reasoned through public means, refine policies and to that Oregon has sufficient safeguards to develop regulations. In addition, no commercial preclude a headlong rush to commercial exploration contracts should be permitted until development of mineral resources if publicly the law is amended to make clear that an ex- funded field research indicates significant ploration contract does not obligate the state in mineral resources. The majority was convinced any way to enter into mineral leases even if the that while it is premature for Oregon to enter company wishes to convert an exploration per- into commercial exploration contracts with in- mit to a lease. Oregon must be able to stop the dustry, additional fundamental information is process completely after a commercial explora- desirable and should be obtained through tion permit. academic and agency scientists. This additional Certain areas should be off limits to com- information will allow Oregon to decide mercial mineral exploration and development. whether to enter into any commercial explora- These include Important Fishery Areas iden- tion contracts, and if so, where, when and how. tified in the Ocean Fisheries section, and areas The majority also felt that Oregon should not, within three miles of sensitive offshore rocks as public policy, oppose or prohibit public and islands as identified in the secion on academic research and scientific inquiry mere- Marine Birds and Mammals. ly because of speculation about how the infor- Oregon should continue to coordinate with niation might be used. The majority also noted federal agencies on marine minerals and en- that the public research will allow Oregon to vironmental research and should seek a strong keep pace with federal agencies interested in state role managing all marine mineral resour- marine mineral resources in federal waters ad- ces off Oregon. New federal legislation is re- jacent to Oregon. quired to establish a federal marine minerals Conclusions regime compatible with the goals and policies and Recommendations of this Oregon Ocean Resources Management Plan. Oregon needs additional information on Recommended Policies marine mineral deposits and environmental conditions even before making decisions about 1. Prohibit commercial exploration contracts commercial exploration. Oregon should con- under Senate Bill 606 (ORS 274.611-640) tinue a cautious, step-wise approach to develop for at least five years. marine minerals policies and gather informa- 2. Amend ORS 274.611-640 to clarify that an ex- tion without committing the state to future ploration contract neither confers mineral development. proprietary rights to any minerals found Oregon should use the process of preparing nor obligates the state to proceed with any a plan for Oregon's territorial sea to refine and steps toward mineral leasing or develop- clarify policies and programs on marine ment. 156 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 3. Clarify and refine state marine mineral above: policies in the territorial sea plan. a. Encourage academic and public agency 4. Include in the territorial sea plan a research scientific research to characterize both marine plan for academic and public agency re- mineral resources and nearby biologic com- search related to marine minerals, environ- munities and environmental conditions within mental conditions, biologic resources and a comprehensive research program that is socio-economic conditions. designed to determine the costs and benefits of 5. Require an inventory and effects assessment marine mineral mining. under Statewide Planning Goal 19, Ocean b. Prohibit all academic, public and private Resources, prior to any commercial explora- agency scientific research or exploration that is tion contracts and require that the not consistent with the comprehensive research proposed exploration plan, if approved by program for marine minerals. appropriate state and federal agencies, con- Needed Actions tains necessary terms, conditions and 0 Oregon's plan for the territorial sea should: stipulations to avoid adverse impacts from 0 Include a research plan for marine exploration activities. minerals, related environment and biologi- 6. As called for in the section on Marine Birds cal resources, and socio-economic condi- and Mammals, prohibit exploration and tions to guide academic and public agency development of marine minerals within scientific research three miles of all nearshore rocks and is- lands until Oregon completes a plan for the 0 Include policies and criteria for future state territorial sea which includes an evaluation administrative rules related to commercial of the sensitivity of specific marine bird exploration of marine mineral areas and mammal populations and their 0 Delineate areas where more public re- habitats and provides specific protection search is needed, where future commercial measures. During this plan preparation exploration, if any, should be focused, and and evaluation period, academic and public where other marine resources and uses agency scientific research related to marine should be protected from mineral-related minerals will be allowed within three miles activities of the nearshore rocks and islands if the 0 The Oregon Legislature should amend ORS Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 274.611-640 to clarify that an exploration determines that these activities will not ad- contract neither confers proprietary rights versely affect sensitive marine bird or mam- to any minerals found nor obligates the mal populations or their habitats. state to proceed with any steps toward 7. Prohibit commercial mineral exploration and mineral leasing or development. development in Important Fishery Areas as 0 The Division of State Lands should: identified in the Ocean Plan. 0 Take appropriate action to make clear that 8. Use the adopted policies of the Oregon Ocean ORS 274.611-640 will not be implemented Resources Management Plan to coordinate for at least five years and until the law is all state and federal marine mineral ac- clarified tivities. 0 If administrative rules are prepared to Minority Position carry out ORS 274.611-640, provide for a A minority of the Task Force recommend Project Review Panel with the Department that the following substitute for Policy #4, of Fish and Wildlife as lead agency to Marine Minerals * 157 review and approve an inventory and en- Minority Position vironmental affects assessment under Goal A minority of the Task Force recommend 19, Ocean Resources the following Needed Actions: 0 The Department of Land Conservation and a. The Division of State Lands, in coopera- Development should prepare administra- tion with the Oregon Department of Fish and tive rules to carry out Statewide Planning Wildlife and Department of Geology and Goal 19, Ocean Resources, including rules Mineral Industries, should develop a com- for an inventory and effects assessment. prehensive research plan for academic and 0 The Governor should work with the Con- public agencies to characterize marine mineral gress to pass legislation for a new national resources and nearby biologic communities and marine minerals regime which requires environmental conditions to determine the coordination with state ocean resources costs and benefits of marine mineral develop- programs and encourages evaluation of ment. marine mineral resources without prema- b. The state should postpone the proposed turely committing public resources to minerals research program scheduled for sum- private development. mer, 1990, until a comprehensive research pro- gram is adopted. 158 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 0 i Geffoing the Work Done Tools for Governing 161 Information and Education 181 Citizen Involvement 185 Research 189 1 1 159 160 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Tools for Governing 9 161 Tools for Governing Territorial Sea Plan Ocean Policy Advisory Council Project Review Panels Coastal Local Governments State Agency Programs Interstate Coordination State-Federal Partnership T he 1987 Oregon Legislature took a visionary step toward ensuring the long- erm conservation of Oregon's ocean resources. It established the Oregon Ocean Resources Management Task Force and charged it with preparing a plan for managing ocean uses and resources. The Legislature asked for two kinds of recom- mendations; those for conserving and protecting ocean resources and those needed to improve Oregon's ocean management capability. In so doing, the Legislature recognized that merely completing a plan will not be enough. Oregon will need to build an ocean management structure to carry out the plan, to update the plan to keep it current, and to amend it to meet new needs. The Ocean Resources Management Plan need to take to meet its ocean resource manage- provides Oregon with a blueprint for building ment responsibilities. an ocean management program. This section Governance refers to the ways in which the describes the parts and the steps Oregon will State of Oregon will organize to make complex 162 # Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan and sensitive decisions about ocean resources. tion and with adjacent states, to insure effec- Governance recognizes that ocean stewardship tive participation in federal agency planning and conservation of ocean resources involves and management of ocean resources and uses which may affect this state, and to coordinate the interests, concerns, and knowledge of many state agency management of ocean resources diverse groups. Citizens, local governments, in- with local government management of coas- terest groups, marine scientists, the fishing in- tal shorelands and resources. dustry, state and federal agencies, the The Legislature required that the Ocean Governor and the Legislature must all be Resources Management Plan include recom- linked in a comprehensive management mendations "for a permanent ocean resources framework. planning and management process..." as well In the past, Oregon has not had a as recommendations on other aspects of ocean framework for ocean governance. Many agen- governance. cies, groups and individuals had interests in Oregon should take the following steps to ocean resources but there was no structure to improve its ocean governance capability: bring them all together. 0 Prepare a more detailed plan for Oregon's One of the principal purposes of the Oregon territorial sea Ocean Resources Management Act was to im- 0 Establish an ongoing Ocean Policy Ad- prove the management of ocean resources of in- visory Council terest and concern to Oregon. The Legislature 0 Convene Project Review Panels recognized that sound management requires a system of governance so that all interested par- 0 Strengthen local government participation ties can effectively participate. The Legislature 0 Improve state agency programs found that 0 Coordinate with adjacent coastal states It is important that the State of Oregon 0 Work with federal agencies to build a co- develop and maintain a program of ocean resources management to promote and insure management approach to ocean resource coordinated management of living and non- management living marine resources within statejurisdic- Tools for Governing e 163 The Territorial Sea Plan Legislative Charge volved in resolving more specific planning The 1987 Oregon Legislature anticipated a issues in the territorial sea. This is especial- second phase in Oregon's ocean planning which ly true of the public which is keenly inter- would focused on the three-mile territorial sea. ested in ocean issues. The Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act 0 Third, state agencies involved in ocean (ORS 196) required that the State Land Board resources management are just beginning adopt a more specific plan for "management of to forge a coordinated consultation process the resources and uses of the submerged and for sound integrated decision-making. The submersible lands of state territorial sea consis- experience gained in developing the ocean tent with ... the policies and recommendations of plan will be highly valuable in developing the Oregon Ocean Resources Management the territorial sea plan. Plan." The territorial sea plan was required to 0 Fourth, the legislative deadline for plan be completed by July 1, 1991 and will become completion does not allow sufficient time to "the basis for rules to be adopted by the gather additional information, discuss and Division of State Lands." resolve issues and prepare more specific Rethinking the Plan recommendations. In 1987, legislators and others expected Legislation will be necessary to amend the that the Oregon Ocean Resources Management specific requirements of ORS 196, related to Plan would contain more detail and specific the territorial sea plan. recommendations for the entire ocean planning Plan Topics area than has, in fact, been possible with the in- Some of the topics which the territorial sea formation available, time, and resources al- plan should address are: lotted. Preparation of a management plan for the territorial seabed for adoption by the State Marine birds and mammal Land Board was expected to have been a rela- habitat areas tively simple process based on the specifica- A territorial sea plan would provide a sig- tions in the ocean plan. nificant opportunity to improve protection of After developing this ocean plan, Oregon sensitive marine bird and mammal populations must now take the "next step" in ocean plan- and to develop management programs tailored ning and prepare a more specific plan for the to the needs of each site. The planning process territorial sea. However, this plan must now be should refine criteria, document and analyze in- thought of more broadly than envisioned in formation, and develop site-specific measures. 1987 for several major reasons: The Department of Fish and Wildlife � First, the most controversial issues concern should be the lead agency and work with U.S. resources and uses nearsbore and have Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine been resolved only at the broad policy level. Fisheries Service. These agencies should coor- More detailed information is needed to sup- dinate with fishermen, Sea Grant Marine Ex- port discussion and negotiation of manage- tension Agents, local governments, and citizens. ment proposals for specific sites. Intertidal areas � Second, a wide range of participants and in- (Intertidal Marine Gardens) terested parties must continue to be in- The territorial sea plan process should 164 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan begin with the list of sites identified in the denied access to the site. The Ocean Plan does Ocean Resources Management Plan to develop not address this issue in any detail. The ter- a program for marine gardens. The plan should ritorial sea plan process should go further and address public information and education lay out the groundrules for state policy. needs as a major component of a marine gar- The Division of State Lands, as the dens program. proprietor of the seabed, and the Department The Department of Fish and Wildlife of Fish and Wildlife should be the lead agencies should be the lead agency and work with the on this issue. Park and Recreation Department, Division of Artificial Reefs State Lands, OSU Sea Grant, local govern- The Ocean Plan does not address issues ments, and citizens. pertaining to artificial reefs. The territorial sea Off spffl response plan is an opportunity for Oregon to seek addi- Key elements of Oregon's coastal oil spill tional information and develop policy to guide plan being developed by the Department of En- requests for placement of reefs. vironmental Quality should be included in the The Department of Fish and Wildlife territorial sea plan. These include, at a mini- should be the lead agency with the fishing in- mum, a site specific inventory of shoreline, es- dustry, local governments and the Division of tuarine, and intertidal areas, their sensitivity State Lands key participants. to spilled oil and the preferences or limitations of various clean up techniques. Recreation and Cultural Resources The territorial sea plan should also include The territorial sea plan should address in- enforceable policies and standards for oil spill water recreational needs and limitations in contingency plan requirements, use of disper- Oregon's nearshore areas as well an overview sants liability limits, damage assessment and of all coastal recreational opportunities and compensation within Oregon waters. The needs. The plan is an opportunity for the state Department of Environmental Quality is the Parks and Recreation Department, local lead agency for a coastal oil spill prevention governments, and the public to make a more and response plan. precise assessment about the need for and loca- tion of marine parks and development of other Marine Water and Air Quality coastal recreation resources while protecting The territorial sea plan should address the shoreline environment. specific marine water and air quality needs, in- Dredged Material Disposal cluding such issues as water quality standards, Dredged material disposal is regulated by baseline and monitoring programs, and coor- federal permits through the U.S. Army Corps dination with federal agencies. The Depart- of Engineers at designated ocean dump sites. ment of Environmental is the lead agency for The territorial sea plan should review the ade- marine water and air quality issues. quacy of siting criteria and dumping practices, Leases for Cultivating or Harvesting determine whether those sites should be desig- Marine Plants and Animals nated by the state and make recommendations Whether Oregon ought to enter into leases for state agency policy. for cultivating or harvesting marine plants and The Division of State Lands, Department of animals on the ocean floor may be questions in- Fish and Wildlife, Department of Land Conser- creasingly raised in the coming years. Leases vation and Development, Department of En- convey certain benefits to some ocean users vironmental Quality and U.S. Army Corps of and may result in some loss to others who are Tools for Governing * 165 Engineers should be main participants on this Commission as part of Oregon's Coastal issue. Management Program. Marine Minerals Conclusions The territorial sea plan should include a The Ocean Resources Management Plan framework research plan to guide study and re- completes the first phase of scoping issues, search needs for marine mineral decisions. gathering information, developing policies and The Division of State Lands and Depart- identifying needed actions within the 200-mile ment of Fish and Wildlife would be co-leads on U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone off Oregon. work related to marine minerals. Other state Oregon needs to continue its ocean plan- and federal agencies and local governments ning program to focus on the state's territorial would also participate. sea. Within this critical area of state control, Preparing the Plan few issues have in-depth treatment. Several The territorial sea planning process should major issues must be resolved for uses, resour- be viewed as a continuation of the work begun ces, and specific areas within Oregon's three- by the Ocean Resources Management Plan. All mile territorial sea. participants in the ocean resources manage- Recommendations ment planning process should be provided with 1. Oregon should prepare a management plan clear opportunities to participate in the ter- for the state's territorial sea based on the ritorial sea plan process. The proposed Ocean needs and recommendations of this Ocean Policy Advisory Council is an appropriate Resources Management Plan. forum for ensuring that the plan is developed through an interdisciplinary, interjurisdiction- 2. The proposed Ocean Policy Advisory Council al, public process. should coordinate preparation of the ter- A number of difficult and complex issues ritorial sea plan and should continue the in- should be addressed by the territorial sea plan. terdisciplinary, interagency, public process The original statutory deadline of July 1, 1991, begun during preparation of the Ocean does not leave sufficient time to resolve sensi- Resources Management Plan. tive issues and agree to workable plan ele- 3. The 1991 Oregon Legislature should: ments. Solutions will require careful work 0 Establish the Ocean Policy Advisory Coun- among several state, local, and federal agen- cil, as proposed cies, interests groups, and the public. Legisla- 0 Amend state law to broaden the scope and tion is needed to amend state law to provide extend the preparation time for the ter- additional time. ritorial sea plan Status of the Plan 0 Provide budget support to the plan process The territorial sea plan should be adopted to ensure citizen involvement, public educa- by the Land Conservation and Development tion, and state agency participation 166 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Managment Plan The Ocean Policy Advisory Council Legislative Charge visory committee and, if necessary, other ad- The Oregon Ocean Resources Management visory committees would provide advice and as- Act requires the Ocean Plan to contain recom- sistance. mendations concerning a permanent ocean An advisory body will need staff assistance. resources planning and management process, ORS 196 designates the Department of Land including: Conservation and Development as the primary � Options for an advisory coordinating body agency for coordination of ocean resources plan- to succeed the Task Force. ning activities. DLCD is the appropriate agen- cy to provide staff assistance to an advisory � Advisory committees. body. � The roles of the Governor, state and federal Conclusions agencies, local governments, citizens, and other interested parties. Oregon should continue its ocean resources � A process to update and amend the ocean management program with a broadly repre- plan. sentative body, as described in option three, rather than a more limited one. The Task Force Options for a is an appropriate model for a permanent Ocean Coordinating Body Policy Advisory Council. It would provide a forum for state agencies, ocean users, coastal While there are a wide variety of pos- local governments, citizens and interest groups sibilities for an ocean advisory body, three op- on ocean resource issues. tions are presented here. An Ocean Policy Advisory Council would be One: a state agency-only policy coordinat- the appropriate body to prepare a plan for ing committee. This committee would be Oregon's territorial sea as a continuation of the limited to agencies which had actual regulatory work of the Task Force (see discussion of ter- or proprietary interests in ocean resources or ritorial sea plan, above). This Policy Council uses. Several advisory committees could ensure should have the benefit of a technical and scien- participation of the public, local governments, tific advisory committee. ocean users, marine scientists and federal agen- Over the long term, the Policy Advisory cies. Council would provide coordination and over- Two: a citizen's policy commission. Similar sight as state agencies, federal agencies and in concept to other lay commissions in Oregon, local governments carry out the recornmenda- this commission would represent the public's in- tions of the Ocean Resources Management terests in ocean resources without the con- Plan and territorial sea plan. The Ocean Policy siderations of agency responsibilities. The Advisory Council may also establish Project commission would need several advisory com- Review Panels as described below. The Policy mittees. Council would be responsible for updating and Three: a broadly representative policy ad- amending the ocean plan. visory council. This configuration would be similar to that of the Ocean Resources Manage- Recommendations ment Task Force where the many diverse inter- 1. The Oregon Legislature should create an ests in ocean resources and uses have had "a Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council, com- seat at the table." A scientific/technical ad- posed of representatives of ocean users, Tools for Governing * 167 local governments, the public, and state 0 A coastal county commissioner agencies. 0 The director or director's designee of the 2. The purposes of the Ocean Policy Advisory Oregon Coastal Zone Management Associa- Council should be to: tion � Coordinate preparation of a management 0 A representative of Oregon Indian tribal in- plan for the territorial sea based on the terests upon recommendation of the needs and recommendations of this Ocean Oregon Indian Services Commission Resources Management Plan and the direc- 0 A representative of each of the following tions of the Legislature ocean users: � Provide a forum for discussing ocean Ports, navigation and transportation in- resource policy, planning and management dustry issues and, when appropriate, mediating disagreements Commercial ocean fisheries, north coast � Recommend improvements to the Ocean Commercial ocean fisheries, south coast Resources Management Plan and ter- Charter, sport, or recreational ocean ritorial sea plan as needed fisheries � Offer advice to the Governor, the State Coastal recreation, non-fishing Land Board, state agencies and local 0 The director or designee of these state agen- governments on specific ocean resource cies: management issues Department of Environmental Quality � Coordinate interagency and inter- Department of Fish and Wildlife governmental review of specific ocean resource projects or actions through Project Department of Geology and Mineral In- Review Panels dustries � Encourage participation of federal agencies Division of State Lands in discussion and resolution of ocean resour- Department of Parks and Recreation ces planning and management issues affect- Department of Land Conservation and ing Oregon Development 3. The membership of the Ocean Policy Ad- Department of Agriculture visory Council should be appointed by the The Governor should appoint the chair of Governor as follows: the Council. � The Governor or Governor's designee 4. The Department of Land Conservation and � Three representatives of the public at large Development, as Oregon's coastal manage- � A representative of a conservation or en- ment agency, should coordinate the ac- vironmental organization with interests in tivities of the Ocean Policy Advisory coastal and ocean issues Council. 168 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Project Review Panels Legislative Charge needed, involve all interested parties, and dis- The 1987 Legislature was concerned that solve when project review is completed. Oregon did not have a clear process to bring Conclusion together state agencies, local governments, Oregon needs a process to coordinate the federal agencies and others when reviewing review of specific ocean use proposals. Project ocean development proposals. The Legislature Review Panels can provide an effective, effi- included the existing state agency coordination cient, and flexible means of assuring that all requirements as part of the new Oregon Ocean voices are heard in ocean decisions. Resources Management Program. ORS 196 re- quires recommendations for dispute resolution, Recommendation the role of various agencies and groups in 1. The Ocean Policy Advisory Council should, ocean management, and a permanent planning when appropriate, use Project Review and management process. Panels (PRP) to address and coordinate the Coordination Needs interests of state, federal, and local agen- Oregon's coastal and ocean management cies in specific ocean resource development programs rely on a network approach to project proposals. A PRP will not have any new or review and response. Ocean resource develop- independent authority, but will advise agen- ment projects, such as intertidal gardens, any cies with existing authority. proposed artificial reefs, or mariculture 2. A PRP can be established by the Council facilities, will, therefore, require a coordinated upon request of a state agency or affected review process among state and federal agen- local government, or upon the recommenda- cies. In addition, these projects can have on- tion of the Council itself. A PRP should be shore consequences which will necessitate convened as early as possible in the review participation and coordination with local process. governments. 3. A PRP is to be used when no other effective Although Oregon agencies already coor- mechanism for interagency project review dinate review of coastal and ocean project and coordination exists, or when review of proposals, these are often sequential and not in- a large, complex project or several related tegrated into comprehensive project review and projects requires the expertise or authority assessment. Oregon does not have a reliable in- of several agencies. teragency procedure to review multi-phased off- 4. A PRP is not to be used when the actions shore development projects, or to assess under consideration are included in subsequent projects related to such proposals. fisheries management plans. Experience in California and elsewhere has 5. Participation on a PRP will be decided by the shown that interagency project review panels Council and will: are an effective and timesaving means to 0 Vary according to the nature of the activity review, assess, and resolve complex, multiple, or project being considered; or multiphased offshore development proposals. Such panels can coordinate the 0 Include all affected parties regardless of preparation or review of environmental impact their regulatory authority; analyses, the development of permits condi- 9 Include the agency that has principal tions or stipulations. The panels convene as Tools for Governing o 169 decision-making authority over the activity 0 Advise on Goal 19 compliance for permit ac- being considered, and other state, federal tions or non-permit actions which could af- and local agencies with regulatory, fect marine resources and uses, including proprietary, or consultative responsibilities; proposed legislation, administrative rules, 0 Include affected nongovernmental interests and marine resource management plans as necessary. and programs. 6. The recommendations of a PRP are intended 0 Prepare or analyze environmental assess- to direct subsequent actions of participat- ments for Goal 19, environmental impact ing agencies related to the project under statements under NEPA, mitigation plans, consideration. Any agency which elects not monitoring programs, and contingency to accept the recommendation of a PRP plans. shall provide the Ocean Policy Advisory 8. PRP recommendations shall address, where Council with written findings and con- appropriate, permit approval or denial, spe- clusions to support its position. cial permit conditions, operational perfor- 7. The functions of a PRP will depend on the na- mance standards, lease stipulations, and ture of the proposed action and the scope of initigation measures. its review. A PRP could: 9. Consistent with state open meeting law, all 0 Establish requirements for inventory PRP meetings will be open to the public. preparation and impact assessments. 170 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Coastal Local Governments Legislative Charge Responding to Proposals Oregon's Ocean Resources Management It is essential that coastal local govern- Act recognizes the important role played by ments, cities, counties, and ports participate on local coastal governments in Oregon's ocean Project Review Panels as they are formed to en- resources management program. The 1987 sure that local planning concerns, infrastruc- Legislature asserted that this ocean program ture responsibilities, and other local issues are must "coordinate state agency management of fully integrated into the review of ocean ocean resources with local government manage- projects and actions. ment of coastal shorelands and resources." The In addition, local governments need the Act requires the ocean resources plan to be benefit of a clearly defined mandatory consult- ,, compatible with the acknowledged comprehen- ation process with the Governor on major ocean sive plans of adjacent local counties." development activities within the territorial The Act provides for substantial local sea, such as for oil, gas, or minerals. The government involvement in the preparation of details of this process will need to be defined in the Ocean Resources Management Plan and the territorial sea plan, refined by the Ocean asks the Task Force for recommendations on Policy Advisory Council on an ongoing basis the role of local governments in a permanent and enacted, if necessary, by the Legislature. ocean planning and management process. The Using Local Plans to Legislature also asked the Task Force to iden- Protect Ocean Resources tify issues that affect local government plan- Coastal local governments should take an ning programs and describe the work that may active planning and regulatory role for some be needed to fully address those issues in the shoreland uses and activities which affect local plans. ocean resources regardless of whether major The Local Government Role ocean resource development, such as oil, gas or minerals, is ever proposed. in Ocean Management Coastal counties have long stretches of Local governments have three fundamental ocean shoreline with valuable ocean resources. roles in ocean resources management. Many coastal cities border on the Pacific Ocean Participating in Ocean Planning where development decisions can have impor- Coastal local governments should be repre- tant consequences for shoreline and coastal sented on the proposed Ocean Policy Council by resources. at least two representatives, one from a coastal Ocean resource-related issues which local county and another from the Oregon Coastal governments should address within comprehen- Zone Management Association which has mem- sive planning programs include: bers of coastal counties, cities, port districts 0 Ocean sewerage outfall siting and design and soil conservation districts. Membership on criteria the Policy Advisory Council will ensure that 0 Municipal and/or industrial sewerage local government perspectives continue to be in- needs if cities achieve a full "buildout" of corporated into long-term planning for ocean land uses within adopted Urban Growth resources. Boundaries Tools for Governing * 171 � Shorefront residential development which the three miles of federal waters adjacent to depend on septic tank sewage treatment the state Territorial Sea. Within this three-to � Beach/shore access, including directing or six mile zone, Oregon would receive 27 percent encouraging access away from sensitive of royalties under the Outer Continental Shelf tidepool areas or bird and mammal habitats Lands Act. Exactly how this money would be received by the state and allocated to state � Port facilities for fishing and recreation ves- programs, local governments and coastal In- sels as well as for other industrial needs re- dian tribes has not been decided by the state. lated to offshore oil and gas or minerals Local communities often bear the burden � Shoreline "Protection" measures, such as from providing necessary onshore services to seawalls support offshore development. Local residents � Protection or nondevelopment of shore and governments are not willing to add to areas susceptible to erosion, slumping or demands on already stretched local tax sliding revenue if there is no offset in direct return to � Protection of ocean vistas and views in the local tax base. Oregon will need to squarely address the issue of allocation of revenues from developing areas and along major arterials offshore development to affected local govern- � Protection of special marine bird and mam- ments if oil, gas, and mineral development is mal habitat sites where upland develop- ever permitted in the ocean off Oregon. ment may encroach on or degrade valuable habitat Conclusions � Recreation areas and facilities, traffic and Oregon's coastal local governments are es- visual issues, relationship of private sential partners with state and federal agen- development to park and recreational cies in ongoing planning and management of values ocean resources and must continue to be full � Education and interpretive centers and participants in Oregon's ocean resources their relationship to community develop- management program. ment goals, tourism image, etc. Coastal local governments can take an ac- tive role in protecting certain ocean resources Revenueto by using land use plans and ordinances to regu- Coastal Communities late shoreline and upland land or water uses From Ocean Development which may adversely affect ocean resources. If oil, gas, or mineral mining were ever to Local communities can be adversely af- occur, coastal local governments would receive fected by offshore development of oil, gas, or very little direct revenue from offshore develop- mineral resources without the financial means ment under existing law. Oil, gas and mineral to offset added costs born by the community. leasing and development within Oregon's Ter- Local governments need the assurance of a ritorial Sea would yield rents, royalties and clearly defined consultation process with the other fees which would go to the state Common governor on certain ocean activities within the School Fund administered by the State Land territorial sea. Board. Under existing law, these funds go to Recommendations support education and are allocated on a state- wide basis. 1. Local governments should be represented on Oregon would receive some revenue from any ocean policy advisory body and, as ap- oil, gas, or mineral leasing and development in propriate, on Project Review Panels. 172 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan 2. Coastal cities and counties should review ing citizen participation in land use issues ocean shoreline marine resources and exist- which may effect ocean resources. ing and planned development within their 5. Oregon law should be amended to provide jurisdiction. Comprehensive plan policies local governments, including Indian tribes and ordinances should be amended as as appropriate, with a share of revenues necessary to protect these ocean resources derived from any future offshore develop- consistent with Statewide Planning Goal ment of oil, gas, or minerals, should it ever 19. occur. 3. Coastal local governments should also review 6. Oregon should use state General Funds and comprehensive plan goals, policies and im- seek federal funds to assist local govern- plementing measures with regard to ocean ments to participate in ocean resources uses and resources which may affect on- planning and management. shore development. Local government will 7. The territorial sea plan should include need to develop a policy basis for effective provisions for mandatory local government participation on the Ocean Policy Advisory consultation with the Governor on permits, Council and Project Review Panels. leases, licenses, and other approvals for 4. Local governments should use their citizen in- commercial oil, gas, and minerals explora- volvement program as a vehicle for ensur- tion and development, should this ever occur. Tools for Governingo 173 State Agency Pro ams Legislative Charge Conclusions One of the principal objectives of the No new state agency is needed to manage Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act is to ocean resources. Oregon's network manage- assess the existing capability of state agencies ment approach to ocean and coastal resources, to manage ocean resources and to recommend coupled with a strong coordination mechanism improvements to meet coming needs. The legis- through the Ocean Policy Advisory Council and lation requires that the Ocean Plan include "an the governor, is appropriate to handle ocean inventory of the existing state laws and agency resource issues. rules, authorities and programs which pertain Most state agencies need to strengthen or to ocean resources." The plan is to include an expand ocean or coastal resource programs and analysis of state laws and agency programs staff capability to carry out the recommenda- that need to be modified, eliminated or enacted. tions in this plan. Legislative support is needed The Act requires that the Ocean Resources for these program improvements. Management Plan include "specific recommen- Some legislative changes are required to dations to develop or improve state agency clarify or add agency authority or improve programs to manage ocean resources and ac- state programs. tivities consistent with this 1987 Act." Inventory and Analysis of Recommendations Agency program improvements are sum- Agency Programs marized here. More detailed recommendations The Territorial Sea Management Study, are found throughout the section on issues and 1987, prepared by co-investigators Jim Good, recommendations, above. Oregon State University College of Oceanog- Department of Fish and Wildlife raphy, and Dick Hildreth, University of Oregon (0DFW) Ocean and Coastal Law Center, compiled and ODFW is the agency charged with the analyzed Oregon's ocean management direct management of a number of the ocean's capabilities and needs. This study is hereby ref- renewable resources. ODFW is also the state's erenced in response to legislative requirements. primary biological consultant for other agencies The Interim Report of the Task Force, sum- and the governor. mer, 1988, contained a summary of existing As recommended in this plan, ODFW agency authorities and programs for ocean should take an increasing role in planning for resource management. This summary is hereby the territorial sea, resolving specific manage- referenced in response to legislative require- ment problems, and providing technical assis- ments. tance to other agencies. To accomplish this, Agency program needs, based on recom- ODFW will need to expand staff capability to mended Task Force policies and needed ac- meet these coordination and technical assis- tions, are summarized in this section. These tance needs. ODFW will participate in marine program needs are described more fully in the water quality monitoring, oil spill contingency Resource Issues and Recommendations section planning, marine gardens to protect intertidal of this plan. areas, bird and mammal habitat around rocks and islands, environmental studies related to any potential proposals for marine minerals, oil 174 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan and gas exploration, marine parks, and public geographic information system (GIS) being information and education. developed for ocean resources. ORS 196 re- Department of Environmental Quality quires that information to support Oregon's (DEQ) ocean plan be developed in a GIS format. DEQ is responsible for developing com- ODOE, as the state GIS service center, has prehensive plans, programs, standards, and ad- made substantial progress in acquiring and ministrative rules for preventing and entering coastal and ocean information into the controlling air and water pollution, disposal of system. liquid, solid and hazardous waste, and control- The ODOE GIS would will provide the ling noise emissions from facilities both on- Ocean Policy Advisory Council with informa- shore and in the territorial sea. DEQ has the tion and analysis to develop specific recommen- lead role for Oregon in preparing an oil spill dations in the territorial sea plan. In addition, contingency response plan for the Oregon coast the GIS will support interagency efforts on as required under 1989 legislation. marine minerals, marine gardens, bird and To fully address continued ocean planning mammal habitat, shoreline erosion, ocean out- and management issues, DEQ will need addi- falls and others. Data acquisition and refine- tional resources. New air and water quality ment of the GIS will be ongoing within ODOE, programs are needed. DEQ should coordinate coordinated with DLCD and other agencies. preparation of an Ocean Stewardship Area Air ODOE is not recommended as a member of the and Water Quality Program, and be a key par- Ocean Policy Advisory Council. ticipant on the Ocean Policy Advisory Council Division of State Lands (DSL) during preparation of the territorial sea plan. DSL is unique among state ocean resource Department of Geology and Mineral agencies because it has both proprietary and Industries (DOGMI) regulatory interests within the territorial sea. DOGMI is charged with coordinating data On behalf of the State Land Board, DSL carries acquisition and analysis for geology, minerals out the constitutional mandate to manage and petroleum resources. DOGMI would be lands under its jurisdiction with the objective Oregon's principal agency for regulating any of "obtaining the greatest benefit for the people offshore mineral or petroleum activities, if they of this state, consistent with the conservation were to occur. DOGMI is the coordinating agen- of this resource under sound techniques of land cy for the state-federal placer task force and management." (Oregon Constitution, Art.III, can be expected to play a similar role in any fu- Sec.5(2)) ture state-federal marine mineral studies. DSL has statutory authority to enter into This plan recommends that DOGMI par- contracts, leases and other proprietary agree- ticipate on the Ocean Policy Advisory Council. ments, in consultation with other agencies, for DOGMI would provide technical assistance on exploration and development of marine hard marine geology, shoreline erosion, subsea minerals, oil, gas, sand and gravel. DSL also is- geologic hazards, and marine minerals during sues permits for geological, geophysical and preparation of a territorial sea plan. DOGMI seismic surveying within Oregon's territorial will continue to provide technical advice to the sea. Any fill or removal activity within the ter- Oregon member of the Pacific Northwest OCS ritorial sea is also under DSL's regulatory Task Force. authority. Department of Energy (ODOE) As a member of the Ocean Policy Advisory Council, DSL would continue to play a central ODOE manages the computerized Tools for Governing * 175 role in preparing a plan for ocean resources in DLCD would be both a member of and pro- Oregon's territorial sea. vide staff support to the Ocean Policy Advisory DSL will also be particularly involved in Council during preparation of a plan for the ter- marine mineral issues and other issues, such ritorial sea. DLCD will continue to coordinate as Marine Gardens, which relate to the alloca- Oregon's ocean plans and policies as Oregon tion of submerged and submersible lands and agencies carry out the plan and implement new their resources. ocean programs. Parks and Recreation Department In addition, DLCD will be responsible for (Parks) adopting rules to carry out Statewide Planning Parks effectively shares jurisdiction over Goal 19, Ocean Resources. These rules will be the ocean shore, from the level of extreme low crucial to determining both process and sub- tide to the statutory vegetation line, with DSL stance of agency review of proposed activities under a joint permit notification and evalua- which affect ocean resources. tion agreement. Parks is responsible for plan- Department of Agriculture (DOA) ning for recreation throughout Oregon and DOA was added to the Ocean Resources with developing and managing state park Management Task Force by the 1989 Legisla- facilities along the Oregon coast. ture because of strong interests in ocean Parks should be a member of the Ocean seafood products. DOA coordinates three Policy Advisory'Council and continue to par- seafood commodity commissions, the Oregon ticipate in planning for the nearshore area Salmon Commission, the Dungeness Crab Com- within Oregon's territorial sea. Parks will be mission, and the Trawl Commission. DOA also the lead agency in assessing coastal and regulates oyster production in Oregon's es- marine recreation needs and developing plans tuaries. and programs to meet growing recreational DOA is proposed as a member of the Ocean demands on the coast, including marine parks Policy Advisory Council and will be a liaison be- and educational and interpretive programs. tween Oregon's ocean resources management Department of Land Conservation program and the seafood industry. and Development (DLCD) Economic Development Department DLCD, Oregon's coastal management agen- (EDD) cy, is charged by the Legislature with coordinat- EDD was added to the Ocean Resources ing ocean planning activities and providing Management Task Force by the 1989 Legisla- technical and support services to the Task ture because of interests in Oregon port Force. In that role, DLCD actively coordinates development as well as the overall economic with all other state agencies, local govern- health of Oregon's economy. ments, and federal agencies on virtually every EDD should continue to participate in issue. The agency also provides staff assistance Oregon's ocean planning and management but to the governor on OCS and other state-federal is not recommended as a member of the Ocean ocean policy issues. Policy Advisory Coui@cil. 176 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Interstate Coordination Legislative Charge The ocean off Oregon is a small segment of .The 1987 Oregon Legislature found, in the a much broader oceanic region. These regional Ocean Resources Management Act, that "it is aspects to ocean resources require a regional important that the State of Oregon ... promote perspective for resource management. A 1989 and insure coordinated management of living Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and nonliving marine resources within state report, Management of Living Marine Resour- jurisdiction and with adjacent states..." The ces, identifies the northern Californis Current Legislature also asked for recommendations on ecosystem as "...the appropriate unit of manage- coordination with adjacent states. ment." This region extends from Cape Men- docino, California, to Vancouver Island, British The 1989 Oregon Legislature specifically re- Columbia. quired Oregon to coordinate with the states of Washington and California on ocean resource Existing Coordination management issues. This legislation requires Oregon agencies and the Governor already Oregon agencies to coordinate on ocean and coordinate with other states on several ocean is- coastal information systems, oil spill and haz- sues. These include such formal mechanisms ardous material response, offshore rocks and is- as participation in the Pacific Fishery Manage- lands, and marine fisheries information. ment Council with California and Washington, Ecological Basis for the Pacific Northwest OCS Task Force with Washington, the U.S.-Canada Halibut Treaty Interstate Coordination and an oil spill task force with Washington, The Pacific Ocean, its ocean currents and British Columbia and Alaska. Governor living resources, links the states of Goldschmidt and Washington Governor Washington, Oregon and Califomia coasts. For Gardner have closely coordinated their position much of the year the California Current flows on OCS Lease Sale #132, sendingjoint letters southward. In winter, however, storms push to the Secretary of the Interior. Other more in- surface currents northward near shore. These formal methods include newsletters, conferen- strong currents can transport pollutants from ces and workshops, and information sharing one region to another. Oil spilled at Yaquina among counterpart agencies. Bay in fall, 1983, was strewn northward along the Oregon and Washington coasts. An oil spill Coordination Needs off Grays Harbor, Washington, in late 1988 The National Coastal Resources Research resulted in oiled beaches from Tillamook Bay and Development Institute (NCRI) has studied north to the tip of Vancouver Island. the interstate coastal and ocean management Young salmon from Oregon rivers pass needs of the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Coordina- through waters off Washington, British Colum- tion issues were a principal topic. Interstate bia and Alaska. Pacific Hake spawn off central ocean concerns included ocean oil transport, and southern California but are an important uniform standards for ocean oil and gas commercial fishery off the Oregon and development, offshore mining, reducing marine Washington coasts. Marine mammals, such as pollution and debris, state ocean management, Gray whales and California sea lions, migrate and needed ocean research. along the entire west coast as do several species of seabirds. Tools for Governing 9 177 New Interstate Coordination every opportunity to promote regional solutions Proposals to issues which Oregon has in common with other coastal states. As Pacific coast states become increasingly involved in ocean resources management is- Recommendations sues, more formal regional coordination struc- 1. The Governor and Oregon's Congressional tures may be proposed. The Western delegation should support regional solu- Legislative Conference, an organization of tions to ocean resource management issues western state legislators, is working on a when possible. proposal for an interstate compact, including 2. Oregon should participate in regional or- British Columbia, for ocean resources manage- ganizations and other formal interstate ment among Pacific coast states. The Western agreements to protect and manage ocean Governors Association may also form an ocean and coastal resources. resources committee. This would strengthen the commitment and practice of coordination at 3. State agencies are encouraged to establish the highest state policy levels. program links to counterpart agencies in other states and to participate in interstate Conclusions projects where possible. The fluid, dynamic nature of the Pacific 4. The Oregon Legislature should support Ocean and the mobile, migratory creatures proposals for a Pacific states regional that live there make it imperative that Oregon marine resources coordination body which enhance its ocean resources management pro- supports and enhances the policies and gram through coordination with adjacent coas- programs of Oregon's Ocean Resources tal states. Oregon must take advantage of Management Program 178 o Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan State-Federal Partnership Legislative Charge Oregon where the marine resources and ocean The 1987 Oregon Legislature was especial- conditions are naturally linked to the landward ly interested in a state-federal partnership for portion of the coastal zone. Within this region managing ocean resources off Oregon. The productive upwelling supports productive Ocean Resources Management Act cited three marine ecosystems, the basis for Oregon's com- existing federal laws which "recognize the inter- mercial and recreational fisheries. Seabirds ests of coastal states in management of ocean and marine mammals from rookeries on rocks resources in federal waters and provide for and cliffs nearshore feed all across the state participation in ocean resources manage- Stewardship area. ment decisions." The three are the Magnuson The ocean and its public resources are not Fisheries Conservation Act of 1976, the Coastal contained by boundaries drawn by states and Zone Management Act of 1972, and the Outer nations to establish ownership and jurisdiction. Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1978. Oregon's ocean resource management interests The Legislature noted that clearly extend beyond the three-mile territorial sea while federal agencies have programs and ... the 1983 Proclamation of the 200-mile authorities for resources and activities within U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone has created Oregon's territorial waters. Protection of ocean the opportunity for all coastal states to more resources therefore requires co-management by fully exercise and assert their responsibilities pertaining to the protection, conservation the state and federal governments through and development of ocean resources under coordinated, complementary policies and United Statesjurisdiction. programs. Among these policies is a commit- The 1987 Act includes a Legislative policy ment to a partnership in ocean management. to: Assert the interests of Oregon as a partner Existing Coordination with federal agencies in the sound manage- Oregon and federal agencies already coor- ment of ocean resources within the U.S. Ex- dinate on a number of ocean resource issues. clusive Economic Zone. The Act'includes several directives to the The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is Task Force to "insure that the Oregon Ocean a member of the Pacific Fishery Management Resources Management Plan is coordinated Council along with other states, the Depart- with federal agency programs for coastal and ment of Commerce National Marine Fisheries ocean resources..." In fact, the contributions of Service and others. Oregon is a member of the several federal agencies have shaped a number Pacific Northwest Outer Continental Shelf of policy and program recommendations in this Task Force along with Washington, Indian Ocean Plan. fishery commissions, and the Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service. An Ecological Basis for The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State-Federal Partnership Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife coor- dinate on marine seabird and mammal The Oregon Ocean Stewardship Area, dis- problems. The Oregon Department of Environ- cussed earlier, is the ocean area most critical to mental Quality and the U.S. Environmental a cooperative state-federal management ap- Protection Agency cooperate on several proach. The seaward boundary, the toe of the relevant ocean programs. A state-federal placer continental slope, reflects the seaward extent mineral task force involves several state and of the Ocean Stewardship Area, the zone off Tools for Governing * 179 federal agencies. The Department of Land Con- Federal agencies will continue to par- servation and Development works with the ticipate in planning for ocean resources of the federal office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Oregon Ocean Stewardship Area. Management to develop coastal management The objective of state-federal cooperative grant work programs for Oregon. management of ocean resources should be Existing coordination between state and ecologically sound decisions rather than merely federal agencies can be enhanced by a commit- streamlining agency procedures. ment from both state and federal agencies to common policies, objectives and process. This Recommendations Oregon Ocean Resources Management Plan 1. The state of Oregon should assert the prin- provides a framework for both state and federal ciple of jointly managing ocean resources agencies to cooperate in managing ocean and uses with the federal government. resources and uses off the state of Oregon. 2. The policies and standards of the Oregon Conclusions Ocean Resources Management Plan apply Oregon and federal agencies must establish equally to all activities in the Oregon a resource management partnership that Ocean Stewardship Area. provides for coordinated, compatible manage- 3. Federal agencies with research, manage- ment of ocean resources throughout the Oregon ment, or regulatory interests in ocean Ocean Stewardship Area. resources in the Oregon Ocean For most ocean resource issues studied by Stewardship Area are encouraged to par- the Task Force, there is a high degree of exist- ticipate with the Ocean Policy Advisory ing cooperation and coordination between state Council, Project Review Panels, and in- and federal programs. dividual state agency programs which im- plement this plan. Information and Education 9 181 Information and Education A recurrent theme heard throughout the ocean planning process is the need to zuire and effectively distribute information which will help coastal resi- dents, visitors and ocean users ptotect Oregon's ocean and coastal resources. Infor- mation which is clear, easy to learn, and understandable is a key to enhanced public awreness, knowledge and support for ocean stewardship. Oregonians realize that while enforcement phatic that enforcement alone will not protect of regulations is important, the most effective coastal and ocean resources. They spoke with means of protecting and conserving a number concern about growing numbers of residents of marine resources is through an effective and visitors on the coast who know little about public information program. With this perspec- Oregon's coastal and ocean resources and who, tive, many recommendations for action in the through their actions, unknowingly place these Ocean Plan call for information programs and resources at risk. educational activities in response to these Users needs. The workshops also revealed that ocean The Audiences users need additional education and informa- There are many special information needs tion about resources that may be affected by which can can be distilled to three principal their activities. Better information about poten- audiences: tial conflicts with other ocean users is also needed. With better information and increased Public understanding some resource impacts can be At public workshops held during prepara- lessened and user conflicts avoided without the tion of the Ocean Plan, Oregonians were em- need for additional regulations. 182 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Managetnent Plan Managers warn of danger or admonish against certain be- Oregon's ocean and coastal resources may havior. be properly managed when those who make Information is made available to the in- decisions at the federal, state and local level tended audience through a network of distribu- are knowedgable about the ocean's condition, tion pathways and outlets. Opportunities for resources, and uses. While the depth of distribution are almost limitless. Coastal res- knowledge may not need to be the same for taurants might use informative placemats on everyone, a basic level of understanding is es- tables. Highway lookout points could have self- sential to assess information and make sound guiding signs or displays. State and local parks decisions. could distribute printed information or hold evening education programs. Coastal cable Building a Public channels could offer short video programs for Information Program visitors and residents on marine topics. A good public education program should Libraries and schools are logical outlets for in- focus on the audience and its information formation and educational materials. Marine needs, the information and materials to meet Extension agents and local government offices the needs, and ways to deliver the material to are also outlets for information. the audience. Oregon's Information Potential audiences are described above as Resources the "public," ocean "users", and "decision makers." In reality, these audience groupings Oregon has most of the necessary resources have a number of components including to build a coastal and ocean resources educa- visitors to the coast, whether tourists from afar tion program. These resources need to be har- or Oregonian, school children of all ages, and nessed into an overall information program new coastal residents, many of whom specifical- and strategy. ly chose to move to the Oregon coast because of Citizens the environment. Decision makers include coas- Citizens are a valuable resource for infor- tal local officials, Ocean Policy Advisory Coun- mation, interpretation and education. They can cil members and other state and federal agency define need, help gather information and officials and councils whose decisions may af- prepare materials,and provide pathways for dis- fect marine resources. Boaters, divers, fisher- tribution. Several workshop commenters men, and other ocean users would benefit from pointed out the success of local citizen interpre- information about new techniques to help tive and education programs, such as the Hays- protect resources. tack Rock Awareness Program in Cannon The information content of various educa- Beach, in protecting shoreline areas threatened tional materials must be tailored and packaged with overuse. Other examples were cited of to meet the need of the audience. Some content coastal residents taking action to rally com- will be purely factual information which iden- munity support for protection of valuable tifies and describes through photos, drawings, shoreline areas and of grassroots efforts to and description. Much will be interpretive to learn about and inform the public of Oregon's give meaning to factual information through ocean resources that may be at risk from off- displays, signs, booklets, and videotapes. Some shore oil, gas, or mineral development. may be instructive and build understanding Academic Institutions through a coordinated program of education Oregon State University Sea Grant Pro- and training. A small amount may need to gram, with its Marine Extension Program and Information and Education * 183 activities at the Hatfield Marine Science Cen- Federal Resources ter in Newport, is Oregon's leading ocean infor- The U.S. Forest Service already provides a mation and education program. The Sea Grant good deal of information and interpretation Extension Marine Education Program works through the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center and with school teachers from around the the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Northwest to develop curriculum materials for These and forest campground facilities along students of all ages. The Sea Grant Com- the coast are resources to be included in an in- munications Program produces a wide range of formation program. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife print materials on ocean and coastal topics and Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, produces top quality films for television broad- U.S. Coast Guard, and Corps of Engineers have cast and closed circuit viewing. Special sum- information programs for resources or ac- mer programs are sponsored by the Marine tivities within their jurisdiction. These agency Science Center for the public on the coast, programs would provide valuable components many of whom are vacationing and want to and resources for a coastal and ocean informa- learn more about Oregon's marine environ- tion program. ment. The public exhibits as the Science Center Community Programs draw over 300,000 visitors annually and are evidence of keen public interest in the ocean. Local information centers, such as the Marine Extension agents provide technical and Rogue Pacific Center in Gold Beach, provide management information to ocean users, local communities with educational materials primarily commercial and recreational fisher- and programs year-round and help both resi- men and seafood processors. dents and visitors understand and interpret the natural and human environment of the State Agencies local area. The Haystack Rock Awareness Pro- Several state agencies must continue to be gram in Cannon Beach has become a model for active participants in building an ocean and local interpretive programs. These programs coastal information and education network. not only develop information materials but pro- The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department vide a direct outlet for the materials to effec- maintains the many state parks and tively meet specific needs. In addition, local campgrounds along the coast. This network of progrms create a climate of awareness and ap- parks is a ready means of distributing informa- preciation of local marine resources. tion along the entire coast or providing inter- Other public resources include the South pretive materials aimed at the park locale. The Slough Estuarine Reserve information center Department of Fish and Wildlife has a strong near Coos Bay, the Columbia River Maritime interest in communicating information about Museum in Astoria, and the new Oregon Coast biological resources of the coast. ODFW also Aquarium in Newport. Coastal county parks, need to ensure that fishing and other regula- such as the Coos Head County Park in Coos tions are well known and understood. The County, are potential elements of a coastal and Department of Environmental Quality provides ocean resources education program. Com- information to the public and specific groups munity seafood festivals Newport, Astoria and about air and water quality protection. The other communities are distribution oppor- Department of Land Conservation and Develop- tunities. ment, Oregon's Coastal Management Agency, has a special responsiblity to make sure that a Private Facilities wide range of coastal and ocean resource infor- Privately operated coastal visitor centers, mation is prepared and distributed. such as Sea Lion Caves and Otter Crest, are potential participants in a coordinated program 184 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan of marine information and education. Long a and private participants, and should respond to part of the Oregon travel landscape, these and needs of ocean users and decisions makers other private centers reach a segment of the when necessary. traveling population that might otherwise be The goal of an ocean and coastal education missed. In addition, coastal motels, restautants and information program should be an "ocean and local visitor information centers are focal aware" public. points for information distribution. Recommendations Conclusions 1. A coordinated, innovative and responsive and Recommendations Coastal and Ocean Resources Educational Oregon should place a high priority on in- Program should be developed by the Ocean forming and educating Oregonians and coastal Policy Advisory Council to link the various visitors about coastal and ocean resources and educational and information resources of uses as an effective means of protecting these the state, provide timely and appropriate resources. information and education materials, and Oregon has many valuable individual involve the public in promoting protection educational and informational resources ready of coastal and ocean resources through to contribute but lacks a coordinated coastal awareness. and ocean resources education program. 2. Oregon State University Sea Grant and Sea A coastal and ocean resources public infor- Grant Extension should be the lead agency mation and education program should be com- for implementing this program. Cooperat- prehensive and innovative, should place a high ing agencies should include other Sea value on involving the public in the creation Grant units, various state and federal agen- and delivery of information, should link public cies, and community groups and in- dividuals. Citizen Involvement * 185 Citizen Involvement F rom. the beginning, the Task Force has been committed to Citizen involvement and an open public process. As a first order of business the Task Force set a goal of providing the public opportunities to be involved in all phases of developing the Ocean Plan. A newsletter was begun, a mailing list compiled, and media con- tacts made. While the Task Force was not able to carry out all possible participa- tion activities, the goal was largely achieved by a public outreach program that included printed information, local workshops, and open Task Force meetings. Developing the Ocean Plan Workshops and Meetings Many Oregonians helped shape the Ocean In the fall of 1988, eight public workshops Plan. They participated in workshops, public were held in Brookings, Coos Bay, Florence, hearings, and Task Force meetings. They wrote Newport, Cannon Beach, Portland, Eugene, letters of comment and telephoned with ideas and Medford. Over 200 people attended to tell and concerns. They asked tough questions that the Task Force of their concerns, needs, and caused critical rethinking of issues. They spoke ideas about the ocean and its resources. in support of key ideas and proposals. Although The Task Force then met in a series of six many people worked with the Task Force on meetings to address these concerns and begin the Plan and hundreds of others read materials to formulate preliminary recommendations for sent by mail, there were more citizens who policy and action. These meetings were held in were not fully informed about the process or a variety of locations and were well attended by why it was important to be involved. Increasing the public. Meetings were held through the public awareness and involvement is a goal of spring and summer, 1989, in Charleston, New- this Plan. port, Salem, Portland (2), and Lincoln City (2). In September, 1989, Task Force staff met 186 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan with fishermen and urchin divers in meetings coastal resources and even more who enjoy the in Gold Beach, Newport, and Astoria. These ocean and coast on a personal basis. The public meetings resulted in discussions with over 100 has vital information to contribute to the people directely involved in a variety of ocean process. Knowledge of local conditions, is- fisheries. Then in November, 1989, 800 copies sues,and resources will keep state level plan- of draft plan policies were printed and dis- ning and management programs rooted in the tributed by mail and through public libraries real world. Public involvement will help en- and courthouses. These policies were reviewed gender overall awareness of coastal and ocean and discussed at four public workshops held in issues. This public awerness will translate into Gold Beach, North Bend, Lincoln City, and Can- support among local government officials, the 10 non Beach. Over 300 people attended and over Legislature, the Governor and Oregon's Con- sixty written comments were received. gressional delegation, all of whom are able to In response, the Task Force met in enact or effect programs which carry out the February, 1990, for two days in Newport and in goals and policies of this Ocean Plan. March in Portland to consider the comments This Ocean Plan recognizes that citizens and make revisions to the plan recommenda- can and should continue to be involved in ocean tions. These meetings resulted in a revised planning and management. Three elements are draft for public hearings in May, 1990. proposed for ongoing involvement: Throughout the planning process, Task First, as proposed, the Ocean Policy Coun- Force members and staff spoke to a variety of cil would have many public members. Some organizations, groups, and school classes about would represent the public at large, others the Oregon Ocean Resources Management Pro- would represent groups that are vitally inter- gram ested in using ocean resources and conserving Videotapes them for continued use and enjoyment. This All Task Force meetings and public public representation at the policy level will set workshops were videotaped. These tapes the tone for other public participation activities. provided a "realtime" record of presentations, Second, the information and education comments, discussions and decisions. Tapes programs proposed in this plan, if carried out, will continue to be available as an archive would provide essential information to create record for future reference. These tapes also public awareness of ocean and coastal issues provided the Task Force and staff with a and set the stage for public involvement. means of seeing and hearing meetings and dis- Third, a coordinated program of public out- cussions which needed to be reviewed as part of reach in conjunction with on-going Ocean on-going policy discussions. Task Force mem- Policy Council activities and discussions is bers unable to attend specific meetings or necessary. The proposed process for a ter- workshops were able to see and bear a clear ritorial sea management plan should have a record of events. This was an invaluable techni- high public participation quotient, including que to preserve comments and ideas for incor- workshops, newletters, visual media, and poration into the Ocean Plan. speakers. Citizens should be invited and wel- Future Citizen Involvement come at Policy Council meetings. Full public involvement in ocean resources Recommendations issues is crucial. The ocean and its resources 1. The Ocean Policy Advisory Council should belong to the public, many of whom are already commit itself to full citizen involvement involved in or support conservation efforts for during preparation of a plan for Oregon's Citizen Involvement * 187 territorial sea and should prepare and im- 2. The Oregon Legislature should provide the plement a program that provides informa- resources to the Ocean Policy Advisory tion to citizens about planning and Council to carry out a vigorous program of management issues and provides oppor- citizen involvement. tunities for citizens to be involved in all 3. Citizen involvement efforts should be linked phases of the ocean resource planning to a program of public information and process. education as recommended in this plan. 188 e Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Ocean Research * 189 Ocean Research k ccurate information is essential for sound resource management decisions. ecision makers will need additional information for virtually every topic ad- dressed in this plan. Difficult research questions remain to be answered. What topics or areas need study first? When are secondary topics studied? How to coor- dinate among various researchers? Where to find funds for rather expensive studies? How does Oregon organize and use information? While experts in various scientific dis- everywhere in the Oregon ocean planning area. ciplines will probably differ on the exact nature However, because the level of management of of necessary research, there is broad agree- an area or resource determines the need for ment on existing data gaps and long-term re- marine science information, three areas can be search needs. A list of information gaps is identified off Oregon which have somewhat dis- listed in a following section based on results of tinct management demands and consequent re- a Northwest OCS Environmental Studies search needs. Workshop-Conference sponsored by Minerals 0 First, the resources of the nearshore fringe Management Service in May, 1988, and on in- of rocks, islands, intertidal areas and es- formation needs identified during policy discus- tuary mouths along the coast are heavily sions for preparing the ocean plan. Other used and especially at risk. There are research needs have been identified in this numerous existing management problems Plan related to various ocean activities and and more can be expected. Information uses other than OCS oil and gas. Together, the needs here are the most "fine-grained" or items on the list form the basis for determining site-specific and will be felt most acutely by research needs for ocean management in state management agencies. This is an Oregon. area for which Oregon ought to provide Additional marine research is needed primary research support. 190 o Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan � Second, Oregon's continental margin, an specific potential adverse effects. Therefore, Ocean Stewardship Area, is an area where more focused sub-regional studies of ocean con- a high degree of resource management will ditions and resources are also needed. be needed and for which information needs Oregon can take specific steps to establish are great. Research will be needed by both an ocean resources information management state and federal agencies to fulfill co- program so that research recommendations can management responsibilities. Research be made on an annual basis and as a manage- ought to come primarily from federal sour- ment problem arises and so that information ces and programs but Oregon should also can be integrated into a computerized ocean in- provide support to continental margin re- formation system. search. Strategic Assessments: � Third, west of the continental margin to Continental Margin the boundary of the 200 mile EEZ, manage- The first step for Oregon is to prepare com- ment needs will be fewer and, consequent- prehensive assessments of ocean resources, con- ly, so will the amount and precision of ditions and uses of the continental margin as a marine resources information. In this area starting point for making ocean resource federal agencies will have the primary need management decisions and for identifying for research and therefore should be the specific research needs for management. As- primary funding source. sessments would use existing information to describe, depict and characterize the physical A Strategy for Research environment, biotic environment, living marine It is extremely difficult, and probably not resources, economic activities and environmen- useful, to establish a strict priority list of tal quality of the Pacific Ocean off Oregon and needed studies. There are simply too many vari- adjacent coastal areas. Assessments would pro- ables, such as a wide range of research needs vide a "strategic" context for ongoing planning and study topics, a diversity of funding sources, and for identifying needed information for site- variability of time required for each study, the specific "tactical" decisions. nature of specific management issues, the un- Strategic assessments of Oregon's ocean foreseen results of research and subsequent should follow up the West Coast of North new research needs. America Strategic Assessment Atlas being For instance, OCS oil and gas decisions will prepared by the Office of Oceanography and require a relatively high level of information to Marine Assessment, National Oceanic and At- identify areas and resources and risk and spe- mospheric Administration (NOAA). Assess- cial conditions that must be considered across ments should be prepared from digital the entire continental shelf and along the en- information and displayed in atlas format at a tire coast. The area-wide planning approach of level of detail necessary for most planning and the U.S. Department of the Interior and the management decisions off Oregon. This com- potentially widespread effects of oil spills puterized geographic data base could also be demands that broad assessments of ocean cir- displayed at higher resolution if needed for a culation and biological resources are needed. management situation and warranted by the However, information needs for marine available information. mineral decisions will be different. Mineral Oregon should rely on existing data and ex- areas are more closely known, and the environ- pertise among NOAA, EPA, and other federal mental and biologic resources in the area can agencies for development of these assessments. be more readily studied in order to understand Oregon should expand its fledgling ocean Ocean Research 9 191 resources information management capability sively develop information which, when added through Interagency Agreement between over time, will fill in the broad-scale picture. In- NOAA, MMS and other contributing federal formation from these studies will update the agencies and the Oregon Department of Energy strategic assessments, above. This is a task for Geographic Information Service Center. This the Ocean Policy Advisory Council, below. would allow the Ocean Policy Advisory Council Focused Research and state agencies access to tremendous data Management decisions usually target on a bases and to target the information on analysis specific site or resource. Oregon's Goal 19, of specific management questions. Ocean Resources, requires that decisions affect- If possible, Oregon's strategic assessments ing ocean resources be supported by scientific should be carried out at as part of a regional inventory information with particular attention level assessmenti from Cape Mendocino to Van- to analysis of impacts of the decision on renew- couver Island. This relatively discrete able marine resources. Focused research will biogeographic region provides an ecological often be necessary to meet the requirements of basis for describing and understanding Goal 19 when a specific project is proposed. Oregon's ocean systems. In many cases, focused research needs will Broad-Scale Descriptive Studies be revealed when specific problems or decisions Broad-scale studies provide basic informa- are presented, the existing information base is tion from which more specific information analyzed and specific data gaps are identified. needs can be determined when management These studies will be especially necessary for problems are presented. These studies are not proposals for nonrenewable resources and uses just "blue-water" scientific exercises; they are such as OCS oil and gas and marine minerals, fundamental to understanding complex ocean ocean disposal of wastes, etc. Focused research interactions that can directly effect manage- may also be necessary when artificial reef or ment decisions. In addition, they provide cru- mariculture proposals are presented. cial baseline information against which Primary responsibility for funding focused decisions can be analyzed and long-term effects research will fall to the private developer but assessed. study design and work will be closely super- There are broad data gaps in oceanog- vised by affected public agencies. Oregon raphy, marine ecology, ocean chemistry, geol- should create a mechanism by which private ogy and social/economic conditions in the funds can support needed marine research region. These study needs are identified below. work in the public domain. Some of these studies, such as ocean circula- tion off the southern Oregon coast, have never Major Information Gaps been conducted. Others, such as marine produc- and Research Needs tivity studies, are now possible through satel- The Oregon Ocean Resources Management lite technology and remote sensing. These Act requires that the Task Force recommend broad studies represent major ocean research Environmental and other scientific research challenges and opportunities for Oregon State required to make management decisions University, NOAA and other oceanographic in- about ocean resources with an emphasis on stitutions. the information requirements of the state- wide planning goals for ocean and coastal Because it is unlikely that funds will be resources in relation to the oil, gas and available for multi-year broad-scale studies at mineral development activities of the Federal the level of effort required, a number of smaller Government in the Exclusive Economic Zone more focused studies may be needed to progres- off Oregon 192 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan The Task Force has received recommenda- as the Cape Blanco and Heceta Bank are tions for needed research topics from the Tech- unknown nical and Scientific Advisory Committee, * There is virtually no circulation data south university researchers, and state and federal of Newport, where Heceta Bank lies in a resource agencies. These research needs are transitional area between two oceanic cir- summarized below. culatory regimes Physical Features Base Map 0 Interannual variability in circulation pat- � Detailed bathymetry of bottom features terns on the continental shelf and in near- within Oregon's Territorial Sea, including shore environments is not well researched offshore rocks submerged reefs, in digital 0 Temperature, humidity, and wind measure- forinat ments across the continental shelf are � Detailed bathymetry of specific features sparse. Paired temperature and salinity ob- and areas of the continental margin such servations are limited in much of the region as Heceta-Stonewall Banks, Rogue and As- off Oregon and Washington toria Canyon BiologylEcology Physical Oceanography * Productivity data for the waters off Oregon A major step has been taken toward under- and Washington are old; very little data standing the state of knowledge of ocean cir- have been gathered in the last 20 years culation in the Pacific Northwest. The Minerals 0 The effects of spilled oil and increased tur- Management Service has completed a study en- bidity on primary productivity is unknown titled Coastal Circulation Along Washington 0 Understanding of the movement of and Oregon as part of its OCS Environmental hydrocarbons through neuston (surface) Studies Program. A conference of researchers from all major oceanographic research institu- layer of the water column is limited tions and agencies was held in Fall, 1988, and 0 Very little is known about benthic com- a three-volume report has been published. The munities and processes, including natural following research needs were identified by par- variability. Little is known about marine ticipants. species' preference or need for specific sub- � Data on near-surface (0-20 meters deep) strate types and nearshore (from shore to the 50 meter 0 Oregon does not presently have a marine isobath) currents are very limited and habitat classification system. Habitat re- there is little information on es- search must emphasize habitats known to tuarine/ocean exchange processes be susceptible to accumulation or long-term � Early studies of the Columbia River Plume exposure to spilled oil or those with special were unable to complete a three dimen- aesthetic value sional characterization of plume dynamics Fisheries Data and Information Gaps � Data on bottom boundary layer currents 0 The accuracy of fishery production models and sediment transport along the bottom is open to question. More data is needed to are limited more realistically determine allowable har- � The extent of circulation exchange between vest levels the waters on and beyond the continental 0 The importance of offshore rocky reefs and shelf has not been determined rocky bottoms to fish productivity is not � Topographic effects of specific features such well understood. Data on the distribution Ocean Research * 193 and abundance of fish on rocky bottoms, 0 Critical marine mammal habitats need to and on soft bottoms inside the 30 and be identified beyond the 200 fin isobaths, are sketchy Ocean Chemistry and Water Quality � Data on the distribution and abundance of 0 Oregon's marine waters have never been forage and juvenile fishes is also sketchy properly analyzed to determine the levels � Data on marine habitat parameters and and characteristics of dissolved compounds, fish catch areas have not been organized suspended particles, or trace metals and analyzed sufficiently to correlate catch 0 The habitat value of dissolved chemicals is areas with habitat parameters. Important not well researched parameters are depth, substrate composi- tion, surrounding substrate, salinity, light, 0 Little is known about natural background temperature, turbidity, and currents. Criti- sediments and suspended particulates in cal habitats, including spawning and nurs- the waters off Oregon and Washington ery grounds, have not been defined or 0 Little is known about the fate of drilling mapped mud plumes in the water column after the � There is little data on the sensitivity of first 24 hours after their disposal fish, especially salmonids, to oil and gas ex- * The transport and fate of oil, heavy metals, ploration activities such as spilled oil and and organic compounds in Oregon's seismic testing dynamic marine environment, regardless of � The effectiveness of mitigation as a their source, have never been properly in- management tool has not been sufficiently vestigated and characterized evaluated Social and Economic Marine Birds and Mammals 0 Economic baseline information is needed to � Offshore seabird populations off Oregon provide estimates of coastal employment and Washington have never been adequate- and population related to ocean resources ly quantified. There are no seabird popula- development and related secondary employ- tion monitoring programs currently in place ment � Relatively complete population parameters 0 Inventory data is needed of coastal areas of (other than abundance) have not been ob- recreational, cultural, historic, and tained for any seabird or mammal species ceremonial importance � The actual impacts of ocean resource 0 The net economic effect of the loss of development activities on seabird popula- fisheries to nonrenewable resource ac- tions have not been sufficiently studied. tivities both within and beyond state Decisions have been based on predicted im- waters have not been calculated pacts, and such predictions have not been Geology adequately determined to be accurate 0 The nature, extent, and location of geologic � Sensitive seabird habitat areas, including hazards, including ground motion, seafloor ocean feeding and resting areas, have not offsets, active faults, sub-sea landslides, been defined and identified diapirs, and shallow gas-charged sediments. � Important feeding areas for all marine * The composition and depth of seafloor sedi- mammals found in Oregon waters have not ments have not been established across the been identified continental shelf 194 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Data Administration and GIS everyone who has access to it may not. Conse- Ocean research has developed and made quently, some data will have the potential to be available an immense amount of data on used to draw erroneous conclusions. This poten- marine systems. Oregon's ocean resource tial requires that data limitations be rigorously management program will rely on the portion documented. of that data that relates to Oregon waters, The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) marine systems in general, or the effects of houses the state's Geographic Information Sys- resource development activities. The acquisi- tem Service Center. The Service Center is tion of such data will require money and time; providing the technical expertise to build an the appropriate use of the data will require ac- Oregon's Ocean Information System. The Ser- cess by experts who are familiar with its limita- vice Center is also providing technical assis- tions. tance to numerous state and federal agencies Research data will come from a variety of on other natural resources geographic informa- sources. It will be used by several state agen- tion systems, some of which will provide useful cies, private interests, citizens, and public inter- information to the ocean GIS. The Service Cen- est groups. Although its use cannot be ter is working directly with state ocean restricted, its integrity must be guaranteed. resource agencies, such as ODFW and DLCD, to assemble data bases on particular resources. Many ocean resource data will be specific to locations in the ocean. They will be ideally Recommendations suited to use in a computerized Geographic In- The Ocean Policy Council should formation System (GIS). Senate Bill 630 specifi- Establish an interagency process to review cally required that the Plan include: and update ocean research needs Maps of existing ocean conditions, uses and Provide leadership for an Ocean Research resources of the coastline, territorial sea, con- tinental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone. Consortium made up of of Oregon's These maps shall be ... entered into a com- academic institutions, state and federal puter format to allow ease of data analysis agencies, and private industry and shall be accompanied, where possible, by computerized information about the mapped Work with affected state agencies and resources or features .... State Map Advisory Council to guide Not all pertinent ocean resource data will development and maintenance of an be suited for use in a GIS. Both scientific Oregon Ocean Information System reports and economic data are useful to Coordinate the Oregon Ocean Information resource managers, but access to it generally System with adjacent states and with does not require a sophisticated computer. A NOAA, USGS, and other federal agencies system is needed to provide access to such data with ocean-related digital data and information. It is possible to use data in ways for which 0 The Oregon Department of Fish and they were neither intended nor well suited. For Wildlife should develop a system of marine example, trawl catch data could be presented habitat research reserves based on a in such a way as to conclude that the catch ac- marine habitat classification system curately represents a particular population in a 0 The Oregon Department of Energy's GIS particular place, when in fact the catch may Service Center should continue to provide have utilized a net that harvested very few fish technical services to build the Oregon under a certain size or age. The original Ocean Information System. developer of the data may know its limits, but 0 The Oregon Legislature should Ocean Research * 195 0 Strengthen marine research programs at 0 Continue to support the development and Oregon State University, University of use of an interagency Oregon Ocean Infor- Oregon, and within state resource agencies mation System. to support ocean resources management -@7-/ 196 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Index 1 197 198 o Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan I Index 199 A California 26 influence of Columbia River 26 Air quality 115,118 Davidson 26 in the territorial sea plan 152 North Pacific 26 recommended policies for 121 upwelling 27 Archaeological resources 112 variability 26 need for Oregon Legislature to protect 113 Curry County 36 Artifacts protection needed 107 Artificial reefs 42 D in the territorial sea plan 152 Damage assessment 135-136 Douglas County 36 B Dredged material disposal 40,118 in the territorial sea plan 152 Beach access 108 and habitat protection policies 55 E C Economy coastal sectors 37 Citizen involvement 173-174 commercial fishing 37,40 Clatsop County 35 fishing industry 59 Clean Air Act 119 personal income on coast 37 Clean Water Act 118 recreation 38 Commercial fishing 39 transfer payments 37 personal income from 60 transportation 38 Comprehensive plans El Niflo 64,73 ocean resource issues to be addressed 158 Endangered Species Act of 1972 82 Conflict resolution 55 Exclusive Economic Zone 48 Conservation 48,52 Extinction 82 defined 51 and habitat protection 52 recommended policies for 54 F renewable resources 55 Fisheries 39,59-78 techniques for 52 foreign fleets 61 Continental margin history 62 biology of 27 joint ventures 62 currents over 26 major species in 66-72 and fish populations 29 recreational 64,107 and marine birds 31 risks to 73 relation to stewardship area 49 Fisheries management 61 sediments on 25 intent of Ocean Plan Policies on 75 structural features 24 recommended policies for 77 used to define planning unit 24 regional councils 62 width and depth 49 Fishery conservation zone 61 Continental shelf 24 Continental slope 24 Coos County 36 G Counties 35-36 Critical habitats 53 Goal 19 75 factors to consider in designation 53 and marine minerals 144 policy on protection 55 and habitat protection 53 Cultural resources 107 need for information 54 in the territorial sea plan 152 policies 53 Current(s) Gorda Ridge 145 bottom 27 200 9 Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan H Marine birds 79 effect of human disturbance 83 Habitat loss in the territorial sea plan 151 effect on fisheries 75 locations of sensitive colonies 92 and extinction 82 management issues 84 threat to marine birds and mammals 83 recommended policies for protection 88 Habitat protection 52 Marine debris 117 recommended policies for 55 Marine Gardens 100 Haystack Rock Awareness Program 100 Marine mammals 81 Hazardous wastes 118,120 effect of human disturbances 83 Highway 101 108,111 in the territorial sea plan 151 Highway Division location of sensitive populations 92 considerations in Highway 101 management issues 84 improvements 113 recommended policies for protection 88 recommended policy on protection 55 Marine minerals 41,141, 143 - 148 in the territorial sea plan 153 recommended policies on managing 146 Important fishery areas 78,146 resources 141 defined 76 risks from development 141 Indian tribes 107 Marine parks 113 archaeological and cultural resources 112 Marine Plastics Pollution Research and Control Act Industrial wastes 117 of 1987 119 Information Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of and marine wildlife management 86 1972 119 and oil and gas development 128 MARPOL 119 and fishery management 75 Migratory birds on air and water quality 120 recommended policy on protection 55 See also Public Information Program Minority task force policy recommendation International Pacific Halibut Commission 61 oil and gas exploration and development 130 Interstate coordination 164-165 on marine minerals 147 Intertidal Areas 97 Mitigation 55 overuse 98 Municipal wastes 40,117,120 recommended policies for protection 101 Intertidal Marine Gardens 100 in the territorial sea plan 151 N suggested locations 104 Inventory and impact assessment 54 National Energy Policy need for 128 National Environmental Policy Act 54 L National Marine INsheries Service 62,85 National Marine Pollution Program 119 Lane County 36 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Lease Sale 132 126,130 119 Lincoln County 36 National Wildlife Refuges 80 Local government 158-160 Nonpoint pollution 117 ocean planning role 158-159 recreational planning 113 revenues from ocean development 159 0 Ocean Policy Advisory Council 154-155 M actions needed concerning oil spills 139 actions needed for fishery management 77 Magnuson INshery Conservation and Management actions needed to protect intertidal areas Act 61 102 Mariculture 42 development of the territorial sea plan 153 in the territorial sea plan 152 options for composition 154 Index * 201 purpose of 155 need to develop coastal recreation plan 113 recommendations for marine birds and Oregon Division of State Lands 162 mammals 89 actions needed on marine minerals 147 recommended membership 155 actions needed to protect intertidal areas use of Project Review Panels 156 103 Ocean resources conservation Oregon Economic Development Department 163 See Conservation Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission Ocean stewardship area and fisheries management 61 delineation of 49 See Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife effect of designation 49 Oregon Legislature Oregon's interests in 49 actions needed on marine. minerals 147 state-federal agency coordination 167 Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act Oil and gas 42,123-131 policies 52 exploration and development steps 123 Oregon state agency programs 161-163 leasing processes 126 roles in public education 171 onshore impacts of development 125 Oregon State University Sea Grant public concerns 127 role in public information program 170,172 recommended minimum conditions for Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 126,144 leasing 130 needed revisions 131 resource estimates 123 Oil pollution 118 Oil spills 124,133 - 139 P federal issues 138 in the territorial sea plan 152 Pacific Fishery Management Council 61 Oregon's regulatory framework 134 management responsibilities 62 prevention 135 Pacific Northwest OCS Task Force 127 recommended policies 137 Placer Task Force, State Federal 145 response plan components 134 Placers vulnerability to 27,134 See Marine Minerals Oregon Coastal Management Program Pollution 115,117 - 122 territorial sea plan 153 effect on fisheries 75 Oregon Department of Agriculture 163 from oil and gas exploration and development Oregon Department of Energy 162 125 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality 162 marine debris 41 actions needed concerning oil spills 138 threat to intertidal communities 97 actions needed to protect air and water quality threat to marine birds and mammals 83 122 Population pollution control programs 119 density 35 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 161 effect of growth on recreation 110 actions needed for fishery management 78 estimate for coast, 1987 35 actions needed to protect air and water quality Ports 38,40 122 major fishing 60 actions needed to protect intertidal areas Preservation 53 102 defined 54 recommendations for bird and mammal Project Review Panels 156-157 management 90 Public information Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral and conservation 55 Industries 162 Public Information Program 169 - 172, 175 Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development 163 actions needed for marine minerals R management 148 Radioactive pollutants 118 actions needed to protect air and water quality Recreation 41,107 122 and the Ocean Policy Advisory Council 155 in the territorial sea plan 152 Oregon Department of Parks and Recreatiddl, 163 need for coastal plan 112 actions needed to protect intertidal areas 103 risks to quality 110 202 * Oregon's Ocean Resources Management Plan Recreational fishing 39 W Research marine mineral deposits 145 Waste disposal 40 needed on mineral deposits 143 Water quality 115 pilot projects 55 in the territorial sea plan 152 Risk assessment 54 recommended policies for 121 Water Quality Act 119 S Senate Bill 606 144 Sensitive species listed in Oregon 82 State-federal agency coordination 166-167 State-federal coordination on marine minerals 146 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Stewardship 48-49,51 T Territorial sea 48 prohibition of oil and gas activities 130 Territorial sea plan 151-153 air and water quality 122 and marine birds and mammals 89 intertidal areas 101 oil spills 139 on marine minerals 147 recreation issues 113 topics to be addressed 151 Threatened and endangered species 31,53 policy on protection 55 Tidepool Etiquette 99 Tillamook County 35 Thurism 108 annual revenues from 108 effect on intertidal areas 98 employment 108 Tbidc wastes 118,120 Transportation 40 U U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 119 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 85 National Wildlife Refuges 80 proposal to protect offshore colonies 91 V Vessel discharges 117 -.*@ -*e Publication Design Layout, and Desktop Publishing by the Oregon Coastal and Ocean Program staff **** V* - 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