By Ian Giancarlo, Oceans Advocate, Environment America
The Pacific coast runs for hundreds of miles and marks our country’s western border. It makes the perfect home for millions of nesting seabirds, such as puffins and oystercatchers, and thousands of marine mammals, such as seals and orcas. Offshore, our waters offer an underwater paradise. Imagine towering kelp forests teeming with life, a seafloor abundant with Dungeness crab and sea stars, and the sight of migrating whales traveling through shallow and deep water alike. This scene is what Oregon’s ocean offers, but it could be better protected from modern-day threats such as ocean acidification and sea level rise. Fortunately, there’s a bill in the legislature that could do just that.
Twelve years ago, Oregon legislators first invested in their oceans with the state’s Marine Reserve Program. Today, the five marine reserves encompass about 9% of our state waters and contain a vast array of ocean ecosystems and wildlife. Seals, Dungeness crab, sea stars, and countless seabirds all happily call these places home.
The reserves were created originally to engage and educate the public about the wonders beneath their waves, as well as to provide a space for amazing scientific research and monitoring on ever-changing ocean conditions. Researchers at Oregon State University recently released a decadal review of the Program, which found that it served its intended purpose, but it could be better with more funding.
In response, coastal legislators proposed HB4132 during the current legislative session, which seeks to implement the policy recommendations outlined by OSU. Most notably, HB4132 will increase funding for the Program and create a process for adaptive management – a tool that allows management strategies to be altered based on ever-changing ocean conditions.. The bill also creates opportunities for more education and engagement between Oregonians and the wonders our ocean offers. Overall, HB4132 is a great step towards improving Oregon’s most-successful ocean conservation program. Most encouragingly, the bill has waves of support.
The legislative session ends on March 10th and so far thousands of Oregonians, conservation organizations, a growing bi-partisan list of legislators and some fishermen all want to see the Marine Reserves Program bolstered and are calling on decision-makers in Salem to swiftly pass HB4132 – you can add your name to that list too. The bill still has one final legislative hurdle – a vote on the Senate floor. If it passes by March 10th, Oregon’s most successful ocean conservation program will be made even better.
