Oregon Senate approves state's first marine reserves
The Oregonian
06/17/2009
The Oregon Senate approved a bill this afternoon that authorizes the state's first two fishing-free marine reserves and requires study of four other areas. The bill, approved earlier by the House, now goes to Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
The reserve system included in House Bill 3013A is smaller than originally proposed by Kulongoski. But environmental groups applauded the 24-3 vote, saying it marks an important start.
The bill implements November recommendations from Kulongoski's Ocean Policy Advisory Council.
It establishes two fishermen-endorsed pilot reserves -- Otter Rock off Depoe Bay and Redfish Rocks off Port Orford -- that would take up less than 1 percent of Oregon's territorial sea, a 3-mile-wide strip along the 360-mile coast.
It requires state agencies to evaluate potential reserves at Cape Falcon south of Cannon Beach, Cascade Head near Lincoln City and Cape Perpetua near Yachats. It tells the agencies to support a reserve proposal for the Cape Arago-Seven Devils area, south of Coos Bay.
And it requires the Department of State Lands to transfer $1 million to the Department of Fish and Wildlife to pay for the work. A report on that work and an evaluation of the pilot reserves is due back by Nov. 30, 2010.
