Returning to the Reserves

People’s experiences with the ocean – the smell of salt, the spray of waves, the rolling storms and the stunning calms — have a way of creating a sense of connectedness. Read more about our upcoming series that looks at different people’s sense of place and their different connections with the ocean. Read More

A Prickly Problem with Sea Urchins

Beneath the waves, once towering kelp beds are collapsing from an unprecedented perfect storm that has been brewing below the surface. First, a massive epidemic wiped out sea stars, then a marine heatwave and El Niño, and now an explosion of sea urchins. Read More

Banking on Baby Fish and Big Data

Cabezon are a popular fish in both the recreational and commercial fisheries here in Oregon. This means that their populations have to be tracked carefully in order to ensure catches are maintained at sustainable levels. If fish were like a bank account, the money flowing in and out must be kept in balance. Read More

Meet Our Mother-In-Law: She’s a Croaker

Meet the cabezon, a large, goth-looking sculpin whose genus name literally translates to “scorpion fish” and means “large head” in Spanish. This species was the ‘catch du jour’ during our last research trip at Cape Falcon Marine Reserve. Read More

Meet the Deacon Rockfish

How do you discover a new species after millions of people, including fishermen and researchers, have seen these fish off of Oregon for many years? Blue Rockfish, common to Oregon’s rocky reefs and regularly observed in Oregon’s marine reserves, are actually two entirely distinct species. Read More