In winter and spring, Oregon’s beaches can turn a vivid hue of purplish blue thanks to the invertebrate Velella velella. Also known as “By-the-Wind Sailor,” they are a living blue boat at the mercy of the winds. Storms blow these odd creatures with melodious names ashore, stranding them in uncountable numbers. Read More
Crabs add drama to the intertidal zone. They scurry in and out of rocky crevices in tidepools, and along sandy bottoms beneath the surface of the waves. Read More
Perhaps you’ve seen one of these gelatinous creatures washed up onto one of Oregon’s beaches. Though they resemble jellyfish without tentacles, they belong to a group of animals known as tunicates, commonly called sea squirts. Guest author Stephen Grace shares this story and some of his photos with us. Read More
Our annual Fish On! Hook-and-Line Volunteer Newsletter is now out with highlights from our 2017 surveys. Check out the Newsletter for more survey highlights and to learn a bit about our pilot fish tagging study at Redfish Rocks. Read More
Patches of barnacles blanket the rocky surfaces in and around Oregon’s marine reserves, and hide fascinating life history secrets. We’ve invited guest author, filmmaker, and photographer Stephen Grace to share his photos and insights on barnacles with us. Read More
Check out these highlights from our 2017 SCUBA surveys. We conducted 255 transects this year to collect data on fish, kelp, invertebrates, and habitats in shallow rocky reefs at three marine reserve sites. Read More
Oregon’s marine reserves were teeming with discoveries this year. From hypoxia and strange creatures washing up on beaches, to jellyfish blooms, research collaborations with fishermen, and advancements in underwater video research tools. Read More
The sea anemones that paint Pacific Northwest tidepools with color look like tranquil flowers but are, in fact, predatory animals. They are cousins of jellyfish, coral, and siphonophores like the Portuguese man o’ war. Read More
Like nettle plants on land, Pacific sea nettles can leave a similar sting. Recently, ODFW habitat researchers ran into swarms of them while doing acoustic surveys south of the Cascade Head Marine Reserve. Check out the video. Read More
SMURFing is complete for 2017. All moorings have been pulled out and we’ve got some final counts for the season. Read More