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
Do you enjoy fieldwork, data analysis and working as part of a team? Would you like to work in a small town on the Oregon Coast? Then apply to join our team! Read More
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
Up until two decades ago very few people had seen the seabed under Oregon’s nearshore waters. All that began to change with the use of remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs. Read More
How do you study those animals in the ocean that are often too small to see? You build them high-rise condominiums and let them live for free. Learn about how we monitor biodiversity. Read More
Jim Burke is the Director of Animal Care at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and also oversees their scientific dive program. We sat down with Jim and asked him a few questions about his background and involvement in Oregon’s marine reserves research. Read More
From lingcod life histories and juvenile Dungeness crab genetics, to coralline algae signaling and sea star wasting disease – student research provides invaluable contributions to nearshore ocean and marine reserves science. Read More
Mollusks have evolved a stunningly effective feeding structure called a radula: a ribbon-like tongue covered with rows of rock-hard, razor-sharp teeth. 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
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