Don Sarver is Serving Science with His Fishing Skills

From beach cleanups to family fishing events to research surveys, it’s almost impossible to attend a volunteer event on the central Oregon coast without crossing paths with Don Sarver. Join us as we talk with this stalwart fisherman and avid volunteer as he shares his reasons for volunteering, some of his most memorable moments and what he’s learned about the reserves in the process. Read More

“Sense of Place” a Short Film by OSU-MSI Filmmaking Intern

This past summer, Amir Ahmad was an OSU-MSI Science Filmmaking intern. He collaborated with us to produce a short film highlighting some of the volunteers assisting in the scientific monitoring of Oregon’s marine reserves. This 5 minute film explores some of the different ways these volunteers identify with and are connected to the ocean and why they volunteer. Read More

Black Oystercatcher Study With Help From Volunteers

While the Black Oystercatcher has a conspicuous presence on our coast, little demographic information has been collected on this seabird in recent years. Portland Audubon, research partners, and volunteers conducted a statewide survey to get an updated population estimate and learn more about their distribution at marine reserve sites and along the coast. Findings from this study have recently been published. Read More

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

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

Landing on the Seafloor: Piloting a New Camera System

Video surveys offer a cost-effective, non-extractive means for collecting valuable data on fish and habitats. Like all scientific research tools, there are questions about potential biases. Results from a video lander pilot study conducted by the ODFW Marine Reserve Program looks into these questions and has some surprising results. Read More