Author Archives: kightp

About kightp

Pat Kight is the web and digital media specialist for Oregon Sea Grant at Oregon State University.

Task force calls for forage fish harvest cuts

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Sardines at the Monterey Bay AquariumCORVALLIS, Ore. – A task force that conducted one of the most comprehensive analyses of global “forage fish” populations is strongly recommending that world governments tighten catch limits on sardines, anchovies and other crucial prey species.

The Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force calls for restricting harvest of such forage fish so that they can continue to serve as critical prey for larger species, including salmon, cod and tuna, as well as for dolphins, whales, penguins and seabirds.

The report concludes that the fish are “twice as valuable in the water as in a net.”

“Forage fish are essential components of marine ecosystems,” said Selina Heppell, an Oregon State University fisheries ecologist and one of the authors on the report.  “The status and importance of each species can be difficult to evaluate because many of them migrate long distances and they can fluctuate dramatically in abundance.

“There also are regional differences in how the fisheries are managed and the relative health of the population,” added Heppell, an associate professor in OSU’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and past recipient of Oregon Sea Grant research support. “The West Coast sardine fishery, for example, is carefully monitored. They have a ‘harvest control rule’ that sets the harvest at about 10 percent of the overall stock, and when the population gets below a certain level, they stop fishing.

Read the complete news release from OSU News & Communications

Coastal workshops to address tsunami debris questions

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Local organizations on the Oregon coast are partnering with NOAA, Oregon Sea Grant Extension, state and local agencies and conservation groups on a series of community meetings to share current information and science about the marine debris left by the 2011 Japanese tsunami.

The meetings will take place between April 11 and 20 in coastal communities from Port Orford to Seaside, and inland in Portland and Eugene.

Debris pulled out to sea by the Japanese tsunami last March is gradually riding the Pacific currents toward the US west coast, raising public questions about everything from derelict “ghost” ships to what to expect while beachcombing. Oceanographers predict that the bulk of the debris could arrive on U.S. shores next year, but no one can yet predict when – or how much.

“Right now, as a result of the tragic tsunami disaster, Brookings, Oregon, is rebuilding, Japan is reeling and the West Coast states are preparing to clean up an unprecedented amount of debris being carried to our coast on the ocean currents. Our oceans connect us and are essential to a healthy environment and economy,” said Cylvia Hayes, First Lady of Oregon. “These workshops are important to helping us effectively deal with the tsunami debris and better protect the health of oceans and coastal communities.”

Non-profit organizations that specialize in caring for Oregon’s shoreline and coping with litter report an overwhelming volume of requests and questions from their volunteers and the public about the possible arrival of tsunami-related debris. These organizations (SOLV, Surfrider Foundation, the CoastWatch program of the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, the Washed Ashore Project) are partnering with Oregon Sea Grant Extension to sponsor information sessions featuring staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program.

Key speaker will be Nir Barnea, the NOAA program’s West Coast regional coordinator, who will describe what is known about the contents and trajectory of the debris, and what is being done across the Pacific to prepare to deal with it.

The NOAA speaker will be joined by speakers from the U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division, County Emergency Managers, and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Local waste managers and coastal haulers have also been invited for their experience in handling marine debris.

All events are free and open to the public. Audience members will have a chance to ask questions about everything from public health to returning any personal valuables that may be found amid the debris.

Tentative list of times and locations:

  • April 11th, Seaside 2-3:30 pm, Seaside Community Center
  • April 11, Bay City 6-7:30 pm, Bay City Arts Center
  • April 12, Pacific City 10-11:30 am, Kiwanda Community Center
  • April 12, Newport 6-7:30 pm, Newport City Hall
  • April 13, Florence 10-11:30 am, Florence Fire Station
  • April 13, North Bend 2-3:30 pm, North Bend Public Library
  • April 13, Bandon 6-7:30 pm, City Council Chamber/City Hall
  • April 14, Port Orford 10-11:00 am, American Legion Hall
  • April 14, Eugene 3:00-4:30 pm, EWEB Training Center, 500 East 4th Ave N Bldg
  • April 15, Portland 3:30-5:00 pm, Ecotrust Natural Capital Center, 721 NW 9th Ave
  • April 20, Cannon Beach, time and location TBD

Updated information about meeting dates and locations will be available from www.solv.org

Participating groups expect to conduct organizing and education efforts later this year to strengthen their citizen response networks before the expected arrival of the bulk of the debris.

For more information about the meetings, contact Jamie Doyle, Oregon Sea Grant Extension, agent for the south coast

For more information about the Japanese tsunami debris, see NOAA’s Japan Tsunami Debris FAQ

Marine Science Day opens HMSC labs to visitors

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Pearl, the HMSC Visitor Center's newest octopusNEWPORT – OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center will open its doors a bit wider on Saturday, April 14, when the Newport facility hosts its first Marine Science Day.

The free public event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature scientists and educators from OSU, federal and state agencies, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and the new NOAA Marine Operations Center-Pacific. It offers a rare opportunity for the public to go behind the scenes of one of the nation’s leading marine science and education facilities.

Oregon Sea Grant and its marine education program will offer special activities at the HMSC Visitor Center, and behind-the-scenes tours of its ornamental fish laboratory.

Oregon First Lady Cylvia Hayes will speak briefly at 3 p.m. in the Visitor Center auditorium, along with OSU Vice President for Research Richard Spinrad. Bruce Mate, director of OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute, will follow with a presentation showcasing the center’s pioneering role in tracking whales by satellite.

“Marine Science Day will be fun and engaging for people of all ages,” said Maryann Bozza, HMSC program manager. “Visitors will wind through the campus, getting a true behind-the-scenes experience with an unparalleled opportunity to learn directly from marine scientists.”

Most Marine Science Day exhibits and activities will be indoors, but some tours will take visitors outside to walk from one lab to another, and some exhibits will be outdoors.

“The diverse science conducted at the facility reaches from local coastlines and estuaries to the depths of the world’s oceans,” she added, “and in scale from microbes on the seafloor to undersea volcanoes and the whales that swim over them.”

Visitors can meet Pearl, the Visitor Center’s newest octopus and watch her being fed at 1 pm; observe a sea turtle necropsy; and meet fisheries scientists and geologists whose research is described in center exhibits. The public also can participate in self-guided tours through the facility’s marine research labs, library and classrooms, where scientists will have interactive exhibits explaining their research. Highlights include:

  • Hear volcanoes erupt and whales ‘sing’ in an audio display by NOAA and OSU researchers using undersea hydrophones
  • Learn how researchers are supporting sustainable fisheries through innovative, collaborative research
  • Collect biological data from fish, plankton and even a shrimp parasite through hands-on experimentation
  • Explore novel oceangoing and ocean floor instrument platforms and meet the scientists who designed them.

Visitors may also take guided tours of HMSC’s seawater facilities and ornamental fish laboratory. More information, including program and special events, is available at on the HMSC Website.

The event is intended to showcase OSU’s unique partnership with state and federal agencies, which makes the HMSC a national leader in marine research and education, according to director George Boehlert.

“OSU’s Newport campus is known for a diversity of research and the expertise of its scientists, which offer unique opportunities in education and outreach,” Boehlert said. “Visitors to Marine Science Day will get a sense of the innovation and synergy that makes the Hatfield Marine Science Center unique.”

Collaborative research partners that share the campus with OSU labs include six federal and state agencies: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and NOAA Research, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 

 

 

 

Water Conference comes to Portland

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Oregon Coast Range streamRegistration is open now for the 2012 National Land Grant and Sea Grant Water Conference, coming to Portland May 20-24.

The conference brings together water scientists, engineers, educators, and managers to share knowledge and ideas, to identify and update emerging issues, and to network with leading researchers, educators, and innovators from academia, government and the private sector.  Along with presentations and workshops, the 2012 conference will feature tours highlighting water resource issues on the Northwest Pacific coast.

The conference is hosted by a team of educators from Land Grant and Sea Grant Institutions around the nation in cooperation with national program leaders from USDA and NOAA. Oregon Sea Grant’s Extension program leader, David Hansen, serves on the 2102 conference hosting team.

The annual conference is sponsored by the National Water Program – a partnership of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture  and Land Grant colleges across the country. The program aims to help create and protect safe, reliable water sources for food and fiber production, human health, use and economic growth, and the maintenance and protection of natural environmental systems.

For information and registration, visit the conference website.

Sea Grant’s Sam Chan to teach at new OSU academy

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CORVALLIS – Sam Chan, Oregon Sea Grant’s invasive species expert, will be among the instructors for Oregon State University’s first-ever Natural Resources Leadership Academy this summer.

NRLA – Applying Risk Analysis to Invasive Species and Sustainable Natural Resources with Sam Chan from Oregon State University – PNE on Vimeo.

The academy, June 15-29, is aimed at natural resources professionals and graduate students who want to enhance their leadership skills,  gain knowledge and connect with others in their fields. The courses, available with or without academic credit, also satisfy curriculum requirements for several OSU degrees.

Participants may choose up to two courses, offered in week-long, all-day sessions, in natural resources conflict management, communication, leadership and sustainability. A $50 fee covers registration for both weeks; additional course fees vary for credit and non-credit registration, and depending on the number of credits taken. Academy pre-registration is required by April 18; course registration runs from April 15-May 7.

Fees do not cover textbooks or lodging; discount lodging is available in OSU dorms and local motels.

For complete information visit the OSU Natural Resources Leadership Academy on the Web.

 

Terra tackles climate change

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The latest issue of  Terra, Oregon State University’s research quarterly, looks at how OSU scientists are working to help the state and region improve the capacity and ability to respond to a changing climate.

Among the articles is a feature by Joe Cone, Oregon Sea Grant’s assistant director and communications leader,  about the challenges of communicating climate science to lay audiences, even in coastal communities that stand to suffer the most from sea level rise and other results of climate change.

The article is based on Cone’s NOAA-funded research, with collaborators in Maine, into the concerns of people and communities around the subject, and how their personal beliefs and attitudes can shape their approach to climate information.

Cone’s research led to a series of publications aimed at scientists, educators, science writers and others involved in communicating with the public about climate change and other complex science topics:

Science on Tap: Ocean science and good beer in Newport

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Steller sea lionsNEWPORT – Oregon State University marine mammal researcher Markus Horning  steps to the bar for this month’s Science on Tap lecture, with The secret lives or seals: Using high-tech marvels to pry into ocean depths.

The talk, co-sponsored by the Hatfield Marine Science Center and Rogue Ale, starts at 6 pm  March 15 at Brewers on the Bay, on the South Beach waterfront south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Admission to the family-friendly event is free, and food and beverage will be available for purchase from the pub’s menu.

Horning, a pinniped ecologist with OSU’s Newport-based Marine Mammal Institute,   studies seals and sea lions in Oregon, Alaska and the Antarctic using telemetry – the science and technology of remote measurement via such devices as satellite-linked data recorders and tags.

The technology allows Horning and other scientists to monitor rarely observed aspects of marine mammal life in remote locations around Alaska and the Antarctic. Using advanced monitoring technology, researchers are able to follow the life – and death – of individual animals in the Bering Sea or under the Antarctic ice.

In recent research, the high-tech tools have helped show that more juvenile Steller sea lions are falling to predators than had been thought, casting doubt on prospects for the animals’ ability to recover from recent population decline in Alaskan waters.

Learn more:

(Photo: Steller sea lions, courtesy of NOAA’s National Ocean Service)

Oregon Sea Grant launches new magazine

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Confluence coverConfluence, a new magazine highlighting the work of Oregon Sea Grant, makes its debut this week, both in print and online.

Produced by Sea Grant Communications, the magazine will be published three times a year, each issue focusing on how the program integrates research, education and public engagement tools to address a specific ocean or coastal topic.

The first issue looks at Oregon Sea Grant’s efforts in coastal earthquake and tsunami preparedness, with feature stories about Extension Coastal Hazards Specialist Patrick Corcoran’s work helping communities prepare for seismic disaster and Lori Cramer’s Sea Grant-supported research into how disadvantaged populations are affected by such events.

Additional stories look at the program’s latest research grants, its Summer Scholars student internship program, and a major, NSF-funded research project examining how people learn in aquariums, museums and other non-classroom settings.

The online edition, available at seagrant.oregonstate.edu/confluence, includes video, resource links and additional articles produced specifically for the Web, as well as instructions for subscribing to both the print and online editions.

Confluence is edited by Rick Cooper and designed by Patricia Andersson; the Web version is produced by Pat Kight. The inaugural issue features articles by Nathan Gilles, 2011 Sea Grant science communication fellow. Joe Cone, Sea Grant assistant director and communications leader, conceived of the project and guided its development.

OSU’s new research vessel arrives in Newport

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R/V Oceanus: Almost homeNEWPORT – Greeted by welcoming blasts from the horns of NOAA research ships berthed nearby, the Research Vessel Oceanus steamed under the arch of Yaquina Bay Bridge in a rainy mist on Tuesday and into her new home port at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center.

It was the end of a 28-day voyage for the Oceanus, which sailed out of its former home at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute on Jan. 25 and cruised down the East Coast and through the Panama Canal before heading northward for Oregon and her new home port.

Marine science fans on both coasts were able to follow the voyage via a Webcam affixed to the ship’s mast, which also beamed its geographic coordinates to a Google map set up for the occasion.

OSU acquired the Oceanus via the  University National Oceanographic Laboratory System, a consortium of 60 academic research institutions that operate 16 vessels around the country. OSU, a member of UNOLS, was retiring its venerable research vessel, The Wecoma, and looked to the consortium for a replacement. Although the two vessels are about the same age, a National Science Foundation rapid assessment determined that the Oceanus would be more cost-effective to operate for the next 5-10 years. By that time, OSU hopes to have a new ship.

The Oceanus was greeted by the same sounds that saw her off from Woods Hole: A chorus of horns from other research vessels, this time those docked at the new NOAA Marine Operations Center facility not far from the Hatfield Center docks.

A formal retirement ceremony for the Wecoma is being planned for March.

(Photos by Bruce Mate. Additional photos on the Oregon Sea Grant Flickr gallery)