Now available: The 2015-16 Oregon Coast Quests Book

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The 2015-16 edition of Oregon Sea Grant’s popular Oregon Coasts Quests Book is now available for sale. This 216-page, spiral-bound book features:Quests-book-cover

Directions for 24 Quests
Updates to existing Quests
Two brand-new Quests
Ten Quests created by youth
Quests in four Oregon counties (Lincoln, Coos, Curry, and Benton)
One Quest with directions in both English and Spanish

The book retails for $10 and is being sold by booksellers around the state. To find out where you can buy a copy, visit the booksellers page on the Quests website: http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/quests. If you happen to be or know of a bookseller interested in selling Quest books, please contact OregonCoastQuests@oregonstate.edu for ordering information.

Find us on Facebook
Oregon Coast Quests now has a Facebook page, where you can get updates, “like” the page, and share your Questing adventures with friends and neighbors: https://www.facebook.com/OregonCoastQuests

Happy Questing!

Summer 2015 “Dock Shop” walks take the mystery out of buying fresh seafood

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NEWPORT – Want to learn more about the seafood caught off the Oregon coast – and have a chance to buy some while you’re at it? Join Oregon Sea Grant for a series of “Dock Shop” guided tours on July 10, 16, 22 and 28, 2015, at Newport’s commercial fishing port.

Led by Ruby Moon,  Oregon Sea Grant Extension fisheries specialist, the walks start at the entrance of Port Dock 5, across SE Bay Boulevard from Local Ocean restaurant at noon each date. They last from 1-2 hours, depending on what vessels are in port and who’s selling what.

Moon will lead the walks while talking about what seafood is in season, what local boats fish for and how, vessel types, fishing practices and sustainability.

Those interested in buying seafood should bring cash and a cooler with ice. Comfortable shoes with good traction are a must! There is no charge for taking part in the walk.

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Beyond the Shore: Oregon’s Plan for Thriving Oceans

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(This post was co-written by Kelsey Adkisson, Oregon Sea Grant Marine Policy Fellow and Ivan Kuletz, Oregon Sea Grant Marine Policy Intern. )
Oregon doesn’t stop at the beach. In fact, the shoreline is just the beginning of an incredibly complex and thriving marine environment full of colorful rockfish, towering kelp forests, expansive sandy flats, jagged rocky reefs, and a diversity of unique invertebrates.

Red sea urchinsTo ensure this environment remains healthy and vibrant, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and Oregon Sea Grant (OSG) teamed up and developed a successful partnership that focuses on enhancing the intersection of science and management. This partnership has fostered fellowships and scholarships that support science-based resource management issues. As part of this collaboration, two OSG Fellows, Kelsey Adkisson and Ivan Kuletz, worked with ODFW on a great example of Oregon’s support for science-based ocean resource management- the Oregon Nearshore Strategy.

The Oregon Nearshore Strategy is a set of prioritized recommendations for conservation, management, and research of species and habitats that occur within state waters. Oregon’s nearshore environment is home to a vast array of species and habitats. All of which are integral components of a complex nearshore ecosystem. This ecosystem is interconnected through food webs, ocean currents, and a multitude of other biological, physical, chemical, geological and human use factors.

Yelloweye RockfishOriginally developed in 2005, and currently undergoing a ten year revision, the Nearshore Strategy was created via a collaborative process led by ODFW. Members of the public, ocean-related businesses, recreational interests, conservation groups, government agencies, tribes, universities, and many other sectors helped contribute to the Strategy.

“At its core, the Nearshore Strategy is intended to contribute to the larger domain of marine resources management and focus actions towards priority issues and areas that have not already received the attention they deserve,” explained Caren Braby, the ODFW Marine Resources Program Manager. “Ultimately, the Strategy’s effectiveness hinges on public input, which helps shape the document, and also ensures that diverse perspectives, values, visions and concerns for the nearshore environment are represented.”

As part of the 2015 revision process, Kelsey and Ivan worked with ODFW Project Leader, Greg Krutzikowsky, to review and update the enormous body of scientific knowledge that underpins the document. This information was used to develop recommendations that support Oregon’s diversity of marine life. As Sea Grant Scholars, it was a unique experience to be part of something that is used by such a broad variety of interest groups, including federal agencies, policy makers, citizen groups, fishermen, conservation organizations, and researchers.
The Nearshore Strategy is currently undergoing public review and the update is due to be completed by October 1, 2015. Public input is essential to shaping and prioritizing resource needs for the next ten years and ODFW is seeking input on the Strategy. To review the Oregon Nearshore Strategy, provide input, or find out more about the revision process please visit the ODFW Oregon Nearshore Strategy website: (http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/nearshore/index.asp).

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(Photo credits: Janna Nichols)

Malouf Scholarship: Applicants sought

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Oregon Sea Grant is soliciting applications for the 2015-2016 Robert E. Malouf Marine Studies Scholarship, awarded to support  graduate students who combine societally relevant research with education or public engagement.

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Friday, July 20. 2015.

Applicants must be graduate students at any college or university in Oregon, working toward a degree in a field compatible with Oregon Sea Grant’s mandate and areas of interest. Disciplines may include, but are not limited to biological, geological, physical and chemical sciences; marine resource management and policy; marine resource economics; social sciences; engineering; geology; education or public health.

The scholarship’s purpose is to provide a significant contribution to students seeking advanced degrees and to contribute to building the nation’s future capacity in the marine sciences. Oregon Sea Grant plans to award two Malouf Scholarships in 2015: one to a Master’s student and one to a Ph.D. student. If funding permits, more than two scholarships may be granted.

The scholarship is named for Dr. Robert E. Malouf, Oregon Sea Grant director from 1991-2008.

For full details and to apply, visit the Oregon Sea Grant Website.

Oregon Sea Grant video wins APEX Award

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Oregon Sea Grant has won an APEX Award of Excellence in the Electronic 2015 APEX logoMedia-Video category for its online video, Responding to the Risks of Marine Debris: Derelict Fishing Gear.
According to APEX, there were 165 entries in the Electronic Media category, and awards were based on “excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the success of the entry…in achieving overall communication effectiveness and excellence.”
Responding to the Risks of Marine Debris is a production of Oregon Sea Grant in cooperation with NOAA West and the west coast Sea Grant programs. You can view the six-minute video at https://vimeo.com/92878422

Research/Scholars Coordinator position open

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Application deadline June 25, 2015. Visit OSU Jobs for details and to apply

Oregon Sea Grant is seeking to fill a full-time, 12-month, fixed term professional faculty position to support development and execution of Oregon Sea Grant’s competitive research process, manage our program development grants, coordinate the student scholars program, and prepare various proposal and project budgets, reports and other documents required by the National Sea Grant office and other funders.  

At minimum, candidates should have a Master’s degree in marine or environmental sciences, resource management, public policy, public administration, resource economics or a related field that gives the candidate a firm basis in the physical and social sciences, or with policy/ administration. In addition, we require two years of experience with responsibility for program or project management, monitoring and coordination.

For details, and to apply, visit OSU Jobs.

Oregon Sea Grant seeks grants/contracts technician

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Oregon Sea Grant is seeking applicants with training and experience in accounting for a full-time classified staff position as a grants/contracts technician. Responsibilities include managing awarded grants and contracts, bookkeeping and associated tasks (Reviewing/verifying accounts for accuracy, meeting audit trail requirements, reconciling transactions, etc), budget tracking and preparation, and preparing outside grant proposals.

Minimum requirements include 12 quarter hours (8 semester hours) of accounting courses AND two years of experience, an Associate’s degree in accounting or equivalent education and experience. Preferred qualifications include experience with grant proposal development and with FIS Banner, Data Warehouse, GRRS, and Cayuse information systems.

Application deadline June 12, 2015. Visit OSU Jobs for details and to apply.

STEM Hub sends teachers to sea

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Newport, OR — Two Oregon educators head out to sea this weekend to take part in a research buoy deployment aimed at learning how changing ocean conditions affect sea life in Pacific Northwest waters.

The deployment, aboard the University of Washington’s R/V Thomas Thompson, takes place over Memorial Day weekend in  NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

Ben Ewing of Lincoln County School District’s Toledo High School and Cindy Bryden from the Haystack Rock Awareness Program are joining others from from Washington state to learn more about oceanographic research addressing critical issues affecting the region’s coastal and inland waters. The teachers plan to incorporate the research and their cruise experiences into their classroom and education programs.

This cruise will deploy a moored buoy system with sensors to monitor ocean and weather conditions off the coast. A Seaglider, an autonomous underwater vehicle, is part of the observing array and will be deployed as well. These instruments are part of a larger observing system known as NEMO (Northwest Enhanced Moored Observatory). While at sea, the team will conduct water and plankton sampling as part of Washington Ocean Acidification Center monitoring for ocean acidification.

Toledo High School teacher Ben Ewing with the SS DolphinEwing will also be deploying the SS Dolphin, a five foot unmanned sailboat built by Sunset Middle School students in Coos Bay. This student-built sailboat is equipped with a GPS unit (Global Positioning System) so Oregon students and the public can track its journey as it rides the wind and currants across Pacific waters.  Funded by the Oregon Coast Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Hub, the SS Dolphin is the second student-built boat to be deployed in the Pacific by research vessels this school year. Plans are underway for Hatfield Marine Science Center researchers to deploy a third student-built boat at the Marianas Trench near Guam in June.

Based at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, the Oregon Coast STEM Hub is one of six regional STEM Hubs funded by the Oregon Department of Education. With more than 50 active partners, including Oregon Sea Grant, the Oregon Coast STEM Hub serves coastal teachers, students and communities along the Oregon coast, connecting them with regional resources and providing world-class STEM experiences.

For more information contact Tracy Crews at OregonCoastSTEM@oregonstate.edu.

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New pale ale benefits sea star wasting research

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Rogue Wasted Sea Star Ale labelNEWPORT – Sales of  a new starfish-purple ale from Rogue Brewery will benefit researchers’ efforts to study and address sea star wasting disease, a serious epidemic among starfish up and down the West Coast.

As part of a larger effort to learn more about the deadly disease that has devastated sea stars in some places on the Oregon coast, a craft brewery in Newport, Ore., has announced the sale of Wasted Sea Star Purple Pale Ale . Rogue Ales and Spirits planned a celebration today including a beer christening and discussion about the outbreak.

The Rogue Ale brewers plan to donate a portion of the income from sales of this product to support research done by scientists at Oregon State University and and PISCO scientists. More information on Rogue Ales and Spirits’ new ale is available online at www.rogue.com/roguenews

“We are extremely excited about this new partnership with Rogue to raise awareness about the importance of sea stars to healthy ocean ecosystems,” said Bruce Menge, the lead PISCO-OSU investigator. “Rogue’s new beer also recognizes the efforts of investigators across the country who are collaborating to understand this disease and its impacts.”

The brew is described as “light and crisp, with a red or purplish hue and a unique flavor that comes from the purple corn nectar used to brew it.”

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Communications manager applicants sought

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Oregon Sea Grant is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time position leading its communications team in developing products and strategies that interpret Sea Grant-funded research, support the program’s administration and contribute to outreach and engagement activities which help inform and engage the public in learning, discussing and acting on ocean and coastal issues.

At minimum, candidates should have

  • Specialized skill in science writing, graphic design, or multi-media development
  • A bachelor’s degree, or equivalent work experience, in a communications related field, with an emphasis on science communications. A master’s degree is preferred
  • At least five years relevant work experience
  • Evidence of experience supervising or leading other communications professionals
  • Evidence of actively engaging personnel in development, planning and implementation of project communications
  • Effective written and oral communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to represent complex scientific or environmental concepts in a way that will excite interest and can be understood by the various audiences as appropriate.

Based at the Oregon Sea Grant office on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis, OR, the communications manager is expected to travel as needed to the Hatfield Marine Scence Center Visitor Center in Newport, OR, and to other project locations on the Oregon coast. 

Duties include planning and development of print, digital media and other communication projects, scholarly activities supporting the science of science communication, managing media relations, and overseeing a team that, among other duties supports special projects of the National Sea Grant Network and oversees exhibit design for our HMSC Visitor Center in Newport.

For full details and to apply, see the posting on the OSU Jobs site. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2015.