Breaking Waves

A fast-track “listening and learning” process that drew nearly 800 people to meetings on Oregon’s coast has produced more than 1,700 separate comments on the question of establishing marine reserves in the state’s territorial waters.

Oregon Sea Grant, which was asked to conduct the outreach effort, will deliver the comments this week to the state’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council. The council is expected to use the report to help formulate recommendations for addressing Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s goal of creating a limited number of marine reserves – areas of the near-shore sea where fishing and other extractive activities are prohibited - off the Oregon coast. …

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A series of “listening and learning” forums in eight communities up and down the Oregon Coast this month will gather a wide range of interests and viewpoints to explore the issue of marine reserves.

The forums, starting in North Bend on Feb. 18, are being organized by Oregon Sea Grant, the Oregon State University-based marine research and outreach program, at the request of the state’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC).

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