Download section 2: proposal information

SECTION 2: PROPOSAL INFORMATION
PLEASE
PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE: Please
attach your answers using as many additional sheets as necessary. Be sure to fill‐ in the
table in question four and submit with your proposal.
1. Where is the site located? What are its boundaries? How many nautical miles does
the site extend: a) along the coastline, and b) offshore? Please use common place
names, latitude/longitude, and geographic references to identify the site. Your
proposal must include a map showing the proposed boundaries of the site.
Please use the proposal maps available on the Oregon Marine Reserves website to draw
the proposed boundaries of the site (http://www.oregonmarinereserves.net). You may
also obtain the maps by contacting Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at (541)
867‐ 0300 x284 or [email protected].
The proposed site stretches from Howard Point (North of Yachats) southwards to Berry Creek
(South of Heceta Head). This site extends approximately 13.5 nautical miles along the coast and
3 nautical miles offshore. See map attached.
Northern Boundary of MR:
44N 20’.0 124W 06’.0
44N 20’.0 124W 10’.0
Southern Boundary MR:
44N 06’.5 124W 07’.0
44N 06’.5 124W 08’.0
Northern Boundary MPA:
44N 12’.5 124W 08’.0
44N 12’.5 124W 11’.0
Southern Boundary MPA:
44N 06’.5 124W 08’.0
44N 06’.5 124W 12’.0
2. Describe how the size, location, and characteristics of this site allows for
scientific evaluation of ecological benefits.
Heceta Head and Cape Perpetua
Marine Protected Area and Reserve
Oregon continues to face increased pressure to utilize living marine resources of
nearshore subtidal rocky reef areas. Much of the increase has resulted from a shift
toward nearshore reef fisheries due, initially, to the dramatic decrease in traditional
salmon harvest, and now to a reduction of traditional groundfishing opportunities. At the
same time, the live-fish fishery and the sport bottom-fish fishery focus effort in nearshore
rocky reef habitats, and the effect these fisheries have on fish populations within this
limited space has not been fully assessed.
Statewide, nearshore rocky reef environments comprise an area where fishing intensity
continues to increase, stocks appear to be declining, and ODFW has little information
upon which to base management decisions (ODFW, 2001, Nearshore Rocky Reef
Assessment).
A suite of management tools are needed to effectively manage Oregon’s complex mixed
stock marine resources. Traditional fisheries management techniques should rely on
stock assessments and an understanding of behavior, physiology and life history as well
as ecosystem interactions and habitat. This information is relatively sparse so
management must be conducted with the best available science, and absent of
information, in a precautionary manner. Of the nearshore species prosecuted for fisheries
(or affected by fisheries and other environmental impacts), only a few species have stock
assessments that inform regulatory decisions. At present, only 8 of 43 ODFW managed
species have been assessed, and two of those eight (canary and yelloweye rockfish) are in
over-fished status.
A general principle of Oregon’s Native Fish Conservation Policy is that, in the absence
of information to inform management, a precautionary management approach should be
used. Setting aside no-take critical habitat types is a tool works in conjunction with the
existing array of current precautionary fishery regulations. Of course, marine reserves
alone are inadequate to unilaterally enhance stocks or to manage all aspects our fisheries
(ODFW, 2007).
Developing ‘reference area no-take reserves’ helps to ensure sound resource management
decisions in conjunction with existing fishing regulations in Oregon’s state waters. The
Ocean Policy Advisory Council has defined an ecological reference area to be an area
“that provides a baseline to compare with non-reserve areas, specifically to evaluate
changes in habitat, species abundance, and species composition due to natural changes,
fishing impacts and other human effects” (OPAC, Policy Guidance Document, 2008).
The Heceta-Perpetua Area (HPA) would compliment existing conservation efforts to
protect depleted stocks in Federal waters at Heceta Bank by providing inshore-offshore
connectivity of both highly diverse and ecologically rich regions.
Connecting an existing terrestrial conservation strategy that has many partners including
federal and state agencies, NGOs, and communities creates a unique opportunity for
collaboration. Protection of key habitats, restoration, and research as well as a
precautionary approach are key components to responsible resource management. This
HPA gives us the best opportunity to link critical offshore habitats to the nearshore and
the upland landscape.
This land-sea connection creates an excellent opportunity to implement Ecosystems
Approaches to Management (EAM) and priorities directed in the West Coast Governors
Agreement (May 2008). This integrated approach to management considers the health of
the entire ecosystem, including human uses that depend on it. A number of the priority
action items identified in the WCGA could easily be incorporated the HPA management
plan. Research, ocean awareness, as well as protection ecological hotspots of our coastal
environment are priorities for the Heceta Head - Perpetua Marine Protected Area and
Reserve. NOAA is in the process of developing a vision for an ecosystem approach to
management, for sustainable use of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. Their
vision incorporates collaboration among NOAA, other federal, state, tribal, and local
agencies, NGOs, academic and business communities. An ecosystem approach to
management shifts current management practices from sectoral, short-term perspectives,
with humans independent of ecosystems to ecosystem-based, long-term perspectives and
humans integral to ecosystems. We believe our local efforts will dovetail perfectly with
this federal direction and new approach to management.
“Ecosystems involve complex connections between organisms, their environment, and
the processes that drive the system. By utilizing baseline assessments, managers can
make informed science-based decisions. By taking into account ecosystem uncertainties,
managers can use a precautionary approach to management. Consideration of external
influences takes into account the numerous ecological and anthropogenic factors
affecting marine and coastal resources. By increasing the knowledge of these influences,
NOAA and its partners can enhance stewardship and management.” (NOAA, EAM 2007)
Ecological benefits
There are multiple benefits associated with the marine reserve effort now underway in the
Oregon coastal environment. Protection of key habitats, natural diversity and ecosystem
function, as well as improving recreation, educational and research opportunities, will
result from a coast-wide designation of a system of marine protected areas and marine
reserves in Oregon’s Territorial Sea.
Worldwide, scientific research has clearly documented the link between the protection of
key habitats via marine reserves and subsequent increases in marine biodiversity and the
size, abundance, and biomass of exploited species, which often spillover into areas
adjacent to reserves. In 2003, the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
released a white paper on marine reserves which stated: “There is growing evidence that
marine reserves can be an effective tool for conservation of species and biodiversity,
serving the same purpose that national and state parks and wilderness areas do for some
terrestrial species and habitat types.” The Oregon AFS chapter further stated that marine
reserves have benefits to fisheries beyond the protected area, including helping to rebuild
depleted rockfishes and enhancing surrounding areas: “we expect spillover would be
likely for many of our West Coast species” and “we expect these reserves to contribute to
the conservation and rebuilding of several rockfish species” (Oregon AFS 2003).
In their paper entitled "The role of marine reserves in achieving sustainable fisheries, "
Roberts et al. (2003) stated that “Many fishery management tools currently in use have
conservation value. They are designed to maintain stocks of commercially important
species above target levels. However, their limitations are evident from continuing
declines in fish stocks throughout the world. We make the case that to reverse fishery
declines, safeguard marine life and sustain ecosystem processes, extensive marine
reserves that are off limits to fishing must become part of the management strategy.
Marine reserves should be incorporated into modern fishery management because they
can achieve many things that conventional tools cannot. Only complete and permanent
protection from fishing can protect the most sensitive habitats and vulnerable species.
Only reserves will allow the development of natural, extended age structures of target
species, maintain their genetic variability and prevent deleterious evolutionary change
from the effects of fishing. Species with natural age structures will sustain higher rates of
reproduction and will be more resilient to environmental variability. Higher stock levels
maintained by reserves will provide insurance against management failure, including
risk-prone quota setting, provided the broader conservation role of reserves is firmly
established and legislatively protected. Fishery management measures outside protected
areas are necessary to complement the protection offered by marine reserves, but cannot
substitute for it.”
A 2002 report submitted to OPAC and California Fish and Game Commission by Dr.
Mark Hixon, entitled "Fishery Effects of Existing West Coast Marine Reserves: The
Scientific Evidence," states: “The predicted fishery benefits of fully-protected reserves
are twofold: (1) the "seeding effect," whereby reserves function as a source of eggs and
larvae that replenish fish and shellfish populations outside reserves via dispersal in ocean
currents, and (2) the "spillover effect," whereby reserves function as a source of juvenile
and adult emigrants that literally swim or crawl out of reserves into adjacent fished areas.
The seeding effect occurs only if the number and especially the size of organisms inside
reserves is substantially greater than outside, so that abundant eggs and larvae produced
inside reserves can effectively seed a large area outside. The spillover effect occurs if (a)
the number of mobile animals inside reserves becomes great enough that crowding occurs
and a substantial number of animals consequently emigrates to adjacent fished areas or
(b) the life history of mobile animals is such that they gradually move from habitat to
habitat as they grow, so that the early stages of the life history can be protected within
reserves, and the animals later move into fished areas. ”
“Overall, for a wide variety of fished species along the U.S. West Coast, available data
indicate that the existing few and small marine reserves are effective in supporting
substantially more abundant, larger, and more fecund animals (i.e., more eggs) than
comparable fished areas outside. Moreover, many groundfishes move sufficiently during
their lifetimes to allow for spillover to occur from reserves of substantial size. These
results are consistent with the prediction that a scaled-up network of numerous larger
reserves would produce detectable fishery benefits via both the spillover and seeding
effects.”
The unique ecological benefit related to the Heceta Head/Cape Perpetua Marine
Protected Area and Reference Reserve are, first, its connectivity to both Heceta Bank
located on the continental shelf west of the proposed nearshore marine reserve, and
second, its location adjacent to the relatively pristine uplands which includes both
Cummins and Rock Creek Wildernesses. This area is in fact one of the best opportunities
to create land-sea conservation strategy that links marine and terrestrial ecological
hotspots in Oregon’s coastal environment.
At Cape Perpetua, a reef complex consisting of over 60 small disjunct rocky patches
scattered among a sand and gravel seafloor has been the site of multiple year research by
ODFW so that we have significant base of knowledge of species in this nearshore area.
ODFW has found relationships between habitat patch size and rockfish species
composition and abundance (Fox, et al. 2000). A high diversity of nearshore rockfish
species use the diverse habitat features at Cape Perpetua Reef complex. For example,
ODFW reef surveys in 2000 and 2001 documented overfished yelloweye rockfish,
depleted canary rockfish, plus black, blue, brown, china, quillback, and copper
rockfishes, plus other species, including kelp greenling, surfperch, cabezon, wolf-eels
(ODFW 2001).
As a result of personal communication with the fishing community, an area known to be
a squid spawning area has been identified in this region and would be protected as a
result of a marine reserve designation. It was also acknowledged that the exposure of
disjunct rocky patches change with sand transport within this littoral cell, and that the 25
fathom curve creates a unique dynamic feature that can be very productive.
Heceta Bank, a 50 km long shoal on the shelf of central Oregon is the largest rocky reef
of the Pacific Northwest. The unique seafloor morphology of this rugged area, including
rocky pinnacles and steep canyons, provides specialized habitat for many species of
rockfishes, other groundfishes, and invertebrates. Because of the rugged bottom
topography, the untrawlable shallow portions of the offshore bank are relatively pristine
and comprise an important reference area where species composition, age structure, and
ecological interactions among species are still intact. Many scientific studies have
already been conducted on Heceta Bank, mainly with submersibles, and have revealed an
extremely diverse and rich area (Pearcy et al. 1989, plus other citations in Appendix 1).
Large rockfishes abound as well as juveniles; Heceta Bank is obviously a nursery area.
Heceta Bank was considered by NOAA as a candidate the National Marine Sanctuary
Program in the past. Heceta Bank has been identified as a Rockfish Conservation Area:
Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Area by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council
(PFMC 2003) and approximately 160 sq miles is closed to all bottom trawling in order to
prevent bycatch of depleted species, such as canary and yelloweye rockfish.
Inshore-Offshore Connection
Love et al. (1990) stated that current knowledge of substrate-associated juvenile
rockfishes (genus Sebastes) in general recruit to shallower depths than those occupied by
conspecific adults. Habitat use by newly recruited rockfish differs markedly among
species, and there is little known on recruitment of deeper dwelling rockfishes. This
ecological linkage from the proposed nearshore no-take reference marine reserve to
Heceta Bank offshore would enable ODFW to establish long-term research areas
spanning both the nearshore reserve and the offshore Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA).
This effort would also build on past OSU/ODFW/NOAA research efforts in HecetaStonewall area.
When one is considering ecological benefits and habitat features, it is also essential that
oceanographic features be included, such as upwelling areas and larval retention zones, as
well as disjunct rocky areas, sandy bottom/soft ocean and the intertidal zone. This
oceanscape includes all these features and is the focus of ongoing marine biological and
oceanographic research in intertidal, nearshore, and offshore areas. Research efforts by a
variety of entities have documented the richness of the area, including the intertidal zone
at Strawberry Hill State Park by the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies Coastal
Oceans (PISCO), nearshore habitat and species relationships by ODFW, and nearshore
oceanographic features by Oregon State University, other universities, and NOAA. In
regards to ocean productivity, upwelling areas and retention zones, we draw attention to
just a few of the many research papers that document the special features of the
nearshore/offshore relationship:
1) “A productive fishery is associated with Heceta Bank [Pearcy et al., 1989] and cold,
chlorophyll- rich upwelled water has been observed well seaward of the continental
shelf break south of the bank [Barth et al., 2005].”
“The separation of the equatorward coastal upwelling jet from the coast as it follows
the widening midshelf isobaths defining the Heceta Bank complex off central Oregon
is the key to the coastal ocean response in this region.”
“Flow-topography interaction as described above leads to elevated primary
production over Heceta Bank. Elevated primary production fuels the coastal
ecosystem as reflected by elevated levels of zooplankton [Lamb and Peterson, 2005]
and fish, birds and whales [Batchelder et al., 2002]. High production is also
consistent with the highly successful fisheries in the Heceta Bank region [Pearcy et
al., 1989]. Lastly, mussel recruitment rates and phytoplankton concentration
observed in the rocky intertidal are consistently higher inshore of the bank (Cape
Perpetua, 44.25 N) than north of Heceta Bank (Cape Foulweather, 44.88 N) [Menge
et al., 2002].”
“The flow-topography interaction results in a profound effect on the coastal
ecosystem associated with Heceta Bank. High phytoplankton concentrations in the
lee region inshore of the deflected coastal upwelling jet fuel a productive oceanic
food chain.”
a) An excellent article by Barth et al review the upwelling off Heceta Head which
contributes to the increased phytoplankton biomass which in turn allows for a
more productive food web ecosystem in the nearshore.
b) Source: J. A. Barth, S. D. Pierce, and R. M. Castelao, Time-dependent, winddriven flow over a shallow midshelf submarine bank. Journal of Geophysical
Research, 10, (27 October 2005).
c) Found at: http://damp.coas.oregonstate.edu/coast/pubs/2004JC002761.pdf
2) “The effect of bottom topography on currents on the central Oregon shelf could be the
single most important factor in zooplankton retention during upwelling…. Our most
southern Cape Perpetua transect line is located on the northern portion of Heceta
Bank, which is the widest portion of the Oregon shelf,….Thus during light winds or
during downwelling events, there is a counterclockwise recirculation over the
southern Heceta Bank. This eddy-like feature is persistent, and could possibly be a
cause for the high biomass observed in this bank ecosystem.”
a) Another article explaining the importance of the features on the Heceta Bank and
how that pertains to the plankton (a MAJOR food web source contributing to
marine ecosystems) in that area.
b) Source: Lamb, J., and W. Peterson (2005), Ecological zonation of zooplankton in
the COAST study region off central Oregon in June and August 2001 with
consideration of retention mechanisms, J. Geophys. Res., 110.
The Land-Sea Connection
The terrestrial landscape from Cape Perpetua to the Heceta Head area encompasses two
major basalt headlands and includes the two wildernesses. This landscape unit contains a
forest of extraordinary ecological importance: it is the largest intact stand of coastal
temperate rain forest of Sitka spruce and western hemlock in the lower 48 States.
Recognized by numerous federal agencies as a priority area for protection and
restoration, it is home to the federally listed marbled murrelet, silverspot butterfly, and
northern spotted owl, Roosevelt elk, black tailed deer, cougar, black bear, the threatened
bald eagle, and other birds of prey such as the peregrine falcon. Some of the anadromous
species present in these ocean tributaries include; ESA listed coho salmon, chinook
salmon, searun cutthroat, Pacific lamprey, eulachon, and steelhead trout.
Cummins Creek Wilderness Area (9,300 acres) and the Rock Creek Wilderness Area
(7,400 acres), together with Ten Mile Creek, form the Cummins Creek/Ten Mile
Landscape Unit—a distinct area of coastal basins in Oregon’s mid-coastal region. The
Ten Mile Creek Basin provides the critical link between these two wilderness areas,
offering a continuous intact forest canopy across five watershed basins. Over the past 18
years, a partnership with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW, Research),
National Audubon Society, the U.S. Forest Service and local landowners has formed to
work on terrestrial and aquatic conservation efforts (see Attachment 2 - summary of
accomplishments of the terrestrial protection and restoration strategy, USFS, 2003). This
linkage from a relatively pristine forested landscape to an offshore ocean environment -Cape Perpetua Reef complex and Heceta Bank -- creates a unique ‘land-sea’ connection
that links the coastal uplands to the outer continental shelf.
This Landscape Unit has been designated by the Audubon Society of Portland’s
Important Bird Area’s (IBA) Technical Team as the Central Coast IBA for the Marbled
Murrelet. The murrelet, an ESA-listed seabird, has the unique life history of being a
seabird that is linked to old growth forests for their nesting habitat as well as linked to
health of forage fish in the nearshore. A USFWS funded project by Crescent Research
Studies indicated that the nearshore area between Waldport and Florence supports the
highest concentration of the ESA-listed murrelet in the state (Strong, 2008).
Also, the Audubon’s IBA Program has designated three ‘at-sea’ Important Bird Areas
coastwide off the central coast, the Heceta Bank IBA, which includes Heceta Bank,
Perpetua Bank, Stonewall Bank, and surrounding waters. Heceta Bank is an underwater
seamount approximately 10 miles wide (east-west) and 15 miles long (north-south) at a
depth of about 30-60 fathoms (Hixon et al. 1991). Perpetua Bank and Stonewall Bank
are less dramatic features of the same large ridge extending southwest from Newport
(Hixon and Tissot 1992). Upwelling caused by the interaction of sea currents and
seafloor topography produces high food concentrations at the surface and draws the
diversity of seabirds found here.
This proposed Marine Reference Reserve meets and exceeds the STAC size and spacing
guidelines. Additionally, given the broad amount of sandy bottom habitat between the
proposed Heceta/Perpetua site and Cape Arago to the south, this area is very important
for protection from the perspective of north-to-south larval connectivity.
Outstanding Features for seabird’s
Large numbers of many seabirds can be found in this area. Highlights and peak numbers
(primarily from chartered pelagic trips) include three records of Short-tailed Albatross
(12/1961, 10/21/2000, 3/24/2001); 400 Black-footed Albatross (8/25/2001); 456 Blackfooted Albatross (10/7/2000); 999 and 3450 Pink-footed Shearwater (9/12/1998,
9/2/2000); 2500 and 3610 Northern Fulmar (10/26/2002, 10/7/2000); 10,000 Cassin's
Auklet (10/19/2002).
From Briggs et al. 1992: "Several sections of the upper continental slope seemed to
support substantial numbers of albatrosses more consistently than others: . . . Heceta
Bank."
From Ainley et al. 2005: "The high seabird density in the Heceta Bank and Cape Blanco
areas indicates them to be refuges contrasting the low seabird densities currently found in
most other parts of the CCS, following decline during the recent warm regime of the
Pacific Decadal Oscillation." And, "Given that the Sooty Shearwater, by far the most
abundant species in the CCS (and which contributes immensely to overall biomass),
declined by 90% in the CCS since 1976..., our results are surprising. We expected to
encounter significantly fewer numbers and biomass than was present, as we have noted in
central California studies.... It is possible that in addition to their overall decline in the
CCS, the shearwaters have become more confined to those regions that still provide high
food availability. If so, the areas around Cape Blanco and Heceta Bank have apparently
retained their importance to seabirds regardless of the apparent overall decline of
zooplankton and presumably micronekton in the CCS...."
Within the HPA there are five large seabirds colonies nine medium and five small
colonies – some of the species include; pelagic cormorants, pidgeon guillemots, common
murre and the rocky intertidal habitats are important overwintering areas for Harlequin
Ducks. This unique species is a federal Species of Concern, an ODFW Sensitive Animal
Species, and an Oregon Natural Heritage Program "List 2" species. On coastal wintering
areas, Harlequin Ducks forage close to shore in intertidal or subtidal rocky areas.
Brandt’s cormorant is the dominant nesting seabird on Conical Rock and adjacent cliffs,.
This series of colonies includes the largest mainland breeding colony in the world.
(USFWS 1988) Other species include; black oystercatcher, western gull, tufted puffin,
double crested cormorant and rhinoceros auklet. The threatened brown pelican also is a
common site during spring, summer and fall.
The recently published Catalog of Oregon Seabird Colonies (Naughton, et. al. 2007)
identifies the importance of the central coast area for several species of breeding seabirds.
The Newport Census Unit data indicate it contains significant percentages of Oregon’s
breeding seabirds, most notably Brandt’s Cormorant – 28%, Pelagic Cormorant – 26%,
Pigeon Guillemot – 23%, Black Oystercatcher – 18%, and Common Murre – 10%. The
breeding colonies associated with Heceta Head and Sea Lion Caves, which are within this
proposed Marine Reserve Study area, provide a significant amount of this total. This
includes an estimated 2,394 breeding Brandt’s Cormorants (40% of the total within the
Newport Census Unit).
The Steller Sea Lions found in Oregon are considered as part of the eastern Pacific
population and were declared a Threatened Species in 1996 under the Endangered
Species Act. Sea Lion Caves is the primary winter nursery area for this population.
ODFW, universities and NOAA have gathered significant data on the habitat and species
for the area. We see this as an excellent baseline effort that could we could build on in
our cooperative research efforts in the future. See ODFW summary of species
composition at the Perpetua reef area.
This proposed MPA and Marine Reserve meets and exceeds the STAC size and spacing
guidelines. Additionally, given the broad amount of sandy bottom habitat between the
proposed Heceta/Perpetua site and Cape Arago to the south, this area is very important
for protection from the perspective of north-to-south larval connectivity.
3. How does this site avoid significant adverse economic and social impacts on ocean
users and coastal communities? Describe existing and potential future uses/users of the
site, and estimate the degree they will be positively or negatively affected. Describe how
the site is designed to be compatible with the needs of coastal communities.
The Action Teams in Yachats and Florence felt very strongly that this entire area should
be established as a marine reserve. Interviews with various ocean users were conducted to
gain initial suggestions for the proposed site, these initial discussions will be continued
into long term dialogue.
Ocean Users interviewed for initial feedback on this proposal included:
 2 former commercial fisherman, and current recreational fisherman from Florence
 A recreational fisherman, and member of the Florence STEP group
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A former commercial/recreational fisherman, past mayor of Florence
A Surf Shop owner and recreational fisherman from Newport
A commercial crabber/longliner from Newport
A recreational fisherman and the president of the Siuslaw Fishermen’s
Association in Florence
A recreational fisherman in Yachats
And a presentation of the proposed site by community organizer Gus Gates at the
ODFW Outreach Workshop in Charleston/OIMB in mid- September.
After hearing the suggestions from the people interviewed in our outreach effort it was
decided by the groups that an MPA from Tokatee Klootchman to Berry Creek would be
established from 15 fathoms to the Territorial Sea Line. Within this MPA crabbing and
salmon trolling would be allowed, as these are the main commercial uses within this area.
The group also felt that it would be acceptable to continue to allow shore-based angling
along the entire reach as this effort usually result in a small fraction of the total catch.
This site is a significant distance from the Port of Newport as well as the Port of Siuslaw,
and receives considerably less fishing pressure than other portions of the coast. This area
protects important habitat types within this region, while still leaving the vast majority of
the ocean open to existing commercial and recreational uses (see ODFW Nearshore Plan,
Figure 6, Major Oregon commercial and recreational fishing ports, Attachment 5).
ODFW’s Nearshore Stock Status presentation to OPAC indicated that by port the
majority of nearshore commercial fishing off Oregon is in the Port Orford region and
most of the recreational fishing effort is near Newport and Garibaldi, so we see little
economic impact to the recreational, charter or commercial fishing fleet in the PerpetuaHeceta region.
The USFWS 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated
Recreation indicates that Wildlife Watching to be of significant economic value to the
State’s economy. There has been increasing participation in both away-from-home and
around-the-home wildlife watching in Oregon, while both fishing and hunting
participation has decreased for a number of reasons. Protecting habitat and species that
depend on it will ensure these recreational users will have excellent opportunities to
enjoy the state’s unique wildlife species. (Source: US Department of the Interior, Fish
and Wildlife Service, and US Department of Commerce, US Census Bureau. 2006
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.)
The reality the Yachats and Florence are destination sites for tourism is a reality. Over
450,000 visitors stop at the state parks and waysides within the area annually. They
come here to see and enjoy the wildlife and dramatic coastal landscape, geological
features and pristine beaches. There are numerous opportunities to hike and view the
beaches and forests adjacent to ocean. A nearshore protection strategy that compliments
the terrestrial protection and restoration on the lands managed by the Siuslaw National
Forest will ensure species and habitats will remain a draw for the many visitors to the
central coast. We believe there will in fact immediate economic benefits associated with
the designation.
Also, we believe a marketing strategy that incorporates the designation the marine
reserve system will benefit the fishing communities as being truly a sustainable program.
As a result of our outreach efforts with commercial fishermen and crabbers, this proposal
was modified to include a marine protected area inside the territorial sea south of the
Perpetua reef complex. Within this area, we propose the opportunity for crabbing as well
as a troll fishery for salmon.
Forage Species
Forage species are small schooling fish and invertebrates that play a critical role as prey
for marine life such as commercial and recreationally important fish, seabirds and marine
mammals. Forage species are a vital link in the marine food web and the play an
essential role in maintaining ecosystem health. The multiple species that nest and breed
in our area such as Brandt cormorants, the auklet or the Tufted Puffin, as well as the
common murres, use nearshore coastal waters to feed on northern anchovy, juvenile
rockfish, euphasiids (krill), whitebait smelt, Pacific herring, Pacific and sandlance.
At this point, there are no active commercial fisheries for forage fish within this site. It is
our understanding that the vast majority of forage species harvest takes place outside of
three miles. Therefore, while there is no known economic impact by closing this area to
the commercial harvest of forage species, there are potential ecological benefits by
ensuring protections for forage species and dependent marine life into the future.
4. To your knowledge, what habitat type(s) are present within the site? Please check
each appropriate box. If known, provide the approximate percentage of the area
represented by each habitat type. Provide any additional information about habitat(s) at
the site.
Habitat Type
(EHTL –
ELTL)
Intertidal
ELTL ‐ 25 m
deep
(ELTL ‐ 14 fm
or 82 ft)
> 25 m
deep
(> 14 fm or
> 82 ft)
10 % □
Rocky Intertidal
Rocky Subtidal with
Canopy‐ Forming Kelp
0% □
Rocky Subtidal (without
canopy‐ forming kelp)
2% □
13% □
Soft Bottom Subtidal
20% □
55% □
Special natural features or characteristics, and/or other habitat types
(please describe):
Note: EHTL ‐ extreme high tide line. ELTL ‐ extreme low tide line.
5. List animal and plant species you know exist at this site. If known, provide
statements about the relative abundance of species. Please indicate how knowledge
of species and abundances was obtained (e.g., as a user of this site, scientific
research you have conducted at this site, based on a study someone else has
conducted at this site).
Fishes
Rockfishes:
Stock Status
Black
Blue
Quillback
Copper
China
Grass
Brown
Gopher
Canary
Yelloweye
Tiger
Vermillion
Yellowtail
Assess/stable
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Depleted/rebuilding
Depleted/rebuilding
Unknown
Depleted
stable
Presence in the Heceta/Perpetua
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Unknown/probable
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
Other Groundfishes:
Cabezon
Lingcod
Unknown
stable
yes
yes
Green Sturgeon
Unknown
White Sturgeon
Unknown
Kelp Greenling
Unknown
Rock Greenling
Unknown
Pile Perch
Unknown
Redtail Surfperch
Unknown
Shiner Perch
Unknown
Striped Perch
Unknown
Brown Irish Lord
Unknown
Red Irish Lord
Unknown
Buffalo Sculpin
Unknown
Giant Wrymouth
Unknown
Monkeyface Prickleback Unknown
Gunnells
Unknown
Pacific Staghorn sculpin
Unknown
Other Sculpins
Unknown
Striped Bass (Non-native) Unknown
Forage Fishes:
Eulachon
Northern Anchovy
Pacific Herring
Surf Smelt
Topsmelt
Night Smelt
Pacific Sandlance
Pacific Sardine
Flatfishes:
Starry Flounder
Butter Sole
Curlfin Turbot
English Sole
Flathead Sole
Pacific Sanddab
Speckled Sanddab?
Pacific Sandfish
Rock Sole
Sand Sole
Dover Sole
Petrale Sole
Cartilaginous Fishes:
Big skate
Spiny dogfish
Blue shark
Brown smoothhound
California skate
probable migration through
probable migration through
yes
probable
yes
yes
yes
yes
probable
probable
yes
probable
probable
yes
yes
yes
probable
Common thresher
Leopard shark
Pacific angel shark
Salmon shark
Shortfin mako shark
Soupfin shark
Spotted ratfish
White shark
Marine Mammals
California sea lion
Stellar sea lion
Pacific harbor seal
Harbor porpoise
Gray Whale
Minke Whale
Humpback Whale
Sperm Whale
Orca
River Otter
Seabirds
There are nineteen seabird colony sites between Cape Perpetua and Heceta Head,
including double crested cormorant, pelagic cormorant, Brandt’s cormorant, common
murre, pigeon guillemot, western/ glaucous-winged gulls, black oystercatcher, and tufted
puffin (Naughton et al. 2007). Seabird species documented in this region include:
Brandt’s Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double Crested Cormorant
Marbled Murrelet
Tufted Puffin
Black Oystercatcher
Pigeon Guillemot
Rhinoceros Aucklet
Brown Pelican
Western Gull
Common Murre
Harlequin Duck
Perigrine Falcon
Bald Eagle
(Others???) Leaches petrel?
Invertebrates
Dungeness crab
Red rock crab
Sand crab
Kelp crab
Brown rock crab
Razor Clam
Cockle clam
California mussel
Ochre sea star
Giant octopus
Purple sea urchin
Red sea urchin
Rock scallop
California sea cucumber
Coonstripe shrimp
Flap-tipped paddock
Market squid
Oregon triton
Gumboot chiton
Barnacles
Whelks
Limpets
Sponges
Aggregating anemone
Other sea anemones
Gooseneck barnacles
Flat and Pinto abalone???
Seaweeds and Marine Plants
Bull kelp
Sea palm
Surf grass
Rockweed
Coralline red algae
PISCO Coastal Biodiversity Survey
University of California Santa Cruz
http://cbsurveys.ucsc.edu
Please note:
The information listed below is provided for your convenience. We ask that you please
contact the SWAT Team ([email protected]) prior to using this information for any
purpose. We make this request to: 1. Reduce redundancy; we may be currently working
on projects that involve this information. 2. We would like to be informed of and
involved in projects developed using this information. We have been careful to voucher
any organisms that were difficult to identify in the field so that more detailed evaluation
could be done in the lab. We are therefore confident that the identification of organisms
listed below is reliable with the caveat that some sponges and tunicates are very difficult
to identify to species without detailed histological evaluation, which we have not done.
The number of cases where this could have been a problem is very small. For more
information please visit our website above or link directly to our protocols at:
http://cbsurveys.ucsc.edu/sampling/images/dataprotocols.pdf
Bob Creek, Lincoln County, Oregon
May 15, 16, 2007
Species list
Acrosiphonia spp
Aaria marginata
Alia spp
Anthopleura elegantissima
Anthopleura sola
Anthopleura xanthogrammica
Balanus crenatus
Balanus glandula
Bossiella spp
Callithamnion pikeanum
Centroceras/Ceramium/Corallophila spp
Chthamalus spp
Cirolana spp
Cladophora columbiana
Colpomenia/Leathesia spp
Constantinea simplex
Corallina spp
Cryptopleura/Hymenena spp
Cryptosiphonia woodii
Diatoms
Dilsea californica
Egregia menziesii
Encrusting coralline
Endocladia muricata
Flustrellidra corniculata
Fucus spp
Halichondria spp
Hedophyllum sessile
Hildenbrandia/Peyssonnelia spp
Idotea spp
Katharina tunicata
Lacuna spp
Laminaria sinclairii
Lepidochitona dentiens
Lepidozona spp
Leptasterias spp
Littorina plena/scutulata
Lottia austrodigitalis/digitalis
Lottia fenestrata
Lottia limatula
Lottia paradigitalis/strigatella
Lottia pelta
Lottia scutum
Mastocarpus papillatus
Mazzaella spp
Microcladia borealis
Mopalia spp
Mytilus californianus
Mytilus galloprovincialis/trossulus
Neoptilota/Ptilota spp
Neorhodomela larix
Neorhodomela oregona
Nucella canaliculata
Nucella emarginata/ostrina
Nuttallina spp
Odonthalia floccosa
Pagurus hirsutiusculus
Pagurus samuelis
Pelvetiopsis spp
Petrocelis spp
Petrospongium rugosum
Phyllospadix scouleri
Phyllospadix torreyi
Pisaster ochraceus
Plocamium violaceum
Pollicipes polymerus
Porphyra spp
Prionitis lanceolata
Pterosiphonia dendroidea/pennata
Ralfsiaceae
Scytosiphon spp
Semibalanus cariosus
Tegula funebralis
Ulva spp
6. How was enforcement/compliance of future marine reserve regulations considered in
the design of this site?
The MPA and MR boundaries for the Heceta Perpetua Area were identified with
consideration of ecological values as well as social implications including enforcement.
The local communities of Yachats and Florence have a long history of working with OSP
on terrestrial enforcement efforts. The design of the site and the proximity to Hwy 101
scenic overlooks, waysides, state parks, and viewing areas creates a rather easily
accessable enforcement strategy when coupled with existing US Coast Guard daily
transects and OSP commitment to monitoring of federal water’s Rockfish Conservation
Areas in the Heceta/Stonewall Banks oceanscape. The boundaries are straight along
latitude and longitude lines.
7. What is the community support for this proposal? Please list the people, groups,
and/or organizations that have worked to develop and support this proposal. Briefly,
describe the steps you took to develop this proposal, to collaborate with coastal
community members, ocean users, and other interested parties, and to gather support.
The Conservation Action Teams from Florence and Yachats were started in January 2008 and
worked together to propose this site. These groups included:
Paul Engelmeyer, Audubon, State-wide Conservation Representative for the Ocean Policy
Advisory Council.
Liz Cosko- Coastal Resident of Florence, Scuba Diver, CoastWatcher
Adele Dawson- Coastal home owner in Florence, Naturalist
Bill Gates- Recreational fisherman, coastal home owner in Westlake, Director Siuslaw SWCD,
conservationist
Gus Gates- Fisheries scientist, recreational fisherman, born and raised coastal resident, ocean
user, conservationist, chair Siuslaw Chapter of Surfrider Foundation
Michelle Jean- Coastal home owner in Florence, SCUBA diver, recreational fisher, teacher,
zoologist
Jane Meyer- Coastal home owner in Florence, conservationist
Wilbur Patterson- Coastal home owner in Florence, conservationist
Howard Shapiro- Coastal home owner in Florence, Lane County Planning Commissioner
Mark Tilton- Coastal home owner in Florence, retired wildlife biologist, Florence Planning
Commissioner, conservationist
Steve Hagar- Coastal home owner in Florence, retired chemical oceanographer, conservationist
Seth Mead- Coastal Business owner in Florence, born and raised coastal resident, fisheries
scientist, recreational fisherman, ocean user, conservationist
Kitty Brigham- Coastal home owner in Seal Rock, Board member Oregon Shores Conservation
Coalition, conservationist
Charlotte Mills- Coastal home owner Tidewater, conservationist
Larry Nixon- Coastal home owner in Yachats, Yachats City Councilor, recreational fisherman
Greg Scott- Coastal home owner in Yachats, Yachats City Councilor, conservationist
Hans and Karin Radtke- Coastal home owners, natural resource economist, former chair Pacific
Fisheries Management Council
Christie DeMoll- Coastal Business owner, conservationist
Barbara Davis- Coastal home owner in Waldport, conservationist
Eddie Huckins- Coastal home owner in Yachats, conservationist
Bill Humes- Coastal home owner in Waldport, conservationist, recreational fisherman
There has been extensive educational presentations related to marine conservation issues in the
Yachats, Waldport, Newport and Florence areas for over six years. Individual meetings with
ODFW, scientific presentations by OSU and Sea Grant staff as well screenings of the video,
‘Common Ground” multiple times in our coastal communities. These efforts included individual
presentations to key fishermen and community members as well. In the majority of the cases
community members were extremely supportive and positive. There was unanimous support
for the idea of a conservation effort in the area from Cape Perpetua/Heceta Banks area. “we
were looking at the right spot” was a common response from everyone from fishermen to
scientists.
As a result our educational efforts to the Yachats community and the participation of the City
Council members City of Yachats submitted letter of resolution in favor of the establishment of
a marine reserve from Howard’s Creek on the north of town south to the Lane County boundary
south of Cape Perpetua.
There has been on-going outreach to the businesses community in the Yachats, Florence area.
To date there are over 30 businesses in support of the Heceta Perpetua Marine Protected Area
and Reserve.
Since the lead federal landowner in the area is the Siuslaw National Forest there were multiple
presentations to District Ranger and staff as well as presentations to the Forest Supervisor and
staff in the Corvallis Office. There was strong support for the proposed site and that the
nearshore conservation effort would be very compatible to their terrestrial conservation efforts
in the area. (See support letter from Forest Supervisor Barnie Gyant, Sept. 25, 2008)
Members of the conservation organizations The View of the Future, The Perpetua Foundation,
McKenzie River Trust, Native Fish Society, The Coast Range Association have all been a
participant in the education and outreach on the effort.
8. List potential research opportunities at this site, including opportunities for
collaborative and cooperative research with ocean users.
We see the opportunity to conduct long-term collaborative research to utilize the expertise of
both scientists and fishermen to better understand the health of the fish stocks and marine
ecosystems in Oregon using the seascape from Heceta Head to Cape Perpetua as a reference
area to better understand assemblages and habitat relationships from terrestrial landscape
through the nearshore and continental shelf to Heceta Bank and Stonewall Banks in Federal
Waters.
Goals:

To utilize the extensive expertise of fishermen and skippers to develop and execute a
scientifically sound research program.

To collect date to assess the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas and Marine
Reserves on the nearshore fish assemblages.

To collect data that can be utilized in federal stock assessments of nearshore species.

To engage the public in research and education about marine conservation and
stewardship.
SCUBA Habitat transect surveys in sub-tidal areas
ROV and submersible habitat transect surveys in areas deeper than 30 ft.
High Resolution Habitat Mapping
Seabird productivity in relations to ocean productivity especially for ESA listed species such as
the Murrelet.
Marine Mammal foraging studies, predation by apex predators on pinnepeds
Studies at Sea Lion Caves on Stellar Sea Lions in collaboration with Hatfield Marine Science
Center’s Marine Mammal Program, studies should be continued into the future.
Social Studies of behavioral adaptations to implementation of Marine Reserve
As stated earlier, the offshore bank has been studied extensively and has provided important
scientific contributions to the understanding of species composition; diversity and structure of
this area (see publications).
The HPA has multiple small estuaries that could be researched in relation to their importance as
indicators of climate changes, their role as refugia, as well as a reference site to improve
scientific information that will help address the development pressures now underway along
Oregon’s dynamic coastline.
Commercial fisheries
-What are economic drivers of the commercial fishery in the nearshore by port area?
Recreational fisheries
- Information is needed on the full range of commercial activities that might be undertaken by
recreational users and charter vessels
Baseline economic data
- Assess economic values and impacts of nonextractive uses (kayaking, hospitality, retail, surfing
and diving) and impacts of nonmarket uses (e.g. value of wilderness, nonuse of marine areas).
Who holds these values?
Social
- Better define the longer term interests of coastal communities, making sure to capture the full
range of local interests. One source of useful information that is sometimes overlooked is
anecdotal data and oral history. Community interests should then be placed into the perspective
of management goals and objectives.
Education
- Develop unique and cost effective programs to educate people of all ages about the ocean and
its needs through studies and educational materials in marine science, engineering, health
issues, and stewardship practices.
Baseline Data
- Use existing ODFW and OSU information on the Heceta/Perpetua area to establish baseline
species list.
- Age validation studies are important to assure the basic data used in stock assessments are
accurate, particularly for species like shortspine thornyhead and quillback.
Climatic Data
- Develop understanding of the actual mechanisms by which the ocean climate affects fish
recruitment, including predator distribution, prey availability, adverse transport patterns.
Recent increases in the GLOBEC and PNCER programs will provide increased opportunities in this
area.
Population Structure
- Extend genetic examination of stock structure to more species that have a high probability of
having separate distinct populations.
- Conduct research on the population genetic structure of groundfish stocks to monitor the long
term implications of management measures. In particular, the genetic structure of sablefish and
many rockfish populations are largely unknown.
Fisheries Data
- Place a high priority on conducting assessments for species that have not been previously
assessed. Develop new models for species for which fishery independent data are not available
(e.g., nearshore rockfishes).
Habitat Mapping
- Map, using side scan sonar or equivalent technology, detailed benthic habitat in state water
areas not already mapped.
Habitat/fish associations
- Studies are needed to develop ways to integrate marine reserves with traditional marine
management tools. Also needed is research on processes to integrate management policies.
Biological
- How do oceanographic features influence the Heceta Perpetua Area reserve’s performance?
- Build on existing ODFW and OSU studies on species movement by life history stage (larval,
juvenile, and adult), particularly where improvement of stock health is one of the primary
purposes of the reserve. Little is known about the movement of post settlement juveniles.
- Quantitative analysis of the impacts (including human health, ecological, and economic) of
stormwater runoff, sediment contamination, and other pollutant issues affecting nearshore
ecosystems, compare reserve site to sites near urban communities.
9. Are there areas with similar habitats and other characteristics to this site,
reasonably close by, that could be used as a non‐ reserve research comparison area? If
so, where are they located? A map indicating the area is preferred.
Yes, Seal Rock Reef to the North has some great rocky reef and sandy bottom habitat that is
close in proximity to the Port of Newport and research vessels. While this area was identified as
a potential marine reserve the potential to have adverse economic impacts to the sport and
charter industry we decided that this area can provide valuable comparisons between HP
Reserve Area and non-marine reserve, which can be used to measure the effectiveness of
current fisheries management strategies.
10. Please provide additional site characteristics, including:
a) What existing or proposed infrastructure/developments are located within or adjacent
to this site? (e.g., a submarine cable, dredge spoil disposal site, wave energy
project, port, ocean outfall)
City of Yachats Wastewater treatment outfall
b) What land or watershed activities/conditions exist adjacent to this site? (e.g., land
development and use, river or estuary use, other pollution sources)
The adjacent watersheds provide an excellent opportunity for implementing a “Ridgetop to
Reef” conservation strategy with more than 80% of the watershed in public ownership,
including 17% designated as wilderness. See Table below for acreage and percentage estimates
for the two fifth field watersheds that drain most directly into the proposed study area, Yachats
River and Mercer Lake Frontal. See Figure (lable) for a map of the adjacent land managers and
other terrestrial resources.
Estimated
Acres
Percentage
559
0.58%
Wilderness
16,659
17.30%
Private
18,430
19.14%
STATE
294
0.30%
STATE ODFW
124
0.13%
STATE PARKS
2,257
2.34%
12
0.01%
57,629
59.86%
313
0.33%
96,277
100.00%
Land Management
BLM
The Nature Conservancy
USFS
WATER
Total Area
c) What protected areas exist in the terrestrial or marine environment adjacent to or
within this site? (e.g., state park, marine garden, National Wildlife Refuge rock or
island, area‐ based fishery regulations) (See Attachment 1 Terrestrial Protection and
restoration efforts)
Siuslaw National Forest
Cummins Creek Wilderness
Rock Creek Wilderness
Smelt Sands State Wayside
Yachats State Park
Yachats Ocean State Wayside
Cape Perpetua Scenic Area and Marine Garden
Devil’s Churn State Wayside
Neptune State Park
Stonefield Beach State Wayside
Squaw Creek State Wayside
Ocean Beach Wayside
Rock Creek Campground
Muriel O. Ponsler Memorial Wayside
Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park
Conical Rock and Cox Rock portions of the Oregon Islands Wilderness off of Heceta Head
Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint
Oregon Islands Wildlife Refuge off Heceta Head
Devil’s Elbow State Park
Sea Lion Caves- world’s largest sea cave and only remaining home of Stellar Sea Lions on the
mainland
Offshore Heceta Banks as been identified as Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) and a Rockfish Conservation
Area (RCA) by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC 2003)
d) Other characteristics of the site or adjacent area you wish to describe.
The cliffs and nearshore rocks adjacent to Heceta Head support numerous seabird nesting
colonies and a large sea lion haulout. The largest colonies are on Conical Rock and adjacent
cliffs, Parrot Rock, Sea Lion Point, and Cox Rock. This series of colonies includes the largest
mainland breeding colony of Brandt’s Cormorant in the world-USFS 1988. A 2006 census
counted 3,796 breeding pair of Common Murres in this area. Other nesting seabirds here
include Pelagic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Oystercatcher, Pigeon Guillemot,
Rhinoceros Auklet, Tufted puffin, and Western Gull. The availability of forage fish, including
anchovies, herring, smelt and sandlance in the nearshore waters are critical to supporting these
large breeding colonies
The near shore waters of this proposed study area also provide winter habitat for the Harlequin
Duck. The Harlequin Duck is a federal Species of Concern, an ODFW Sensitive Animal Species,
and an Oregon Natural Heritage Program "List 2" species. There are no comprehensive
estimates of harlequin duck numbers or trends for western North America. Their riverine
breeding habitats are difficult or impractical to survey, as is much of their wintering range. The
Oregon population probably breeds in the Rocky and Cascade Mountain regions of Oregon,
Washington, Idaho, and western Montana and Wyoming. On coastal wintering areas, Harlequin
Ducks forage close to shore in intertidal or subtidal rocky areas. They have a varied diet of
amphipods, snails, crabs, fish eggs, and other small animal foods. They typically forage by diving
in water less than 10 meters or by dabbling along the tide line. There are numerous records of
sightings within the study area, especially in the vicinity of Ten Mile, Tokatee Klootchman State
Wayside and Bob Creek.
The proposed study area contains numerous haul-out areas for marine mammals. The Steller
Sea Lions found in Oregon are considered as part of the eastern Pacific population and were
declared a Threatened Species in 1996 under the Endangered Species Act. Sea Lion Caves is the
primary winter nursery area for this population. Scordino (Scordino 2006) states “Adult males
were seasonal inhabitants of Oregon and California during the breeding season from May
through September before dispersing to northern feeding grounds. Females, juveniles, and pups
were dispersed throughout haulouts in Oregon and northern California during all seasons but
have seasonally high concentrations at Sea Lion Caves, Oregon in the winter and at the breeding
rookeries during the summer breeding season. The high wintertime abundance of females and
pups at Sea Lion Caves suggests that it should be considered as critical habitat for Steller sea
lions of the eastern stock. There is an area just north of Sea Lion Caves that appears to be
an important haul-out area for California sea lions as well.
11. Optional: Potential economic development opportunity If economic development
money is made available to a coastal community, please describe a community
project that you would be interested in pursuing.
- Upgrading the waste water treatment plant
- In order to protect and improve coastal water quality we see the potential for developing bioswales, storm-water management improvements at parking areas that my impact nearshore
habitats. Low impact development (LID) strategies need to be developed and shared with
all coastal communities
- With the understanding that over 450K visitors stop at multiple sites within the area, we
believe there are opportunities to enhance interpretation. We see the need to coordinate
with the Siuslaw National Forest, Cape Perpetua Visitors Center, OPRD and the City of
Yachats. 3 staff for enhanced educational / interpretive efforts for the Cape P. visitors
center and Heceta Head LH and Yachats State Park
- cooperative research/see question 8 above for research opportunities as a potential economic
development opportunity
-Enhanced recreational opportunities (kayaking, bird-watching, whale watching, scuba diving)
12. Optional: Please describe any other reasons you think this site warrants further
evaluation and study as a potential marine reserve site
Connecting an existing terrestrial conservation strategy that has many partners including
federal and state agencies, NGOs, and communities to a nearshore marine protected
area and marine reserve creates a unique opportunity for collaboration. Protection of
key habitats, restoration, research as well as a precautionary approach are key
components to responsible resource management. Reference areas (undisturbed areas
that can be used as templates for species diversity and richness and habitat
conditions) are nonexistent in both our terrestrial and marine environment. This HPA
gives us the best opportunity to link critical offshore habitats to the nearshore and
uplands. (see Attachment 1)
There are also on-going research at a number of sites in the nearshore by PISCO.
“PISCO’s physical oceanographic research focuses on how
physical processes in the marine environment, such as
ocean currents, waves and winds, affect ecological
dynamics in the coastal zone. They are particularly
interested in the nearshore region, also known as the
inner-shelf (the area approximately 5-10 km from shore),
which is home to most of the communities they study.Most
shallow-water, rocky-shore organisms have open-water
larvae that disperse well beyond their near-shore birthingareas, but later return to settle into adult habitats. A
principal hypothesis of the PISCO project is that ocean
temperatures and coastal currents control larval
transport, settlement, and retention, as well as species
range boundaries. These influences may eventually dictate
the fate of entire populations. We are particularly
interested in the role of coastal circulation processes,
which differ greatly along the coast.
Research Questions
PISCO's physical oceanography program is designed to answer the following two
fundamental questions:
1. What are the nearshore (or inner-shelf) oceanographic patterns and
processes along the U.S. West Coast?
2. How do inner-shelf oceanographic conditions affect the dynamics of
shallow subtidal and rocky intertidal communities?
For example, the intensity of large surface waves created by severe winter storms
may dictate the geographic extent of kelp forests. Or a predominant direction in
ocean currents may limit the extent of a fish population by inhibiting larval
transport in one direction, and enhancing it in another.” (piscoweb.org)
Attachment 1: Summary of past protection and restoration actions at the basin and landscape
scale.
Yachats River/Cummins/Ten Mile Watersheds • 86 square miles
• 100 miles of fish bearing streams
• 9 Key Watersheds
• ESA listed species: coho salmon, marbled murrelet, spotted owl, silverspot butterfly
• Other fish species: chinook, chum, steelhead, cutthroat, pacific lamprey,
western brook lamprey, sculpin, eulacon
The Siuslaw National Forest and ODFW have used the wildernesses as reference sites to
improve understanding of ecological processes and natural variability of species and
habitat conditions.
About 75% of the 85,000 acre Yachats/Cummins/Ten Mile area is in Key Watersheds.
Key watersheds are highest priority for protection and restoration. Vegetative succession
and landslide frequency are the main processes that determine aquatic habitat conditions
in the Yachats/Cummins/Ten Mile Area.
Restoration Accomplishments
Restoration activities were designed to restore ecological processes that have been altered
by recent (last 150 yrs) human activities. Linkages among processes, restoration
objectives and activities are outlined in Table 1.
Table 1. Linkage among key processes, watershed analysis, restoration, and monitoring.
Process
Watershed
Analysis Findings
Higher Rate
Less Wood
Restoration Objective
Vegetative
Succession
Low Abundance
Of Large Conifers
Wood Dynamics
In Streams
Low Abundance
Of Large Wood
Aquatic Habitat
Development
Low Complexity
And Diversity Of
Habitats
Landslides
Restoration
Activity
Road Stabilization
Decommission
Monitoring
Activity
Landslide Area
Road Densities
Accelerate
Development Of Late
Successional
Conditions
Restore Processes
Associated With Large
Wood
Thinning
Under-story
Release
Planting
Wood Additions
Increase Salmonid
Freshwater Survival
Rates
Wood Additions
Move Riparian
Campsites
Vegetative
Composition
Survival
Growth
Basin-Wide
Habitat Survey
Channel Maps
Wood
Movement
Overwinter
Survival,
Smolt
Production
Reduce Management
Related Landslides
Restoration activities included land acquisition, road stabilization and decommission,
plantation thinning, riparian planting, under-story release, and additions of large wood to
streams (Figure 2 and Table 2). Activities were focused in key areas that have the greatest
potential to restore watershed processes.
Table 2. Major Restoration Accomplishments between 1994 and 2002
Activity
Accomplishments
Land Acquisition 1150 acres - 5.5 miles adjacent to Ten Mile Creek - Siuslaw NF
160 acres - 1.0 miles adjacent to Ten Mile Creek - Audubon
100 acres - Pine Tree Conservation Society
89 acres - .5 miles adjacent to Ten Mile Creek – Siuslaw NF
Road Stabilization 116 miles stabilized (53% of total; 63% of Forest Service)
• 72 miles decommissioned
• 40 miles water-barred
• 4 miles re-aligned with side cast pull back
125 stream channels re-connected
3
Plantation
Thinning
Riparian Planting
and
Under-story
Release
48,000 yd of road fill removed from stream channels
1100 acres of commercial thinning
adjacent to 25 miles of stream
2050 acres of non-commercial thinning
adjacent to 40 miles of stream
150 acres of riparian planting and under-story release
adjacent to 10 miles of Ten Mile, Big and Cape Creeks
Wood Additions
to
Stream Channels
Develop Trust
And
Understanding
241 pieces added to 3.5 miles of Ten Mile Creek
50 pieces added to 1.0 miles of Cape Creek
Discuss watershed processes and function, restoration, and
monitoring among partners and other interested people
Future Projects Planned
• Acquire key parcels
• Assess and document stability of remaining road network and upgrade where
needed
• Thin plantations
• Remove or limit dispersal of exotic plant species, such as knotweed in Big
Creek
• Add wood to lower Cape Creek
• Write monitoring report
• Continue to monitor and adjust management as needed
Monitoring Results
• Road decommissioning, reconstruction, and water-barring have stabilized 53%
of the roads (63% of Forest Service roads)
o Mid-slope and valley bottom road density has decreased 40%
• In Ten Mile Creek, the February 1996 flood recruited about as much large wood
from mature riparian areas (natural) as was added in fall 1996 (project)
• Large wood additions have substantially increased stream retention of wood,
leaves and sediment
• Pieces of wood that moved downstream continue to function as important
structural elements that develop and maintain aquatic and riparian habitats
• The area of deep pools with complex wood cover tripled following wood
additions (project and natural) in Ten Mile Creek
• Over winter survival of coho and steelhead have significantly increased in Tenmile
Creek since large wood was added (project and natural), while the no treatment
control basin remained unchanged
• Steelhead smolt production has doubled since large wood was added (project and
natural) to Tenmile Creek
• Coho smolt production did not change after large wood was added to Tenmile Creek
due to low abundance of spawning adults
Table 3. Estimated Costs 1994-2003
Activity
Planning
Land Acquisition
Road Stabilization
Costs
650,000
2,500,000
700,000
Pre-Commercial Thinning
400,000
Thinning (KV receipts)
+1,165,000
Planting and Under-story Release
50,000
Wood Additions
170,000
Monitoring (habitat & fish surveys, smolt trapping, wood mapping, etc.)
1,800,000
5,105,000
Total
Lessons Learned
• Holistic watershed restoration requires collaborative planning and implementation
among interested people, landowners, watershed councils, and government agencies
• Large wood (4-6’ dbh) is needed to restore large basins (>10,000 acre)
o Since whole pieces this large cannot be transported they must be grown
in source areas (stream adjacent and upslope)
• Land acquisition is one of the most effective restoration activities
• Social risks, or perceived risks, limit restoration potential
• Restoration is restoring ecological processes not creating static conditions
• Protection is more effective than restoration
Partners in the Project
Ten Mile Creek Landowners
Ten Mile Creek Association
National Audubon Society
Audubon Society of Portland
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife-Research
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife-Management
Siuslaw National Forest
Trust for Public Lands
McKenzie River Trust
Mid-Coast Watersheds Council
Yachats Area Watersheds Council
Angel Job Corps - Forest Service
Oregon Youth Conservation Corps
Region 6 Regional Office - Forest Service
PNW Research - Forest Service
National Aquatic Monitoring Center- Forest Service
Lane County Road Department
Jobs in the Woods-Salem
Hire the Fisher-Newport
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Pine Tree Conservation Society
Trout Unlimited
Boy Scouts-Lincoln City
Georgia Pacific
Volunteers
13. Optional: What other information would you like us to have about this site or your
proposal (e.g., available baseline data, how system‐ wide criteria are addressed if you
are submitting more than one proposal).
Appendix 1
Heceta Banks, Perpetua Reef Complex and the nearshore intertidal has had numerous
reseach projects over the past decades. We believe there is an excellent baseline
established on species composition for the Heceta Perpetua Area. Here are a just few of
the past efforts completed by federal, state and universities.
Hixon, M. A., B. N. Tissot, and W. G. Pearcy. 1991. Fish assemblages of rocky
banks of the Pacific Northwest [Heceta, Coquille, and Daisy Banks]. USDI
Minerals Management Service, OCS Study MMS 91-0052, Camarillo, CA.
Nasby-Lucas, N. M., B. W. Embley, M. A. Hixon, S. G. Merle, B. N. Tissot, and D. J.
Wright. 2002. Integration of submersible transect data and high-resolution multibeam
sonar imagery for a habitat-based groundfish assessment of Heceta Bank, Oregon.
Fishery Bulletin 100:739-751.
Pearcy, W. G. 1992. Movements of acoustically-tagged yellowtail rockfish Sebastes
flavidus on Heceta Bank, Oregon. Fishery Bulletin 90:726-735.
Pearcy, W. G., D. L. Stein, M. A. Hixon, E. K. Pikitch, W. H. Barss, and R. M. Starr.
1989. Submersible observations of deep-reef fishes of Heceta Bank, Oregon. Fishery
Bulletin 87:955-965.
Stein, D. L., B. N. Tissot, M. A. Hixon, and W. Barss. 1992. Fish-habitat associations on
a deep reef at the edge of the Oregon continental shelf. Fishery Bulletin 90:540-551.
Tissot, B. N., M. A. Hixon, and D. L. Stein. 2007. Habitat-based submersible assessment
of marco-invertebrate and groundfish assemblages at Heceta Bank, Oregon, from 1988
to 1990. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 352:50-64.
Wakefield, W. W., C. E. Whitmire, J. E. R. Clemons, and B. N. Tissot. 2005. Fish habitat
studies: combining high-resolution geological and biological data. American Fisheries
Society Symposium 41:119-138.
Callum M. Roberts_, Julie P. Hawkins and Fiona R. Gelly
Environment Department, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK ‘ The role of
marine reserves in achieving sustainable fisheries’
Research related to unique characteristics of the nearshore/offshore linkages
The spatial distribution of euphausiid aggregations in the Northern California
Current during August 2000
Patrick H. Resslera,
,
, Richard D. Brodeura, William T. Petersona, Stephen D.
Piercec, P. Mitchell Vanceb, Anders Røstadb and John A. Barthc
a
National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery
Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division, 2032 SE OSU Drive, Newport, OR 973655275, USA bCooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies, Oregon State
University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR 97365, USA cCollege of
Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
Abstract
The location and size of euphausiid aggregations (patches) were identified using acoustic
volume backscattering strength at 38 and 120 kHz and vertically stratified MOCNESS
sampling during a US GLOBEC cruise off southern Oregon and northern California in
August 2000. Euphausiid patches were clustered inshore of Heceta Bank (44.0°N) and
off Cape Blanco (42.8°N), but were not common elsewhere. The distribution of
euphausiid patches throughout the study area was correlated with that of near-surface
chlorophyll. We suggest that Heceta Bank and Cape Blanco were zones of plankton
retention and concentration along the shelf and slope, and also that large offshore
meanders in the equatorward upwelling jet carried upwelled water, chlorophyll, and
euphausiids offshore. In particular, the complex interaction of mesoscale physical
features, shoaling bottom topography, and diel vertical migration created large patches of
euphausiids. These euphausiid patches, probably persisting on timescales of days to
weeks, could function as relatively large and persistent resources for euphausiid
predators.
Cetacean distributions relative to ocean processes in the northern California
Current System
Cynthia T. Tynana,
,
, David G. Ainleyb, John A. Barthc, Timothy J. Cowlesc,
Stephen D. Piercec and Larry B. Spearb
a
Department of Physical Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods
Hole, MA 02543, USA bH.T. Harvey and Associates, San Jose, CA 95118, USA cCollege
of Oceanic & Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331
5503, USA
During spring, latitude, sea surface salinity, and thermocline gradient were the most
important predictors. During summer, latitude and distance to the inshore edge of the
upwelling front were the most important variables. Typically a coastal species, harbor
porpoises extended their distribution farther offshore at Heceta Bank and at Cape Blanco,
where they were associated with the higher chlorophyll concentrations in these regions.
Pacific white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus obliquidens was the most numerous small
cetacean in early June, but was rare during August. The model explained 44.5% of the
variation in their occurrence pattern, which was best described by distance to the
upwelling front and acoustic backscatter at 38 kHz. The model of the occurrence pattern
of Dall's porpoise Phocoenoides dalli was more successful when mesoscale variability in
the CCS was higher during summer. Thus, the responses of cetaceans to biophysical
features and upwelling processes in the northern CCS were both seasonally and spatially
specific. Heceta Bank and associated flow-topography interactions were very important
to a cascade of trophic dynamics that ultimately influenced the distribution of foraging
cetaceans.
As a result of significant efforts by federal. universities, and state research strategies
we believe the Heceta Head Perpetua MPA and Marine Reserve site should move
forward in the Pilot marine reserve process.
References
Berkeley, S.A. 2006. Pacific rockfish management: are we circling the wagons around
the wrong paradigm? Bulletin of Marine Science 78(3): 655-668.
Gerber, L.R., M. Beger, M.A. McCarthy, and H.P. Possingham. 2005. A theory for
optimal monitoring of marine reserves. Ecology Letters. 8:829-837.
Halpern, B. 2003. The impact of marine reserves: do reserves work and does reserve size
matter? Ecological Applications 13(1, supplement): S117-S137.
Kulongoski, T.R., Gregoire, C.O., Schwarzenegger, A. 2008. West Coast Governors’
Agreement on Ocean Health. Action Plan. The Offices of the Governors. Oregon,
Washington, and California. May 2008.
Manuwal. D.A., and H.R. Carter. Natural History of the common murre (Uria aalge
californica). Pages 1-32 in D.A. Manuwal, H.R. Carter, T.S. Zimmerman, and D.L.
Orthmeyer, editors. Biology and conservation of the common murre in California,
Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Vol. 1. Natural history and population
trends. U.S. Geological Survey, Washington D.C.
Naughton, M.B., D.S. Pitkin, R.W. Lowe, K.J. So, and C.S. Strong. 2007. Catalog of
Oregon Seabird Colonies. U.S. Department of Interior; Fish and Wildlife Service,
Biological Technical Publication. FWS/BTP-R1009-2007
Ocean Policy Advisory Council Scientific Technical Advisory Committee (OPAC
STAC). Preliminary Report to MRWG on STAC Size and Spacing Workshop. April
21, 2008. Prepared by Jack Barth, Selina Heppell and Craig Young for STAC.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). 2001. 2001 Nearshore Rocky Reef
Assessment ROV Survey. Final Report for 2001 Grant Cooperative Agreement.
PS01053. Prepared by Mark Amend, Dave Fox and Chris Romsos. Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife, December 28, 2001.
Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO). 2007. The Science
of Marine Reserves (2nd Edition, United States Version). www.piscoweb.org. 22
pages.
Pacific Fishery Management Council Scientific and Statistical Committee (PFMC SSC).
2004. White Paper: Marine Reserves: Objectives, Rationales, Fishery Management
Implications, and Regulatory Requirements. www.pcouncil.org. September 2004
Roberts, C.M., J.A. Bohnsack, F. Gell, J.P. Hawkins and R. Goodrigde. 2001. Effects of
Marine Reserves on Adjacent Fisheries. Science. 294:1920-1923.
Scordino, J. 2006. Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus) of Oregon and Northern California:
Seasonal Haulout Abundance Patterns, Movements of Marked Juveniles, and Effects of Hot-Iron
Branding on Apparent Survival of Pups at Rogue Reef. Master of Science Thesis, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Naughton, M. B., D. S. Pitkin, R. W. Lowe, K. J. So,and C. S. Strong. 2007. Catalog of Oregon
Seabird Colonies. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Biological
Technical Publication FWS/BTP-R1009-2007, Washington, D.C.
2002. Report submitted to the Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council and the California
Fish and Game Commission.FISHERY EFFECTS OF EXISTING WEST COAST
MARINE RESERVES: THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
compiled by Dr. Mark Hixon, Department of Zoology, Oregon State University
(541-737-5364, [email protected])
(See Attachment 2: excerpts from the Natural Resource Inventory, 1994, Yachats,
Cape Perpetua, and Heceta Head Cells)