ODFW posts maps of proposed Oregon Marine Reserves

ODFW has posted maps and descriptions of three proposed marine reserves for public review: Cape Perpetua near Florence, Cascade Head near Lincoln City and Cape Falcon near Manzanita.

The proposed marine reserves would ban fishing and crabbing in set area. The goal of the reserves would be to allow slow-growing rockfish a chance to get big and old and fat, as the larger fish produce exponentially more offspring than less mature fish. The offspring from the old croakers spread out across the ocean and everybody wins, in theory.

Here is a great article from the Oregonian discussing the proposals, timelines and opposition to Oregon Marine Reserves.