Strong Marine Reserves & Marine Protected Areas

Oregon’s five marine reserves and adjacent marine protected areas are vital to the health of our coastal habitat, benefitting seabirds, fish, marine mammals, and all coastal life above and below the surface. Marine reserves prohibit removal of marine life and ocean development while marine protected areas allow some fishing activity while still prohibiting ocean development. These underwater wilderness areas conserve habitats and biodiversity, act as a buffer from human-caused impacts, and serve as “living laboratories” for scientific research. We need your support to ensure Oregon’s marine reserves are ecologically viable and to ensure they continue to be a priority program for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.