Coastal Zone Management Section 309 Grant: 1997 Kelp / Reef Habitat Assessment

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Miller, Bruce, David Fox, Arlene Merems, and Mark Amend

Publish Date: December 31, 1997

Online Link: None

BPA Project #:

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Cedric Cooney

Job Position: Natural Resources Data and Systems Manager

Telephone: 503-947-6094

E-Mail Address: Cedric.X.Cooney@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: Oregon is facing increasing pressures to develop the living marine resources of nearshore subtidal rocky reef areas, particularly off the south coast where community economies depend, in part, on a natural resource base. Much of the increased pressure has resulted from a shift toward nearshore reef fisheries due to the dramatic decrease in traditional salmon fisheries. Emerging or proposed marine resource uses include kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) harvest, fisheries for previously under-utilized species, propagation or enhancement of sea urchins, abalone, and other species, and increased and diversified recreational uses. Because nearshore reefs are in state waters, Oregon is responsible for managing these habitats to sustain their long-term use and productivity. Resource managers lack scientific information about the organisms and habitats on Oregon's nearshore ( <50 m deep) rocky reefs. We need to develop this information for making sound resource management decisions. Effective management of kelp harvest, along with other rocky reef resource uses, requires an understanding of the natural processes in the reef ecosystem. Kelp harvest may affect future kelp production and change physical habitats for a variety of species. Detecting habitat effects requires knowledge of the relationship among structural and functional components of the ecosystem. While traditional species-specific research projects can contribute to this knowledge, a single-species research approach is inadequate to address all potential impacts of human activities. Thus, research needs to be structured to examine ecosystem relationships. We initiated a 5-year kelp/reef research project in 1995 to gather information necessary for managing kelp harvest and other nearshore reef uses. This report summarizes work completed during 1997 (year 3 of the study). The study area includes Blanco, Orford, Redfish Rocks, Humbug Mountain, and Rogue reefs. In 1996, studies focused on the relationships among fish communities and rocky reef habitats, estimating kelp bed biomass, and examining seabird use of kelp (Fox, et al. 1996). Kelp biomass was low and very limited in extent during 1996, precluding an evaluation of the impact of kelp harvest on associated fish communities. Kelp biomass was higher in 1997, providing an opportunity for limited experimental harvest and an evaluation of kelp harvest / fish community interactions. Although this evaluation was planned for 1997, a series of strong storms beginning in mid-September removed most of the kelp at Orford Reef, precluding experimental harvest and evaluation of harvest effects on associated fish communities. This report includes estimates of bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) biomass at Orford, Blanco, Redfish Rocks, Humbug Mountain, and Rogue reefs for 1997, and compares data on fish abundance collected in 1997 to data collected in comparable benthic habitat at Orford Reef in 1996. This report also provides a spatial and temporal view of water mass attributes at Orford Reef during 1997 based on results of 2 CTD surveys and a time-series of water temperature recorded at 3 offshore moored stations. The final section of the report is a kelp management analysis updated from Fox, et al. (1996).

Purpose:

Time Period of Content: 1990-1997

Geographic Extent: Orford, Blanco, Redfish Rocks, Humbug Mountain, and Rogue reefs

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF file

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source: Final Grant Report, Contract No. 97-82.

Data Information

No data information was supplied.

Entity and Attribute Information

Attributes Description: Field attribute information is available in the attached file(s).

Bibliography Information

Field Name	Value
Biblio ID	34332
Year	1997
Publisher
Request Type	Report
Location	Salem HQ
Date Created	1997 Dec
Date Cataloged	9/3/2008
Date Published	1997
Type	spiral bind
Pages	40 pp
Volume	97-52
Status	2
Descriptor	1997 Kelp / Reef Habitat Assessment | Final Grant Report Contract No. 97052
Date Entered	2008-09-03 15:25:11
Location In Clackamas Library	coast, N2W
Author	B Miller; D Fox; A Merems; M Amend
Duplicates	0
Number Remaining After Requests	1
Presumed All Distributed
Back Room Duplicates	0
Author
Risk
Species
Disposition Of Requests

Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Yes