The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife needs volunteer anglers this spring and fall to help catch and release ocean bottom fish. According to Katie Pierson, ODFW Marine Reserves research and monitoring project, the purpose of this hook and line sampling is to compare fish communities inside and outside of Oregon’s Marine Reserves. Hook and line sampling is the only method that gets each fish in hand so scientists can measure its length and weight. Volunteers will participate in an 8-hour ocean outing leaving from Port Orford, Newport, Depoe Bay or Garibaldi. ODFW will provide the rods, reels and terminal tackle and, since volunteers are participating in scientific research, no fishing license is required. To volunteer, e-mail your name, phone number, e-mail address and which port(s) you’d like to depart from to odfw.marinereserves@state.or.us or call 541-867-7701 ext. 241. “As fishing dates near, we will contact all volunteers on the list. Fishing trips will be filled on a first come, first served basis,” Pierson said. Since 2012, Oregon has designated five marine reserve sites off the Oregon Coast to advance scientific research, and to conserve habitats and biodiversity. Studies of fish communities are one of the many ways ODFW is studying the ecological and socio-economic effects of the reserves, Pierson said.
