| Oregon Ocean Resources Management Plan |
|
|
|
 |
| How It Came to Be |
|
The Ocean Plan, as it is known, was prepared by the 1987 Ocean Resources Management Task Force which was established by the 1987 Oregon Legislature.
The Task Force held a series of community listening meetings on the Oregon coast to find out what issues were of concern to the public. Their study covered a wide variety of existing and potential ocean resource management issues off Oregon in both state and federal ocean areas. The Ocean Plan recommends future state policies for most of these issues.
The Ocean Plan was not confined just to state ocean waters. A number of issues involving the federal ocean area, such as oil and gas drilling and marine mineral exploration, were discussed and policies developed. Its policy recommendations for important marine habitat were meant to apply to the continental margin off Oregon, not just state waters.
Although they are not "mandatory" [there is no enforcement], the 1991 Legislature recognized that these policies were important guideposts or starting points for a more detailed plan and policies aimed at Oregon's Territorial Sea where the state does indeed have jurisdiction.
|
|
|
| Ocean Stewardship Area |
|
 Among the important ideas that came from the Ocean Plan is the policy of the "Ocean Stewardship Area." This idea has been incorporated as policy in Statewide Planning Goal 19, Ocean Resources by the Land Conservation and Development Commission.
The Ocean Stewardship Area is the concept that Oregon has policy and management interests in ocean resources and activities in an area that extends from the shore seaward to the toe of the continental margin. This is the most biologically productive region of the ocean off Oregon. This is where human uses have the greatest effects on the marine ecosystem.
Policies of the Ocean Plan
|
|
|
|
