About
Coquille Point is a designated Marine Garden
Marine Gardens are designated to protect rocky habitat resources through public enjoyment, learning opportunities, and by maintaining ecological integrity. Closed to the take of marine invertebrates with exceptions for single mussels for bait and razor clams. Sport fishing is allowed, and commercial fishing is prohibited. No collection of marine aquatic vegetation except by scientific research permit from OPRD.
Features
Key Resources
The Coquille Point Marine Garden encompasses roughly 50 acres covering about 0.3 miles of shoreline around the Coquille Point headland. There are around 16.6 acres of intertidal habitat area and six acres of offshore rocks and islands within the boundary. The Marine Garden boundary includes the intertidal habitat between a line perpendicular to the shore from the 8th Street beach access point and a line perpendicular to shore from the Coquille Point beach access staircase. The largest sea stacks within the boundaries include Elephant Rock, Middle Coquille Rock, and North Coquille Rock.
Site Uses
Coquille Point is used by residents and visitors primarily for photography, beachcombing, picnicking, bird watching, observing pinnipeds, flying drones, exercising dogs, playing on the beach, fishing, paddle boarding, climbing rocks (the ones without intertidal life on them!), biking, jogging, flying kites, and strolling on the beach.
Access
There are two main public beach access points that frame the shoreline of the Coquille Point Marine Garden: Coquille Point parking lot managed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the 8th Street wayside with a trail managed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Management
Site Management
Ownership
- Submerged and submersible lands (intertidal area): Department of State Lands
- The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) owns and manages the headlands at Coquille Point and the offshore rocks and islands within and adjacent to the Marine Garden
- The Ocean Shore is managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Regulations
Coquille Point Marine Garden is closed to the take of shellfish and other marine invertebrates except single mussels may be taken for bait while fishing in the area. Sport fishing is allowed in the Marine Garden. The collection of marine plants like kelp or seaweed from the ocean shore is not allowed within the site boundary, except by scientific research permit from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
The harvest of marine resources by members of Federally Recognized Tribal Nations are unaffected by the Coquille Point Marine Garden designation regulations. The new rules at the Coquille Point Marine Garden do not affect Consent Decrees, Co-Management Agreements, or other agreements between the State of Oregon and any Federally Recognized Tribe in Oregon. These rules do not change any state agency policy recognizing Tribal harvest rights in rocky habitat areas.
