About the Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia

Oregon was one of the first places in the world to experience the direct impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) with the collapse of the Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery in 2007. These changes in ocean acidity and oxygen are approaching or meeting levels that are problematic for oysters, crab, mussels, urchins, salmon, rockfish, and other species that Oregonians care deeply about.

To address these issues, the Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OAH Council) was convened by Senate Bill 1039 in 2017, which specified the 13 seats and representation of Oregon interests on the Council. Since meeting for the first time in 2018, the Oregon Coordinating Council on OAH has been implementing the legislature's vision of this Council, serving as a diverse stakeholder group that provides science-based recommendations to the State about our changing ocean for the past five years. Since its inception, this diverse body has completed three biennial Reports to the Legislature and Oregon's first OAH Action Plan. The OAH Council produces Oregon's OAH Action plan every six years and Oregon's legislative reports on OAH every two years.

Structure

Structure of the OAH Council

Membership on the OAH Council is specified in the Senate Bill 1039 and is detailed below:

SECTION 2. (1) The Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia is established, consisting of 13 members as follows:

The Governor or the Governor’s designee;
The director of an initiative for integrative marine studies at Oregon State University or the director’s designee;
The State Fish and Wildlife Director or the director’s designee;
The Director of Agriculture or the director’s designee;
The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality or the director’s designee;
The Director of the Department of Land Conservation and Development or the director’s designee; and
Seven members appointed in consultation with the Governor’s office as follows:

1. One member representing the Oregon Ocean Science Trust, appointed by the executive director of the Oregon Ocean Science Trust;
2. One member representing the Sea Grant College of Oregon State University, appointed by the director of the Sea Grant College;
3. One member representing a conservation organization, appointed by the Ocean Policy Advisory Council;
4. One member representing fishing interests, appointed by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission;
5. One member representing the shellfish mariculture industry, appointed by the State Board of Agriculture;
6. One member representing the academic research community with relevant expertise, appointed by the scientific and technical advisory committee to the Ocean Policy Advisory Council; and
7. One member representing the interests of federally recognized Oregon Indian tribes, appointed by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission in consultation with the Commission on Indian Services.

Council Leadership is specified in Section (3) of the bill:

The State Fish and Wildlife Director or the director’s designee and the director of an initiative for integrative marine studies at Oregon State University or the director’s designee shall serve as co-chairpersons of the coordinating council.

Current Leadership Contact Information

Leif Rasmuson

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Marine Fisheries Research Project Leader

Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Laurie Juranek

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Associate Professor

College of Earth, Ocean, & Atmospheric Sciences

Oregon State University

Melanie Bukovec

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Ocean Acidification Policy Project Leader

Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Membership

OAH Council Members

The OAH Council members serve on a voluntary appointment that bring together unique experiences and expertise to facilitate collaboration, inclusion, and diversity in the Council’s ongoing work. These members join from state agencies, universities, federal programs, industry representatives, Tribal governments, non-government organizations, and the Governor’s office. During the past two years, the Council welcomed a new Council co-chair and seven new members. The Council’s achievements continue to propel their efforts in building momentum for continued action and support as they continue moving forward under the Council’s guiding Principles: understand, recommend, and implement.

Reports and Publications

OAH 2024 Biennial Report

On October 1, 2024, the fourth biennial report of the OAH Council was published.

OAH 2024 Council Biennial Report (Full, without appendices)

Oregon OAH Action Plan

On June 22, 2021, the Oregon legislature passed House Bill (HB) 3114, representing a historic investment in Oregon’s efforts to combat ocean acidification and hypoxia. With some direct appropriations to existing work groups at Oregon State University and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the bulk of the $1.9 million, one-time investment, was distributed through competitive grants led by the Oregon Ocean Science Trust (OOST). This was the first OOST “request for proposals” or RFP process, since the Trust was created by the legislature in 2013. All projects funded by the legislation were identified in the 2019-2025 Oregon OAH Action Plan.

OAH Project Symposium

On April 14, 2023, progress from all HB3114 projects were presented at a first annual Oregon OAH Symposium. With over 80 stakeholders, resource managers, journalists, and invested members of the public in attendance, this event was a great step in spreading awareness and interest in ocean change. A recording of the Symposium is available on YouTube and is embedded below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3aAmLTWhhI

OAH Project Reports

In September 2024, final progress reports from the HB3114 projects were shared virtually through recorded presentations that can be found on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUGv5aNHPl8&list=PLLleHsPDijGZlO1pI5Laac1klrtk-S_e2&pp=iAQB

OAH Communication Plan

HB3114 also funded a project that developed a communications toolkit and implementation plan. This project inspires key audiences to act to reduce the projected trajectory of ocean and climate change and build a more resilient future through OAH mitigation and adaptation planning and policy. Rooted in social science, these materials advance the ability of OAH scientists to communicate about their important work. Having identified key audiences and developed messaging relevant to those target groups, the OAH Council can now communicate more effectively about the science behind OAH and solutions to address the impacts on the livelihoods of Oregonians. These communications increase civic readiness, such that members of each target audience sector are prepared - when opportunities arise - for legislative and/or community-based action.

Download the Communication Plan

The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development maintains this website. Please contact the Marine Affairs Coordinator below for more information or with comments.

Andy Lanier
Marine Affairs Coordinator
635 Capitol St. NE, Suite 150
Salem, OR 97301-2540
Andy.Lanier@dlcd.oregon.gov

Upcoming Meetings

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