The Cape Falcon Marine Reserve is one of five in Oregon.

Lindsay Aylesworth, the Oregon Marine Reserves program leader, said the thing she most wishes people knew about marine reserves is that they exist at all.

“We’ve got these sites out there where we’re doing long-term research that impacts nearshore policy,” she said.

Oregon has five marine reserves, ocean areas where human interference with marine life is prohibited. The North Coast is home to the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve between Manzanita and Arch Cape.

Reserve researchers track changes in marine ecology, including temperature, oxygen levels, disease, species levels and ocean acidification. They also conduct human dimensions research, studying economic impact, awareness and perception.

The reserves started monitoring areas where they intended to place restrictions before the reserves went into place. Otter Rock and Redfish Rocks were established in 2012, but monitoring started in 2010. Back then, people worried that the protected areas would harm the commercial fishing, recreational fishing and tourism industries.

“Part of what it means to be an Oregonian is being connected to the ocean and all of the fish,” Aylesworth said. “There were a lot of fears about what this could mean.”

A survey in 2011 found that two-thirds of coastal businesses anticipated decreases in business would come with the first two marine reserves.

The Marine Reserves Program Synthesis Report, which compiled research on the ecosystems and human dimensions of the reserves from 2009 to 2021, and another study from Sea & Shore Solutions published in August, found the same thing: “Those sorts of fears didn’t materialize and haven’t played out,” Aylesworth said.

A study of the Port Orford area, home of Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve, showed the marine reserve actually helped the local economy.

“We found that it added about $500,000 to the economy in the area, which is equivalent to 15 full-time jobs,” Aylesworth said.

Sea & Shore Solutions found that 18% of the smaller recreation-based coastal companies they surveyed reported an increase in their business because of marine reserves. None reported a decrease and 59% reported no change.

Though most visitors did not cite the reserves as a primary reason for their tourism, they were not deterred, either.

Since the beginning, the reserves wanted to balance fishing and conservation. Some of the reserve areas were made smaller than initially intended to protect fishing opportunities. Research contracts can expand the uses for fishing vessels beyond fishing alone.

The Marine Reserves Program Synthesis Report found no negative impacts on commercial fishing landings, employment or permit numbers.

“If you’re looking at one specific fishery that is restricted by the area, it might be more affected,” Aylesworth said. “But on the whole we found that the economic impact is varied and not as bad as anticipated.”

For recreational fishing, one 2020 study randomly selected over 45,000 recreational fishing licensees for a survey and got over 7,500 responses. Over 90% of those surveyed reported no impact on their fishing behavior.

Aylesworth said her organization is still working on expanding awareness, but she’s proud that those who do know about the reserves tend to support them.

Along with Cape Falcon, Otter Rock and Redfish Rocks, the other marine reserves are at Cascade Head and Cape Perpetua.

Across Oregon, one study found 59% of the public would support the expansion of marine reserves.

“We went from being seen as filled with conflict to good community partners,” Aylesworth said.