Our Mission

Oregon Coalition for Educating ANglers (OCEAN) has the primary goal of supporting conservation of and research on marine fisheries, as well as sponsoring and promoting activities to assist in marine fisheries management. The education of marine anglers is one of the ways The OCEAN is working to achieve this purpose. Right now, the intent is make available on this website a course which marine anglers can take in order to learn more about marine species and how anglers themselves can assist conservation efforts.

The OCEAN intends to work closely with the staff of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), particularly the Department's Marine Program, to further activities and projects of the Marine Program and marine sport fishermen. The OCEAN intends to seek grants for projects of education or research that are deemed desirable by sport fishermen.

The initial project, the online educational course, will emphasize materials through which marine sport fishermen may learn to identify various species of groundfish so that they can limit their take of depleted species.

Included will be instructions on how to access information about season limits, angling methods to avoid certain species or sizes, tracking landings totals so as not to press landings caps, and areas to avoid to assist keeping landings within goals.

This website will also keep track of reports of encounters with depleted species so as to increase sport fishers' knowledge of where not to fish.

This will entail continued and active moderation of the website.

Other projects or course materials for the future include giving fishers information dockside in cooperation with ODFW (ID cards, for instance), volunteer assistance in research projects (already started), and programs designed to increase the average marine fisherman's knowledge of the federal and state regulatory process and mechanisms (such as stock studies).

Future projects will be of a similar cooperative nature, guided by what will assist the Marine Program in managing marine species for sustainable, protected fisheries. The OCEAN intends to provide the Marine Program with a cadre of knowledgeable and concerned volunteers for projects associated with marine fishing. The hope is to encourage marine anglers to be stewards of their ocean resources.

Donations are always appreciated.