The state of Oregon is inviting the public to propose sites for further evaluation and possible designation as marine reserves.

To kick off the public proposal process, Oregon Sea Grant and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will host informational meetings on the coast and in Salem. The purpose of these meetings is to provide an update on changes to the marine reserves development process that have been made in response to public input earlier this year. They also will introduce the process by which the public can propose sites for further evaluation.

The marine reserves would be areas within Oregon’s coastal waters, or adjacent rocky intertidal areas, protected from all extractive and development activities, including fishing, except as necessary for monitoring or research. The reserves would aid in the research and management of ocean habitats.

Proposals from the public may be submitted until Sept. 30. Proposal packets and additional information will be available on the Oregon marine reserves web site, www.oregonmarinereserves.net, and from ODFW and Oregon Sea Grant.

The packets contain a form outlining what to include with each proposal and a description of the proposal evaluation criteria.

 For more information, those interested can contact Jeff Feldner, Oregon Sea Grant Extension, at (541) 574-6537 ext. 33, or Cristen Don, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, at (541) 867-4741.