Name that Oregon coast place? Hint, Curry County. Answer at bottom.
Winter is winding and spring has just arrived! From migrating whales and spawning herring in our bays to the masses of by-the-wind sailors washing ashore on our beaches, all the changing season signs on our coast are strong! Spring Surfrider socials, beach cleanups and fun events are on the horizon - we hope you'll explore! And, wrapping up a rapid short state legislative session our advocacy now aims back at Congress as budgets and appropriations are in full swing - more below on these things and ways you can get involved.
- Charlie Plybon, Oregon Sr. Policy Manager
It's a Wrap!
Wins and Washes from Oregon's Short Legislative Session
It's was a short session year in Oregon meaning our legislative process was a full on sprint, just 35 days long! Surfrider typically doesn't work on big policies in short session years, and much of the time is spent dedicated to unfinished business from the 2025 session and this year in particular, making up for significant budget shortfalls from reduced spending and federal reductions. Nonetheless our advocacy efforts were instrumental in the passage of what looks to be 2 significant policy victories for our coasts this legislative session: 1.25% Wildlife (HB 4134) & Diversify the Blue Economy (SB 1525) - learn more about these wins and a few washes from this session below!
This year Surfrider was proud to lead the Oregon Ocean Alliance's collective Ocean Lobby Day event at the Capitol in Salem. Coming together the week of Valentine's, we again ran with the Love Your Ocean theme, bringing together Surfrider and Ocean Alliance volunteers from around the state to convene meetings with legislators at the Capitol. We held meetings with 21 legislative offices, 12 in the House and 10 in the Senate throughout the day to educate on our key ocean legislative priorities, we conducted a Lunch & Learn event with 28 legislative offices to educate about our oceans and network ocean professionals and we had over 50 elementary kids from Sunnyside Environmental School join our day at the Capitol
Tourists aren't the only spring visitors that arrive in numbers to our coast and beaches...
A "neon sign of spring" is the annual spawning of herring on the Oregon coast. These events turn our waters various shades of tropical turquoise as millions of these small fish come into our bays to reproduce. Brian Stone of Newport captured some unbelievable imagery from above Yaquina Bay this March - learn more about these annual events, the food chain that depends on them and check out more of Brian's photos here!
They've arrived in mass on Oregon beaches, those malodorous by-the-wind sailors (Velella velella) are a smelly spectacle and teachable moment for weather patterns each spring. These hydrozoans are actually colonial creatures and subject to the whims of the winds, seas and currents as they float through life and often meet their fate each spring on an Oregon beach!
An incredible shot of a gray whale, by Eric Urdahl, rising for a breath amongst a very healthy canopy of bull kelp. These whales will be migrating north throughout the spring and into summer, moving to Alaska waters with their calves to feed. Learn more about events hosted by Oregon Parks for viewing from various lookouts along the Oregon coast.
Tools for expanding beach access on the Oregon coast
At Surfrider, we always say the beach belongs to everyone, but access for all isn't always the case along our wild and scenic coastline here in Oregon and around the country. In fact, some of our most treasured beaches and access points are anything but very accessible. Over the past couple of years, "mobi-mats" have been one way communities have been expanding beach access opportunities in places where new or improved infrastructure may not be possible. Shout out to the Oregon Coast Visitor's Association for these new toolkits and funded case studies to learn how you may be able to expand access in your beach community.
Surfrider volunteer pose in front of a portrait of Governor Tom McCall at the Oregon Capitol. The larger than life portrait of McCall is a reproduction of the infamous moment when McCall held a press conference on the beach to survey the public right of way, laying ground for the beach bill.
Students from Sunnyside Environmental School gather in the rotunda at the Capitol for Love Your Ocean lobby day.
Students at the Capitol, advocating for 1.25% for the Wildlife
Top Photo Answer:
Pictured is the south cove of Sister's Rock State Park. Situated between Port Orford and Gold Beach, this gem of the southern coast was acquired by Parks in 2003. Formerly known as Frankport, it's storied history has a little of everything from legit shipping port to drug smuggling operations - read more.
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