The North Energy Test Site (NETS) is PMEC’s non-grid connected, open ocean test site located approximately 4.6 km (2.5 nautical miles) off Yaquina Head, north of Newport, Oregon. The site is about 3.4 km2 (1 square nautical mile) and ranges in depth from 45 - 55 meters. It has a...
While the coastal waters of western North America hold great promise for wind and wave energy development, many concerns have been raised about the potential environmental impacts of the installation of these devices and their complex mooring systems. Here I focus on characterizing benthic habitats and biological communities in offshore...
As human impacts and demands for ocean space increase (fisheries, aquaculture, marine reserves, renewable energy), identification of marine habitats hosting sensitive biological assemblages has become a priority. Epifaunal invertebrates, especially the structure-forming species, are an increasing conservation concern as many traditional (bottom-contact fishing) and novel (marine renewable energy) ocean uses...
This project examined the information needs of those interested in the planning for marine renewable energy in Oregon. The objective was to recommend to Oregon State University’s Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC) an approach to facilitating sharing of relevant information concerning marine renewable energy in Oregon and Washington....
The first wave energy test at the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center’s (NNMREC) North Energy Test Site (NETS) off the coast of Newport, OR took place in 2012 with the deployment of the WET-NZ wave energy conversion (WEC) device and the Ocean Sentinel instrumentation buoy. The WET-NZ and Ocean...
This project was carried out collaboratively by Oregon State University (OSU) scientists and involved participation by Oregon Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center scientists. The goal of this project was baseline characterization via observations and sample collection of the habitat and biological assemblages present at...
The North Energy Test Site (NETS) is PMEC’s non-grid connected, open ocean test site located approximately 4.6 km (2.5 nautical miles) off Yaquina Head, north of Newport, Oregon. The site is about 3.4 km2 (1 square nautical mile) and ranges in depth from 45 - 55 meters. It has a...
A better understanding of the distribution and spawning behavior of Crangon shrimp and their relationship with their predators, including the green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, is an important step toward the larger goal to understand food webs of the nearshore continental shelf of the northeastern Pacific. Here, I examined how the...
Development of wave and offshore wind-based marine renewable energy is anticipated on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off Oregon and much of the Pacific Northwest in the coming decade. Multiple issues related to environmental considerations and information needs remain for these emerging industries. The Oregon Marine Renewable Energy Environmental Science...