Sunday, July 25, 2010

D. vex research at the Triangle - July 24th, 2010

Two Oregon Coast Aquarium divers returned to the Triangle, the appropriately named area of protected ocean waters between converging jetty lines at the mouth of the Umpqua River. We know the invasive marine invertebrate Didemnum vexillum to have been established since at least February, and we came in part to do a trial of one possible eradication method.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Invasives Survey at Oregon Oyster Farms - July 10, 2010

A team of Oregon Coast Aquarium scientific divers received a lesson in aquaculture then went in the water at Oregon Oyster Farms, 6878 Yaquina Bay Road, to survey the docks' fouling community.

The operation grows both Pacific and Kumamoto oysters, utilizing old oyster shell as substrate. After allowing oyster spat to recruit on the shells, they are suspended by strings or in bags from floats, or they are broadcast onto the sandy bottom of the river channel. Bottom cultured oysters are later harvested by dredge.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Marina Walkabouts from Coos Bay to Charleston - week of June 28th, 2010

Monday, Lorne Curran walked marinas and boat ramps starting from the town of Coos Bay and ending in Charleston. Thursday, Lorne, Sam Chan, Bruce Hansen, and ODFW biologist Scott Groth collected samples of known Didemnum vexillum colonies and deployed underwater surveillance systems to search for additional colonies.