Seastar Wasting Syndrome Monitoring
In April 2014 the sea star wasting syndrome (SSWS) epidemic spread to Oregon. This outbreak was more widespread and affected more sea stars than ever recorded. To add to the existing database on SSWS and increase understanding of its extent, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Marine Reserves Ecological Monitoring Team monitored SSWS at Otter Rock Marine Reserve and Cascade Head Marine Reserve. In 2018, while I was an Oregon Sea Grant scholar, I led led monitoring efforts of SSWS for the ODFW Marine Reserves. As part of the protected area within the reserves, these intertidal sites can provide valuable information on the effects of no-take management as well as the natural changes in sea star populations due to the wasting disease. Therefore, establishing baseline data of these previously unsurveyed sites followed by continued monitoring are important steps in assessing the spread of disease and the state of the sea stars in the reserves.
While I was an Oregon Sea Grant scholar, I also formed partnerships with Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) and the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) to establish biodiversity baselines for the ODFW Marine Reserves and comparison areas. Coastal biodiversity surveys help monitor the health of intertidal zones in Oregons Marine Reserves. A baseline measurement is important so over long term management of the area we know how biodiversity can change with emerging issues and constant pressures such as sea star wasting disease and climate change respectively. From this knowledge we can better inform policy-makers about these issues and the effects marine reserves have on them.
I presented the 2018 seastar survey report at the Oregon Sea Grant Final Symposium.