LINCOLN COUNTY - Most visitors to the Oregon coast enjoy the magnificent views along the ocean shoreline but just under the water's surface is another view rarely seen by the tourists.

In fact, only scuba divers can enjoy the scenes of productive habitats rich with all sorts of aquatic life.

KATU recently got a peak into that spectacular undersea world via help from staff divers inside Passages of the Deep at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

OCA's Staff Aquarist, Evonne Mochon-Collura, told KATU: "We have over 60 different species alone and visually you will notice a great deal of difference in the color patterns, certainly in the size and definitely in the longevity of the fish. Some rockfish species can live 20-30 years, while others survive to over a hundred years old."

But there is a storm of controversy brewing over this underwater resource that is centered on its best "future use."

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Patty Burke is the Marine Resource Manager for the agency. She told KATU: "The idea and creation of Marine Reserves would help to form sort of an insurance policy of sorts because of the heritage value in setting aside land in the ocean. Plus, having areas of refuge would make sense for long-lived species, like rockfish, which live to 100 years."

Since 2002, "Marine Reserves" have been planned and discussed and endorsed, first by Governor John Kitzhaber, and now, Governor Ted Kulongoski.

The reserves would occupy state-owned territorial waters that extend three miles from shore. Each reserve would provide protection for, and research of, aquatic life.

But how big a reserve? How many would there be? Where would they be located? These are questions with uncertain answers.

One thing is certain: any proposal that creates ocean sanctuaries but closes down or restricts sport and commercial fisheries is a proposal that's going to meet a strong tide of opposition.

Fisherman John Krauthoefer got wind of the idea and didn't like what he heard. He told KATU: "Oh, it would be horrible! You don't catch halibut in the bay."

He and other sport fishermen worry that reserves would stretch too far and put angling out of reach: "There's a possibility that they could take a section of that ocean and say, 'you can't transit it or you can't fish there.' "

His concerns were recently reinforced by Jim Martin, a noted fish biologist and former resource advisor to Gov. Kitzhaber: " A network of reserves that close 25, 30 or 40 percent of the ocean just because – You know, fishermen aren't going for that. I don't think it's justified, it's not reasonable and it's not an Oregon way of doing things."

But supporters of the proposal argue that little is known of Oregon's near-shore ocean waters.

Paul Englemeyer, a conservationist and spokesperson with Audubon, told KATU: "It has worked all over the world. It will work in Oregon too."

Englemeyer pointed out that we do know of 45 different fish species that live in the near-shore ocean waters that could be protected by a reserve program. But only eight species have had "stock assessments" that have tracked the species' productivity and life histories.

In addition, only 5% of the territorial seabed has been mapped in detail. He insists that time has come for a change in attitude and understanding of Oregon's shoreline waters.

"It really is time for people to educate themselves, time to get engaged in the process of marine reserves and time to move forward with this process," he said. "This is going to be good for our coastal communities in the long run."

But there is strong disagreement about the idea from the commercial fishing industry. Steve Fick, owner of Astoria's Fishhawk Fisheries, told KATU: "There is a lot of insensitivity in some corners of this issue by people who say 'Let's just shut everything off. No more fishing."

Commercial fishermen insist that coastal communities depend upon fishing – it is the lifeblood for many local economies.

For example, in 2006 fish and crab landed values exceeded $106 million in Oregon. The ripple effect to personal income and the larger Oregon economy reached more than $421 million, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Ficke noted: "Astoria is one of the largest ports in the United States as far as economic value of resources and it would be tremendous to lose commercial fishing in the Astoria-Columbia River region."

Still, Oregon is the only west coast state without a Marine Reserve program.

Englemeyer and other supporters believe reserves could help us learn more and better protect our ocean waters for the future.

"If we stick our heads in the sand on this issue any longer, it's going to come back to bite us."

Governor Kulongoski has asked for the public's participation in this issue through a site nomination process for potential "Marine Reserve" sites along the Oregon coast. You can learn more at http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/OPAC/.