Hatfield Marine Science Center
Encyclopedia
Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) is a marine science research and education center next to Yaquina Bay
of the Pacific Ocean
in the U.S state of Oregon
. It is operated by Oregon State University
(OSU) in cooperation with five state and federal agencies co-located on site. Named after Mark Hatfield
, a former U.S. Senator from Oregon, the HMSC occupies a 49 acres (19.8 ha) site in Newport
.
, commercial fishing, ocean resource management, microscopic sea life, and tide-pool
creatures and habitats. The visitor center offers public programs and tours and is open year-round. Admission is by donation.
, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA). NOAA employees at the HMSC are affiliated with the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, or the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
, all of which are headquartered in Seattle, Washington
. The HMSC (and the Seafood Research & Education Center in Astoria
) are home to the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES), the largest of 12 branch agricultural research stations in Oregon.
The OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences operates the Research Vessel Wecoma which has its home port adjacent to the center. The college also operates the Research Vessel Elakha (Sea Otter) out of Newport.
Yaquina Bay
Yaquina Bay is a small bay partially within Newport, Oregon, United States, located where the Yaquina River flows into the Pacific Ocean. It is traversed by the Yaquina Bay Bridge. The bay's area is about 8 km² .-See also:...
of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
in the U.S state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is operated by Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
(OSU) in cooperation with five state and federal agencies co-located on site. Named after Mark Hatfield
Mark Hatfield
Mark Odom Hatfield was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States Senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee...
, a former U.S. Senator from Oregon, the HMSC occupies a 49 acres (19.8 ha) site in Newport
Newport, Oregon
Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868...
.
Visitor Center
Opened in 1965, the Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center is the public education wing of the HMSC. The visitor center's exhibits focus on marine species, marine research, and the coastal environment. Live marine animals on display include a Giant Pacific Octopus. Other exhibits focus on weather, tsunamiTsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
, commercial fishing, ocean resource management, microscopic sea life, and tide-pool
Tide pool
Tide pools are rocky pools by oceans that are filled with seawater. Many of these pools exist as separate entities only at low tide.Tide pools are habitats of uniquely adaptable animals that have engaged the special attention of naturalists and marine biologists, as well as philosophical...
creatures and habitats. The visitor center offers public programs and tours and is open year-round. Admission is by donation.
Employees
More than 300 people work at the HMSC, including OSU faculty, graduate students, researchers, and staff from agencies including Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeOregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for programs protecting Oregon fish and wildlife resources and their habitats....
, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
(NOAA). NOAA employees at the HMSC are affiliated with the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, or the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
The Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory is a laboratory in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration /Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research ....
, all of which are headquartered in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. The HMSC (and the Seafood Research & Education Center in Astoria
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
) are home to the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES), the largest of 12 branch agricultural research stations in Oregon.
The OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences operates the Research Vessel Wecoma which has its home port adjacent to the center. The college also operates the Research Vessel Elakha (Sea Otter) out of Newport.
See also
- Oregon Coast AquariumOregon Coast AquariumThe Oregon Coast Aquarium is an aquarium in Newport in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1992, the facility sits on along Yaquina Bay near the Pacific Ocean. From January 1996 until September 9, 1998 when he was shipped to Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland this aquarium was home to Keiko, the orca who...
, a nearby tourist attraction - Oregon Institute of Marine BiologyOregon Institute of Marine BiologyThe Oregon Institute of Marine Biology is the marine station of the University of Oregon. It is located in Charleston, Oregon at the mouth of Coos Bay. This marine station was first deeded to the University of Oregon in 1931. However, university students had been studying marine science in the...
, a related institution on the Southern Oregon Coast