A mild maritime climate characterizes the Oregon coast. It is an 

 area of high precipitation (up to 100 inches annually). Frequent winter 

 storms bring gale force winds and heavy precipitation. Fog is a common 

 occurrence along the coast. 



Many species of marine mammals inhabit the Oregon coast. The fur 

 and harbor seal are abundant on small offshore rocks and islands. These 

 islands are also important breeding areas for marine mammals along the 

 coast. About 1,000 northern sea lions are observed annually on these 

 islands. 



By far the most important commercial fisheries resource in Oregon 

 are salmon. Important salmon species harvested are coho, sockeye, chinook, 

 pink and chum. Other important fisheries harvested are flounders, rock- 

 fishes, albacore, Pacific hake, halibut, Pacific herring, ling cod> and 

 Pacific ocean perch. 



Many sea birds utilize the coastal waters of Oregon. Shearwaters 

 and falmors are particularly numerous along the coast during their 

 seasonal migration. Eighteen species of colonial sea birds have been 

 observed off the Oregon coast . The most common of these in order of 

 abundance are: Leaches petrel, common murre, fork-tailed petrel, western 

 gull, tufted puffin, and pigeon guillemont. The total breeding population 

 of sea birds off Oregon is approximately 1,500,000 and the annual sea 

 bird production has been estimated to be 400,000 individuals. 



Only a narrow strip of land lies between the ocean and the Coast 

 Range in Oregon. As a r'esult most development in the state has occurred 

 further inland. About one-fifth of the Oregon coastline has not been 



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