Tuna and schooling sardines

Pacific bluefin tuna hunting sardines. Sardines and other forage fish are a critical food source for economically important marine species such as tuna and salmon.

(File photo)

The tiny fish who form one basis of the world's ocean ecosystem earned new protections Friday in Oregon. It is now illegal to fish for many species of what are called "forage fish" from Oregon's shores to 300 miles into the ocean.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife adopted the protection, which mirrors a new federal policy, Friday morning. Oregon has very few fishing operations that target these kind of forage fish, which are less commercially sought-after than sardines, anchovies or herring -- the most popular forage fish species.

Thus, there was little pushback and lots of support from conservation groups.

Forage fish swim in "bait balls," which is a defense mechanism against predators, but also means they are prime prey for all kinds of ocean animals and sea birds. Under the new rule, these forage fish won't be able to be caught by recreational or commercial fishers without proving that can be down without harming the entire ecosystem that relies on them.

State marine resources manager Caren Braby said the plan will "allow our existing fisheries to thrive while preventing new forage fish fisheries from forming without thorough consideration and review," in a June article about what was then the proposed ban.

The Pacific coast is now almost entirely covered. Washington put this same policy in place in the 1990s. California is expected to follow suit next year. Some Mid-Atlantic states are also on board.

"It's the way of the future to take this more holistic approach," said Paul Shively, director of ocean conservation work in the Pacific Ocean for Pew Charitable Trusts.

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com

503-294-5923

@MollyHarbarger