RECAP: Marine Reserves Trivia
Friday, February 6h, 2026 — The Wilds Taphouse & BBQ, Newport, Oregon
Out of all the ocean trivias we’ve hosted, Marine Reserves Trivia Night, hosted by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Cape Perpetua Collaborative, and Friends of Otter Rock at The Wilds Taphouse & BBQ was one for the books!
The room buzzed with marine science enthusiasts, teams representing ODFW, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, local fisherman and fish biologists were in for some friendly competition as teams grabbed their pints, scanned the special Oregon-caught seafood menu, and prepared to put their ocean knowledge to the test.
Did You Know Oregon Has Five Marine Reserves?
A big focus of the evening: Oregon’s five marine reserves, areas of no harvest that act as living laboratories for our nearshore environment. These sites protect a diversity of habitats, from rocky intertidal zones to subtidal reefs and kelp beds. Each reserve is unique in its shape, size, biological communities, and surrounding ocean conditions.
Throughout the night, trivia questions tested participants’ knowledge of Oregon’s nearshore environments, coastal geography, oceanography, and the regulations that shape these protected areas. Some questions were easy wins. Others sparked intense table debates and last-second answer changes. Everyone walked away having learned something new — whether it was about upwelling cycles, species diversity, or what “no harvest” really means in practice.
Oregon-Caught Seafood Specials
Fueling the competition was a special Winter Waters menu celebrating Oregon-caught seafood.
Shoyu Tuna Kabobs — Shoyu-marinated and grilled fresh albacore tuna served over sautéed vegetables and white rice, topped with wakame furikake.
Smoked Tuna Deviled Eggs — Creamy, savory bites finished with wakame furikake and fresh green onions.
The dishes were a bit of a change from the Wilds well known BBQ menu, and blew everyone out of the water. Thanks to Discover Newport for sponsoring this event and for The Wilds Taphouse for welcoming us all in!
