Sharks of Oregon Coast Featured on New License Plate: Vouchers Now Available

Published 03/03/25 at 8:45 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Newport, Oregon) – Can't get enough of sharks? Of the Oregon coast? Perhaps you'd like to wear such fandom on your vehicle?

Just that possibility has arisen as Oregon State University and its Big Fish Lab have partnered with Oregon's DMV to bring the state a license plate called “Vibrant Ocean” with three species of shark often found in Oregon.

Vouchers for the plate are now on sale, said OSU. Buy a voucher

The Big Fish Lab needs to sell 3,000 vouchers before the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles can start manufacturing the plates. Vouchers are priced at $40, with approximately $35 going directly to the lab. For more information or to purchase a voucher, visit Oregon State University's Marine Research.

The funds raised will support research on the ecological roles of sharks in coastal marine ecosystems, community outreach and education, and training opportunities for students and staff.

Photo OSU

"Funding shark research is challenging. Sharks may not be lovable or tasty, but they are crucial," said Taylor Chapple, assistant professor and founder of the Big Fish Lab. "Our goal at the Big Fish Lab is to understand the importance of sharks and share their stories. This license plate will help us achieve that."

Chapple emphasized the significance of changing public perception of sharks. "With each plate sold, we hope to move closer to the realization that sharks are not the mindless predators portrayed in Hollywood but vital and dynamic elements of our vibrant oceans."

Established in 2019, the Big Fish Lab is Oregon's first dedicated shark research program. It operates out of the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.

As apex predators, sharks play a crucial role in maintaining ocean ecosystems by regulating species abundance, distribution, and diversity. However, they face significant threats from overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, and pollution.

Thesher shark: Seaside Aquarium

"The 15 shark species off our shores contribute to the vibrancy and productivity of Oregon’s coastal ecosystems and economies," Chapple explained. "From the crab in your pot to the salmon on your grill, our ocean's abundance owes much to these sharks. Public support is vital in helping us understand and protect these critical predators."

The license plate's design was created by Natalie Donato, a third-year Honors College student from Folsom, California. Donato, who is majoring in marine biology and ecology at OSU's College of Science, integrates her artistic talent with science communication through her interdisciplinary approach.

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Her design features a large salmon shark with two blue sharks on the left and a common thresher shark on the right. They are regulars of Oregon coast waters.

“I set out to create a scene that represents the feeling of a vibrant underwater world, depicting the sharks in a more realistic form and the vivid, inspiring feeling that resonates with me when I view the ocean,” she said. “Capturing the flow, depth, and fluid feeling of being underwater and present with the calm, inquisitive sharks played a key role in the direction of the design, channeling that feeling from the imperfection and variation of the light beams, scars and details on the sharks, and the individual shimmering fish meant to bring the scene to life.”

There is also a Beaver plate in the works, to be released by DMV in April.

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

Seaside Aquarium photo

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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