LINCOLN CITY — It’s all in the governor and state’s hands now.

The Ocean Policy Advisory Council is sending two marine reserve pilot projects, three slightly modified plans and the suggestion for a bottom-up approach for an area off Cape Arago to the governor for consideration.

The council debated 20 proposals for more than nine hours Tuesday, but Cape Arago was by far the most contentious.

The council resorted to voting on the proposals instead of operating by consensus as it usually does. The result is six areas could get state funding for further evaluation and study over the next few years, with possible implementation after revisions and modifications.

None of the areas, not even the two most popular pilot projects near Depoe Bay and Port Orford, are ready for implementation, council members stressed.

That was about the last thing members agreed on.

Marine reserves would ban extractive activities, but still allow diving, surfing and transiting. Supporters proposed 20 such areas. Eight were proposed by a coalition of conservation groups.

Sport and commercial fishermen objected to most of the sites, since they weren’t developed in cooperation with the fishing industry or coastal businesses, in accordance with the governor’s stipulations.

Council member Terry Thompson of Newport proposed tossing out areas that failed to meet most of the criteria and scored low on a state agency review. Those included Mack Reef II, on the Southern Oregon Coast; Siltcoos, between Reedsport and Florence; Cape Arago, near Charleston, as proposed by Our Ocean; Twenty Miracle Miles, between Neskowin Beach and Beverly Beach on the Central Coast; and Tillamook Head, Three Arch Rocks I and Three Arch Rocks II on the North Coast.

A potential reserve at Cape Arago — either the Cape Arago proposal by Our Ocean or the smaller one called Seven Devils, proposed by Bandon resident Bill Russell — proved to be a problem for the rest of the day.

“I could live with all those except Cape Arago,” said council member Jim Good.

Good referred to an earlier meeting where South Coast sport fishing representative Jim Pex said that there may be a small area on the north end of the Cape Arago site that would be OK.

Besides, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is willing to work to create a marine reserve there, he said.

Port Deputy Director Mike Gaul testified Monday that he did in fact offer to lead a community group to develop alternatives to the current proposals for the Cape Arago area.

Pex, though, was not convinced.

“As it is right now, I do not wish to see either one of those move forward out of OPAC,” he said Tuesday, participating by telephone from out of state.

The council ultimately approved dropping them from the list — then continued the debate the balance of ecological significance vs. lost fishing opportunity for each of the remaining reserves.

Then it circled back to Cape Arago.

Council member John Griffith proposed dropping the Seven Devils proposal.

Jim Good reiterated the fact that the port would work with local people to modify the proposal to something more acceptable to the community. Neither Griffith nor Pex, who seconded Griffith’s motion, would agree.

That area represents the best fishing area for rockfish for the Bay Area, Pex said. “It would have substantial impact on the community.”

Environmentalists argued the ecology angle.

“We all know the Cape Arago area is a high-ranked ecology area,” council member Robin Hartmann said. “There’s a big gap, in terms of a network, north to south. I also would say the Seven Devils area made it much smaller. There are a number of citizens who want to be involved.”

Griffith’s drop-it motion passed nine to four.

Other council members didn’t give up.

Good made a motion the council recommend to the governor that interested parties in the Cape Arago area, led by the port, collaborate for development of a proposal for a marine reserve. If the governor encourages the collaboration, funding could follow, he said.

“So you’re saying ‘no’ is not an option?” Pex said from the speakerphone.

He soon got his answer. Ten people supported Good’s motion. Three — Griffith, Pex and chairman Scott McMullen — voted against it.

Neither conservationists or fishermen could really claim victory at Cape Arago.

“Those proposals are gone now,” council member and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife representative Ed Bowles said, “but now there will be a bottom-up approach by the port.”