Q&A
Gulf of Maine
Species and dollars on the front line
Answers to common questions
Ocean Acidification
With declining groundfish populations, approximately 80 percent of
New England’s fisheries revenue now comes from shellfish. In laboratory studies, oysters, soft shell clams, bay scallops, mussels, and other
shellfish reared in more acidic seawater develop more slowly, produce
deformed shells, or die in greater numbers. New England’s rich maritime history also brings millions of tourists to iconic fishing communities each year.
What is ocean acidification? Every day, the ocean absorbs
approximately one-third of the carbon dioxide we put into the
atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels and clear land. When carbon
dioxide dissolves in seawater, it becomes an acid. This acid is
lowering the pH of ocean water. pH is an important vital sign
of ocean health, and its rapid change raises a red flag. Scientists
refer to this shift in ocean chemistry as ocean acidification.
Key numbers for the Gulf of Maine region
© B. Guild Gillespie/www.chartingnature.com
What is at risk?
Second is the rank of
Massachusetts among
U.S. states for the
value of seafood landings
($478.8 million in 2010)
How might ocean acidification affect marine life? As seas
become more acidic, they become inhospitable to some sea
life. Rising acidity robs seawater of carbonate ions, an essential
ingredient used by creatures like shellfish and corals to build their
shells. In slightly more acidic water, they must expend more
energy to build shells, which may leave them less able to find
food or reproduce. On the extreme end, if seawater becomes
acidic enough, shells literally dissolve, which can be disastrous
for survival.
Third is the rank of Maine
among U.S. states for the
value of seafood landings
($375 million in 2010)
Will all sea life be negatively affected? Not all ocean organisms
will be harmed by ocean acidification. We know that some
creatures—corals, clams, oysters, scallops, and some forms
of plankton—are sensitive to these chemical changes. More
research is needed to fully understand how declines in sensitive
species could ripple across the food web and cause harm to
commercial finfish.
© B. Guild Gillespie/www.chartingnature.com
4,500 Maine fishermen depend
on one species: lobster, which
could be vulnerable
$13.6 billion in sales were
indirectly generated by Maine’s
tourism industry in 2004
How fast is ocean chemistry changing? Ocean acidification is
happening faster than it has in the past 300 million years, catapulting us into unknown territory. Since the Industrial Revolution, the
world’s oceans have become 30 percent more acidic, on average.
Scientists predict the acidity of our oceans could double or triple
by the end of the century compared to preindustrial times.
For more information contact Lisa Suatoni, marine scientist, lsuatoni@nrdc.org
Economic statistics were taken from:
Van Voorhees, David and Lowther, Alan, “Fisheries of the United States 2010,” National Marine Fisheries Service Office
of Science and Technology, August 2011, www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/fus/fus10/FUS_2010.pdf
Department of Marine Resources State of Maine, www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/recentlandings.htm
Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center, “2009/2010 State Situation and Outlook Reports,”
www.nrac.umd.edu/publications/2009%20State%20Reports.cfm
Maine Office of Tourism, Tap into Touri$m, 2006 Resource Guide, Machias: Sustainable and Experiential Tourism
Workshop, March 17, 2006.
Chad Coffin
worries about
Maine’s mudflats,
which have become acidic enough in
spots to kill young clams. The culprit is
elevated carbon dioxide from polluted
runoff and ocean acidification, a phenomenon caused by fossil fuel emissions
that makes seawater more corrosive.
Putting used shells back into the
seafloor can buffer the acidity from this
double whammy. It is like giving the
ocean a Tums. But when Coffin, president of the Maine Clammers Association, asked the state legislature for
needed rule changes, they wanted
studies that had not yet been funded.
“Ocean acidification is a deep concern,
and we’re interested to see if we can
add any tools in our arsenal to fight it,”
said Coffin.“From what little we know,
this is one of the only things we have
to fight back. We need a weapon. We
need to know more.”
above: chad coffin digging for clams.
Fully fund FOARAM
The Gulf of Maine hotspot
The value of information
What we don’t know can hurt marine industries
Why we need to be concerned
Invest in FOARAM to help small businesses
In 2009, Congress passed the Federal Ocean Acidification Research
and Monitoring (FOARAM) Act to monitor the progression of ocean
acidification and better understand how it threatens national fisheries.
This important program suffers from severe underfunding, which is
now stalling its implementation. Without full funding, industries that
depend on robust fish and shellfish populations and vibrant coral reefs
will lack basic information they need to protect their businesses. The
authorized level of funding is modest in comparison to the high value
of these resources.
Rising carbon dioxide emissions are making the world’s oceans more
acidic. In hotspots such as the Gulf of Maine’s rich and lucrative fishing
grounds, local conditions make the problem worse and can accelerate
the trend.
Just as mariners rely on accurate weather forecasts before heading out
to sea, aquaculture facilities and fishermen need to know when ocean
conditions are threatening vulnerable species with elevated acidity.
Two oyster hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest have suffered from
massive die-offs in recent years. Scientists have determined that oyster
larvae could not survive when local conditions made the seawater that
hatcheries use to grow shellfish too corrosive.
A $500,000 federal appropriation for a monitoring network that
now measures pH, carbon dioxide, and other variables in seawater
has kept the Northwest shellfish industry intact, for now. By helping
oyster hatcheries identify and avoid potentially lethal water, that initial
investment has provided an estimated $35 million in economic benefit
to coastal communities. Yet the funds to operate this early warning
system ran out at the end of 2012, and it is unclear whether money to
continue the monitoring program will be appropriated.
FOARAM appropriations over the last four years
f y 2009
$8.0 million authorized
$12.0 million authorized
$5.5 million appropriated
f y 2011
$15.0 million authorized
$6.358 million appropriated
f y 2012
$20.0 million authorized
$6.206 million appropriated
“There is a lot at risk for the fishing industry and
anyone who eats seafood. But, as long as we have
good science, we may have the opportunity to
make adjustments as these changes take place
Taylor Shellfish, the West Coast’s largest producer of farmed shellfish,
saw its oyster production plummet by 80 percent a few summers ago.
Thanks to the new equipment and favorable weather, the company has
since hit record production levels.
Continued inadequate funding for ocean acidification monitoring puts
shellfish producers and commercial fishermen in a risky position.
Puget Sound Partnership/Washington State
f y 2010
Illustrations of sea life © B. Guild Gillespie/www.chartingnature.com
$0.0 million appropriated
over time. Without funding for science, we’ll be in
the dark until it’s too late.”
— m ark vinsel
executive director of united fisher men of al ask a
“ The monitoring equipment
has literally put the headlights
oyster farm
samish bay, washington
on the car for us. We were
flying pretty blind before.”
— bill dewey
cl a m far mer and spokesm an
for taylor shellfish