Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

2026 NOPP mCDR PI Meeting

May 7-8, 2026

NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction
College Park, MD

Fisherman pulling up sugar kelp. Seaweed cultivation may be one avenue for marine carbon dioxide removal and mitigating ocean acidification. Credit: GreenWave/Ron Gautreau.
Fishery-responsive management is an important component of implementing any marine carbon dioxide removal. Pictured are fishermen at sea with fish in a hold. Credit: iStock
Wastewater treatment plants as seen from above look like circular holding ponds.

Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research

The 2026 NOPP mCDR PI Meeting brings together the principal investigators of projects funded through a FY23 multi-agency funding opportunity to expand understanding of marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approaches, risks, and co-benefits including ocean acidification mitigation, and science needed to build regulatory frameworks for testing and scaling of mCDR.

View Agenda

Meeting Info

Location

NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction
5830 University Research Ct.
College Park, MD 20740

Directions and Transportation

PARKING:
Visitors can park on the 2nd or 3rd level of the parking garage

Onsite Lunch

Our onsite dining option is Kloud Cafe,  which offers pre-ordered boxed lunches. To make sure your lunch is ready for you during the meeting, please follow these simple steps:

  1. Order by April 30: Fill out the Lunch Order Form 
  2. Pay online: You’ll find a direct payment link right inside the form.
  3. Don’t wait: Onsite lunch orders have very limited capacity. We can only guarantee your meal if you pre-order by the deadline.
Lunch Order Form

Schedule

Download Full Agenda
Download Poster List
Download Presentation List

8:00 – 9:00

Arrival, Registration, Poster Set Up & Coffee

9:00 – 9:15

Opening Remarks by NOAA Ocean Acidification Program

9:15 -10:15

Session One: Building Foundational Understanding of mCDR

  • Cristina Schultz: Developing a coupled benthic-pelagic biogeochemical model to evaluate the effectiveness of mCDR interventions
  • Thea Hatlen Heimdal: Quantifying Background Ocean Carbon Uptake in the Context of Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal
  • Abigale Wyatt: A Nested Modeling Approach for Quantifying Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement During Field Operations in the Salish Sea
  • George Waldbusser: The Response of Olympia Oysters to Alkalinity Enhancement

10:15 – 10:45

Coffee Break

10:45 – 11:45

Panel Discussion – Session One

  • Erica Ombres & Maddie Wood: Audience Q&A and Guided Discussion

11:45 – 12:00

Data Management Presentation

  • Liqing Jiang: The OAE Data Management Protocol

12:00 – 2:00

Lunch & Group Discussion

  • Scientific Steering Committee: Filling Data Gaps in Model-Observation Comparisons for mCDR

2:00 – 3:00

Poster Session – Session One & Session Two (with coffee & tea)

3:00 – 3:30

Session Two: Integration and Engagement

  • Dennis McGuillicuddy: Multiscale observing system simulation experiments for iron fertilization in the Southern Ocean, Equatorial Pacific, and Northeast Pacific
  • Kelly Kearney: Biotic calcification impacts on marine carbon dioxide removal additionality

3:30 – 4:00

Panel Discussion – Session Two

  • Erica Ombres & Maddie Wood: Audience Q&A and Guided Discussion

4:00 – 4:15

Day One Wrap Up

5:00 – 7:00

Happy Hour (optional)
Denizens Brewing Co. 
4550 Van Buren St
Riverdale, MD 20737

8:00 – 8:30

Arrival, Registration & Coffee

8:30 – 9:30

Session Three: Lessons from the Field

  • Andreas Andersson: Carbon capture and ocean acidification mitigation potential in subtropical seaweed farms
  • Stephen Romaniello: Tidal wetlands as a low pH environment for accelerated and scalable olivine dissolution
  • Laura Haynes: The Response of Foraminifera Calcification and Viability to OAE Scenarios
  • Melissa Melendez: Ocean alkalinity enhancement thresholds and short-term calcification effects on corals

9:30 – 10:00

Coffee Break

10:00 – 11:00

Session Three: Lessons from the Field (continued)

  • David Nicholson: Autonomous platform observations during the LOC-NESS ocean alkalinity enhancement field trial
  • Adam Subhas: Evaluating impacts of OAE on phytoplankton from the lab to the field
  • Jaime Palter: Small perturbations in a sea of variability: The carbon system in a groundwater-fed, tidally-flushed coastal lagoon
  • Jeremy Testa: Quantifying the Efficacy of Wastewater Alkalinity Enhancement on mCDR and Acidification Mitigation in a Large Estuary

11:00 – 12:00

Panel Discussion – Session Three

  • Erica Ombres & Maddie Wood: Audience Q&A and Guided Discussion

12:00 – 2:00

Lunch & Group Discussion

  • Liz Perotti & Maddie Wood: What’s next for mCDR research?

2:00 – 3:00

Poster Session – Session Three (with coffee & tea)

3:00 – 3:30

Perspectives from Funders

3:30 – 4:00

Meeting Wrap Up

If you have any questions about the NOPP mCDR meeting please contact Erica Ombres (erica.h.ombres@noaa.gov) or Maddie Wood (madison.wood@noaa.gov).

Bioeconomic modeling to inform Alaska fisheries management

Fishing Dock in Juneau Alaska
Image credit: Allen Shimada, NOAA NMFS

Bioeconomic models are a multidisciplinary tool that use oceanography, fisheries science and social science to assess socioeconomic impacts. Funded by the Ocean Acidification Program, researchers at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center use a bioeconomic model to study the impacts of ocean acidification on Eastern Bering Sea crab, northern rock sole and Alaska cod. The goal is to predict how ocean acidification will affect abundance yields and income generated by the fisheries. This work informs the potential economic impacts of ocean acidification and future decision making and research planning.

More about this work

Effects of ocean acidification and temperature on Alaskan crabs

Red King Crab
Image credit: David Csepp, NMFS AKFSC ABL

Long-term declines of red king crab in Bristol Bay, Alaska may be partially attributed to ocean acidification conditions. These impacts may be partially responsible for the fishery closures during the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 seasons. Researchers found that ocean acidification negatively impacts Alaskan crabs generally by changing physiological processes, decreasing growth, increasing death rates and reducing shell thickness. Funded by the Ocean Acidification Program, scientists at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center continue to investigate the responses of early life history stages and study the potential of various Alaska crabs to acclimate to changing conditions. Results will inform models that will use the parameters studied to predict the effects of future ocean acidification on the populations of red king crab in Bristol Bay as well as on the fisheries that depend on them. Fishery managers will better be able to anticipate and manage stocks if changing ocean chemistry affects stock productivity and thus the maximum sustainable yield.

More about this work

Forecasts for Alaska Fisheries

Crab pots and fishing nets in Alaska's Dutch Harbor
Image credit: Michael Theberge

Understanding seasonal changes in ocean acidification in Alaskan waters and the potential impacts to the multi-billion-dollar fishery sector is a main priority. Through work funded by NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program, the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory developed a model capable of depicting past ocean chemistry conditions for the Bering Sea and is now testing the ability of this model to forecast future conditions. This model is being used to develop an ocean acidification indicator provided to fisheries managers in the annual NOAA Eastern Bering Sea Ecosystem Status Report.

ADAPTING TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) works to prepare society to adapt to the consequences of ocean acidification and conserve marine ecosystems as acidification occurs. Learn more about the human connections and adaptation strategies from these efforts.

Adaptation approaches fostered by the OAP include:

FORECASTING

Using models and research to understand the sensitivity of organisms and ecosystems to ocean acidification to make predictions about the future, allowing communities and industries to prepare

Closeup of oysters cupped in someone's hands

MANAGEMENT

Using these models and predictions as tools to facilitate management strategies that will protect marine resources and communities from future changes

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Developing innovative tools to help monitor ocean acidification and mitigate changing ocean chemistry locally

REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

50 more ways to reduce your carbon footprint >

On the Road

Drive fuel-efficient vehicles or choose public transportation. Choose your bike or walk! Don't sit idle for more than 30 seconds. Keep your tires properly inflated.

With your Food Choices

Eat local- this helps cut down on production and transport! Reduce your meat and dairy. Compost to avoid food waste ending up in the landfill

With your Food Choices

Make energy-efficient choices for your appliances and lighting. Heat and cool efficiently! Change your air filters and program your thermostat, seal and insulate your home, and support clean energy sources

By Reducing Coastal Acidification

Reduce your use of fertilizers, Improve sewage treatment and run off, and Protect and restore coastal habitats

TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR COMMUNITY

You've taken the first step to learn more about ocean acidification - why not spread this knowledge to your community?

Every community has their unique culture, economy and ecology and what’s at stake from ocean acidification may be different depending on where you live.  As a community member, you can take a larger role in educating the public about ocean acidification. Creating awareness is the first step to taking action.  As communities gain traction, neighboring regions that share marine resources can build larger coalitions to address ocean acidification.  Here are some ideas to get started:

  1. Work with informal educators, such as aquarium outreach programs and local non-profits, to teach the public about ocean acidification. Visit our Education & Outreach page to find the newest tools!
  2. Participate in habitat restoration efforts to restore habitats that help mitigate the effects of coastal acidification
  3. Facilitate conversations with local businesses that might be affected by ocean acidification, building a plan for the future.
  4. Partner with local community efforts to mitigate the driver behind ocean acidification  – excess CO2 – such as community supported agriculture, bike & car shares and other public transportation options.
  5. Contact your regional Coastal Acidification Network (CAN) to learn how OA is affecting your region and more ideas about how you can get involved in your community
       More for Taking Community Action