OAP Ocean Outlook

February 2026 - Issue 5

In this issue: Major stories about preparing communities and industries for ocean acidification, recognizing OA Day of Action, advances in mCDR, Coastal Acidification Network news, and recent publications.

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Director's note:

Happy New Year! In 2026, OAP proudly marks 15 years of advancing ocean and coastal acidification research. Our science began with foundational technology and expertise to track and predict ocean chemistry, and then deepening our insight into impacts to species and ecosystems. Today, we continue these efforts and also connect our knowledge directly to societal impacts with the goal of empowering communities to prepare and adapt to these changes. This issue highlights how integrating this knowledge delivers vital data and actionable information to the people who need it most in ways they can use. Dive into this issue to see how 15 years of integrative and collaborative science helps ecosystems and communities build a resilient future against changing ocean chemistry.

Dr. Dwight Gledhill, Acting Director

Good News Express

OAP recognizes OA Day of Action

8 January marked the international Ocean Acidification Day of Action, reflecting the global average surface pH drop from 8.2 to 8.1 since pre-Industrial times. This seemingly small change represents a 26% increase in acidity, with demonstrated impacts to marine life and coastal communities. In recognition of the OA Day of Action, we highlighted OAP’s efforts over the past year to better understand changing ocean chemistry and its impacts, as well as provide data, tools and outreach people can use to prepare and adapt to our changing ocean.

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New Jersey releases OA Action Plan

Cover of the Ocean Acidification Action Plan from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection New Jersey joins other coastal U.S. states with its first ever Ocean Acidification Action Plan. The plan, released in December 2025 by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), reviews existing actions and capacity for monitoring, mitigating and reducing ocean and coastal acidification. It also identifies next steps to better track conditions and prepare for impacts. Action plans provide roadmaps for efforts that help us mitigate and prepare for the impacts of ocean and coastal acidification.

See the plan

Upcoming Events

mCDR Webinar February 13th

The Alaska Ocean Acidification Network will co-host and circulate learning opportunities about marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) in Alaska. This webinar will provide an overview of the Department of Energy's ARPA-E Sensing Exports of Anthropogenic Carbon through Ocean Observation (SEA-CO2) program, which seeks to accelerate the development of the mCDR carbon capture industry through the advancement of scalable Measurement, Reporting and Validation (MRV) technologies.

Features

Research Advances understanding of risk to ocean acidification in Hawai'i

The first ever fine-scale research integrating biogeochemical modeling and socioeconomics revealed which Hawaiian communities and coastal areas are most vulnerable to changing ocean chemistry. Funded by OAP's Regional Vulnerability and Resilience Assessments, a team at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa produced high-resolution analysis finding that impacts vary within and between islands. The work provides map products that can inform targeted resilience strategies for local communities and marine resource managers to protect the islands' ecological and economic lifeline and preserve ways of life.

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About the project

OA Icon of waves and bubbles in a beaker

New explainer makes OA indicator dashboard more accessible

OAP published a new online resource explaining the critical ocean acidification indicators used to monitor the nation’s seven large marine ecosystems. The new explainer breaks down the three key indicators and long-term observing trends in the National Marine Ecosystem Status (NaMES) dashboard. The dashboard is an easy-to-access tool that provides essential, quantitative snapshots of ocean chemistry trends across the U.S., offering marine resource managers and the public the ability to track how quickly and severely their regional waters are changing. This new explainer addresses recent need to easily explain findings in the dashboard by the nation’s coastal acidification networks.

Go to the explainer

Chesapeake Bay forecasts helps anglers

Chesapeake Bay anglers rely on forecasts to track low-oxygen zones, harmful algal blooms, and other conditions for safer, more productive fishing. The Chesapeake Bay Environmental Forecast System (CBEFS) helps anglers avoid "bad water" and others who rely on these forecasts for their livelihoods and ways of life. OAP primarily supports the ocean acidification forecasts.

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mCDR News

Wastewater treatment plants as seen from above look like circular holding ponds.

Quantifying efficacy of wastewater alkalinity enhancement

Wastewater is a practical method for ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), one approach for mitigating local ocean acidification. Dr. Jeremy Testa of University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science joined OAP staff at a NOAA Library webinar to discuss his work evaluating the effectiveness of alkalinity enhancement in wastewater. Through the two field trials, we have learned more about the scale, natural variability, and biological impact that will support future research on the efficacy and safety of OAE and mCDR.

More about this project

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CAN Corner

MACAN releases "Coastal Acidification in the Classroom"

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN) held a webinar featuring an effective resource, "Coastal Acidification in the Classroom." It is a robust, five-module curriculum for high school students recently updated to align with Next Generation Science Standards. Developed by MACAN in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, this resource includes a focus on data discovery and the impacts of acidification on regionally important species. The curriculum also includes other hands-on activities demonstrating how coastal acidification works and incorporates teacher feedback. It is a great resource for educators who want to foster a deeper understanding of our coastal ecosystems and inspire students to get involved as informed stewards.

MACAN Coastal Acidification in the Classroom webinar promotional flyer

Webinar and more

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Did you miss it?

Eelgrass can be seen rooted to the sediment below the shallow water surface. There are patches of bare sediment visible.

NOAA, DFO Canada report on cross-border ocean acidification mitigation research

A new state of knowledge technical report published earlier this year by the Fisheries and Ocean Canada (DFO) summarizes the current state of knowledge and identifies knowledge gaps regarding the potential of blue carbon to mitigate coastal ocean acidification in shared Canadian and American waters. The findings will help prioritize future research in ocean acidification mitigation.

Learn more
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Hot Off the Press

Electrochemically induced alkalinity enhancement increases coral growth rates in the local microenvironment

A tracer study for the development of in-water monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of ship-based ocean alkalinity enhancement

Differential performance of diploid, mated triploid, and induced triploid Pacific oysters under varied environmental conditions: Insights into impacts of temperature, dissolved oxygen and pCO2

The importance of engagement with fisheries, aquaculture, and Indigenous communities in the planning and implementation of marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR)

Modeling the spatiotemporal effects of ocean acidification and warming on Atlantic sea scallop growth to guide adaptive fisheries management

Did we miss your publication? E-mail your program manager or us at noaa.oceanacidification@noaa.gov.

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