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OAP Original News Stories

New NOAA, partner buoy in American Samoa opens window into a changing ocean

OA monitoring, OAP Opportunities, OAP Original News Stories, ocean acidification / By

NOAA and partners have launched a new buoy in Fagatele Bay within NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa to measure the amount of carbon dioxide in the waters around a vibrant tropical coral reef ecosystem.
“This new monitoring effort in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean will not only advance our understanding of changing ocean chemistry in this valuable and vibrant coral ecosystem but will also help us communicate these changes to diverse stakeholders in the Pacific Islands and across the United States,” said Derek Manzello, coral ecologist with NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.

New NOAA, partner buoy in American Samoa opens window into a changing ocean Read More »

Piecing together the ocean acidification puzzle along the US West Coast

Featured, OA News, OAP Original News Stories, ocean acidification, socio-economic impacts / By

Emma Hodgson, a Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellow at Simon Fraser University, and her colleagues are making big strides in piecing together the ocean acidification puzzle along the US west coast for those that make decisions around this ocean change. As part of her doctoral research at the University of Washington, Hodgson worked with a team to design modeling tools that create a better picture of ocean acidification impacts on fisheries catches, economies, and communities in this US region.

Piecing together the ocean acidification puzzle along the US West Coast Read More »

From space to the sea floor: a deeper look at ocean acidification along the East Coast

Featured, OAP Original News Stories, ocean acidification / By

What if satellites circling our blue planet from space could offer insight into how an invisible gas like carbon dioxide moves through coastal waters, hundreds of miles above the ocean’s surface? Scientists will be working to make this a reality as they travel from Nova Scotia to Florida on board NOAA ship Henry B. Bigelow to understand what is driving changes in our ocean’s chemistry.

From space to the sea floor: a deeper look at ocean acidification along the East Coast Read More »

Old Bay with a new spice: a new buoy helps monitor how carbon dioxide is changing the Chesapeake Bay

Featured, OA News, OAP Original News Stories, ocean acidification / By

A new Ocean Acidification monitoring buoy was deployed on April 5, 2018 in the largest United States estuary, the Chesapeake Bay. This is the first long-term ocean acidification monitoring buoy and it will be deployed at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The buoy will measure carbon parameters in the estuary, which is particularly vulnerable to changes in carbonate chemistry. These changes could impact economically valuable resources for Bay communities, such as oysters. The data from this buoy will supply models with the information needed to recognize potential areas of vulnerability and what future chemical parameters may look like in the bay, while also expanding the National Ocean Acidification Observing Network. It will also help researchers at NOAA PMEL, University of Delaware and University of Maryland differentiate between human-caused and natural variations in carbonate chemistry in the estuary.

Old Bay with a new spice: a new buoy helps monitor how carbon dioxide is changing the Chesapeake Bay Read More »

New tool helps oyster growers prepare for changing ocean chemistry

adaptation strategies, OA monitoring, OAP Original News Stories, ocean acidification, socio-economic impacts / By

For Bill Mook, coastal acidification is one thing his oyster hatchery cannot afford to ignore.
Mook Sea Farm depends on seawater from the Gulf of Maine pumped into a Quonset hut-style building where tiny oysters are grown in tanks. Mook sells these tiny oysters to other oyster farmers or transfers them to his oyster farm on the Damariscotta River where they grow large enough to sell to restaurants and markets on the East Coast.

New tool helps oyster growers prepare for changing ocean chemistry Read More »

SCIENTISTS GATHER FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO DEVELOP A GLOBAL OCEAN ACIDIFICATION OBSERVING NETWORK

OA monitoring, OAP Original News Stories, policy / By

NOAA, academic and international scientific experts are gathering July 24 -26, to further develop the Global Ocean Acidification Network (GOA-ON). The purpose of this network is to facilitate international coordination in order to compare and integrate observational data collection specific to ocean acidification across the globe. This group is designing a global standard for measuring and identifying ocean acidification and is important for establishing a global understanding of ocean acidification including its impacts on ocean life as well as humans. This network will ensure data quality and comparability, facilitated by a structured system based on common standards. It will also assist policy-making through research products and model-based projections of future potential impacts of ocean acidification. 

SCIENTISTS GATHER FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO DEVELOP A GLOBAL OCEAN ACIDIFICATION OBSERVING NETWORK Read More »

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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

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

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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