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.

Developing tools for resiliency planning in Southeast Alaska

Intertidal marine life including Pisaster sea stars and mussles, partially submerged on a rock.
Abundance in the nearshore from Whalehouse Beach, Kasaan, Alaska. Courtesy of Kari Lanphier, SEATOR.
  • Principal Investigator(s): Hekia Bodwitch (University of Alaska Southeast), Davin Holen (Alaska Sea Grant and University of Alaska, Fairbanks), Kari Lanphier (Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research Consortium)
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028

Synthesizing OA information and engaging local knowledge to enhance the efficiency of resiliency planning in southeast Alaska

Why we care
In Southeast Alaska, rural communities rely heavily on marine resources. Community members’ subsistence, food security, economic activity, and cultural well-being are all dependent on the marine environment. A team comprising representatives from Tribes, Alaska Sea Grant, agencies, and local organizations, as well as academic researchers, will collaborate with rural communities, Tribes, and commercial fishing organizations to develop decision-support tools for resiliency planning. These tools include maps and models that will combine data on ocean acidification, wild harvest use areas, and economic dynamics. 

What we will do
The team will collect and share research in ways that communities, Tribes, and commercial fishing organizations can use for essential resiliency planning. Researchers will first synthesize information on ocean acidification and other environmental changes as well as marine resource harvests. Traditional and local knowledge holders will interpret this information and identify potential resiliency strategies that support Tribal data sovereignty and protect sensitive information. The team will work with communities to co-develop processes for sharing synthesized information that enable harvesters and decision-makers to assess potential vulnerability and resiliency to changing ocean conditions. This co-development will occur in part through workshops with Tribes and commercial fishing groups, facilitated by the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research consortium (SEATOR) and Alaska Sea Grant. Products will include maps and Socio-Ecological System models that illustrate stressors on marine and coastal resources, as well as potential resilience and adaptive strategies. 

Benefits of our work
Rural communities in Southeast Alaska can use the maps and models to address the cultural and economic impacts of our changing ocean they face. This project will provide information in formats that are easy to interpret, and aid community members and policy makers with evaluating and implementing adaptive strategies. 

Resources
Adapt Alaska
Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research
Alaska Ocean Acidification Network
Alaska Sea Grant

Principal Investigators
Hekia Bodwitch, University of Alaska Southeast
Davin Holen, Alaska Sea Grant and University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Kari Lanphier, Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research Consortium (SEATOR)

Advisory Committee
Reuben Cash, Skagway Traditional Council (STC), Skagway 
Lindsey Pierce, Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (T&H), Juneau 
Linda Behnken, Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Sitka 

Collaborators
Simone Alin, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory 
Darcy Dugan, AK Ocean Acidification Network, AK Ocean Observing System
Tom Hurst, NOAA Alaska Fishery Science Center
Esther Kennedy, University of Alaska Southeast
Natalie Monacci, University of Alaska Fairbanks, CFOS
Annika Ord, Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center

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