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.

Ocean Careers Week Project

High school teacher Christina visits Sonoma Water Education Center Fish Ladder. Credit: Ignited Education
High school teacher Christina visits Sonoma Water Education Center Fish Ladder. Credit: Ignited Education
  • Principal Investigator(s): Emily Dilger, Ignited Education
  • Fiscal Year Funded: 2022, 2023, 2024

Why we care
California, with 3,427 miles of coastline, is at the frontline of changing ocean conditions such as ocean acidification. Among the most vulnerable populations are counties of low-income and minority communities residing in areas of greater risk. Coupled with the lack resources, there are significant challenges to communities to prepare for and recover from health hazards, natural disasters, and impacts of our changing ocean. As a result, teachers and students from these communities in particular need to build environmental literacy around oceans. This project provides professional development to teachers in these communities, including exposure to different types of career levels and professionals in fields related to ocean acidification.

What we are doing
This project addresses identified educational gaps in California classrooms where ocean and ocean acidification literacy could help ensure that students receive access to quality environmental education. Teachers and students of Title I schools in Santa Clara County are the target audience of this paid professional development program, Ocean Careers Week. The program focuses on teaching educators and their students the basics of ocean acidification and its impacts, emerging technologies to address it, as well as career paths or stewardship actions that students can take to play a positive role in addressing ocean acidification. 

Specific activities featured during Ocean Careers Week include hands-on lessons through in-person learning teachers can bring back to their classrooms. Through remote learning, teachers will attend a series of panels and Q&A sessions led by ocean experts. Experts will share their research, data, and communication tools to enhance their curricula. Teachers will also tour Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station to observe cutting-edge research and interact with ocean experts. Additionally, a project curriculum coach will work with the teachers on a daily basis to support innovative lesson planning to incorporate hands-on activities and materials for use by teachers in their classrooms as well as provide ideas for community involvement actions.

Benefits of our work
This project advances professional development, targeting teachers from Title I schools in Santa Clara County, California. The Ocean Careers Week program will increase teacher and student awareness of ocean acidification to help inspire ocean stewardship, as well as increased student awareness and interest in career pathways in NOAA mission disciplines. The project promotes a learning environment cultivated for students to develop critical thinking and career related skills as well as to empower students in making a positive impact on ocean acidification through ocean related careers or ocean stewardship. The project estimates reaching 15 educators and 2,400 students from Title I schools. Importantly, the program will build connections between ocean scientists and teachers who will then be prepared to provide their students with encouragement and direction in becoming ocean stewards and pursuing educational and NOAA career pathways.

Resources
Visit the project website, including curricula and supporting materials created by teachers participating in Ocean Careers Week. 

Investigators
Emily Dilger – Ignited Education
Gulio DeLeo – Stanford University

Image: High school teacher visits Sonoma Water Education Center Fish Ladder. Credit: Ignited Education

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