Washington State: Leading the Charge on Ocean Acidification

Eric SwensonCommunications and Outreach Director

Global Ocean Health Program

A joint project of the National Fisheries Conservation Centerand the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership

International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health and Food Safety Ensenada, México - 19 September 2012

Listen to the Canary!

Ocean AcidificationAttacks all calcifiers: mollusks, crustaceans, corals, etc.

Smaller organisms at the base of the food chain (plankton, krill, pteropods) and early life stages are especially vulnerable. Below: Young clam in 7.5 pH water goes from healthy to dead

in 72 hours.

Effects on Finfish and Other Sealife

No More Nemo? Missing Links in the Food Chain?

An Ocean in Collapse?

West Coast Upwelling

The Northwest Oyster CrisisFifth-generation family business. Largest

producer of farmed shellfish in North America. 9,000 acres of oysters, clams, mussels, and geoducks in the state ofWashington. Almost 500 employees and more than $50 million in annual revenue.

Devastating Losses70-80% losses of larvae in oyster hatcheries, 2007-09.

Whiskey Creek Hatchery on Netarts Bay, Oregon, whichproduces 75% of oyster larvae for West Coast growers, was

ready to close before acidification was found to be the cause of the die offs.

The Canary SurvivesExtensive monitoring of water pH

Adjusted protocols for time and depth of intakeResearch and testing of mitigation and adaptation

methods, such as buffering2011 production 80% at Whiskey Creek, highest ever

at Taylor

Warning

If we don't begin addressing ocean acidification promptly, the future of shellfish farming and the entire seafood industry is at stake. All our efforts at marine conservation and resource management will prove inadequate if we don't tackle the most basic problem of all—our acidifying marine waters.

Bill DeweyPolicy & Communications DirectorTaylor Shellfish Farms

News from the Frontlines

June 21, 2012

Oyster grower sounds alarm, starts hatchery in Hawaii

A Willapa Bay shellfish company is shifting some of its business to Hawaii because of ocean acidification that scientists believe is killing tiny oyster larvae in shellfish farms along Washington's coast.

Key Element: Monitoring

You can’t dodge what you don’t see

Blue Ribbon Panel

- Appointed in February 2012 by Washington Governor Christine Gregoire- Bipartisan group led by Bill Ruckelshaus, first administrator of the US

Environmental Protection Agency, and Jay Manning, environmental lawyer and former head of Washington Department of Ecology

- 27 members: top scientists, policy makers, tribal leaders, educators, seafood industry folks, agency heads, conservationists, et al. A real cross section of the power structure, local, state, and federal

- October 2012 deadline to recommend action

Follow-up group to monitor implementation, assist in funding, promote best practices, campaign for education and action, etc.

We aim to make a difference and be a modelhttp://www.ecy.wa.gov/water/marine/oceanacidification.html

Action on Ocean Acidification

A Big Response from a Little State

Governor Gregoire announcing theWashington Shellfish Initiative andplans for the Blue Ribbon Panel.

Shelton, Washington Dec. 9, 2011

When asked what a small state like Washington could do about such a huge global problem as acidification, Gov. Gregoire had a one-word reply: “Lead.”

Success Stories

Tulalip Tribes get cleaner water, reduce carbon emissions, and help farmers by turning dairy waste into income (energy and fertilizer)

Seaweed and algae sequester carbon and when harvested yield biofuel, food, and valuable chemicals

Ground-up bivalve shell helps buffer shellfish beds and provide a better growing medium

Recommendationsfor Protecting Mexican Shellfish

Learn from the Washington experience

Begin/expand monitoring

Start adaptation/mitigation research/trials

Reduce land-based acidification sources

Educate self, colleagues, others in the supplychain, the media, politicians, and the public about acidification

Preach and practice success

Final Thoughts

Since there are countless ways to go wrong but only a very few ways to do right, our best chance to deal successfully with our contemporary problems and those of the future is to learn from the success stories of our times.

-Rene Dubos

Four Personal Reasons I Work on Ocean Acidification

Please Stay in Contact

Eric SwensonCommunications and Outreach Director

Global Ocean Health ProgramA joint project of the National Fisheries Conservation Center

and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership

eric.swenson@sustainablefish.org206 334-7333

http://www.sustainablefish.org/global-programs/global-ocean-health