THE CHANGING PACIFIC

Hello! I’m a sea otter and I live right here on the Pacific coast. I can be found in kelp beds and other shallow coastal habitats. You may have seen me forming a raft together with my family as we bob on the waves. Or maybe you’ve spotted me splashing as I dive for food to feed my pups. As top predators, otters like me help keep our local marine environment in balance by feeding on sea urchins!

Unfortunately, my home and food source are under threat because of climate change.

The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) and other greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere, where it forms a heat-trapping blanket around the earth. As we emit more CO ₂ , the blanket gets thicker resulting in global warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history.

The ocean has absorbed approximately   90% of excess heat   and   25% of the carbon dioxide emissions   released into the atmosphere by humans.

As we continue to release CO ₂  into the atmosphere through human activities such as burning fossil fuels, the ocean is forced to absorb more and more carbon. 

When CO ₂  combines with seawater, it sets off a chemical reaction that makes seawater more acidified. We call this process ocean acidification or "OA".

The chemical reaction that occurs  lowers the pH  , a measure of how acidic or alkaline the seawater is. This reaction also decreases the availability of calcium carbonate, a building block that many species like shellfish, finfish, coral and  pteropods   need to grow, reproduce, and thrive. OA can also affect the "energy budget" of some marine life, impacting their ability to perform other necessary tasks. You can learn more about the chemical reaction that produces OA at  NOAA Ocean Acidification Program's website .

Ocean acidification is especially detrimental to species that rely upon calcium carbonate to make their shells and skeletons. This includes phytoplankton, which form the base of our marine food web.

In the presence of other climate stressors, ocean acidification makes it harder for species to bounce back from change and environmental harms.

Along the West Coast, the combined effects of climate change and ocean acidification are threatening the growth and survival of culturally and commercially important species. In fact, the West Coast of North America is acidifying faster than anywhere else in the world, which has consequences for marine resources, food security and economies, cultural practices and traditions.

The West Coast region is home to a wide range of ecosystems, from San Diego to the San Juan Islands, that provide important ecosystem services and bring economic, recreational, and cultural value for local coastal communities and the entire United States. 

Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have made the rich ocean and marine coastlines of the West Coast their home. Abundant salmon, halibut, whales, crab, oysters, and clams remain an important foundation in traditional ways of life for hundreds of Tribes and First Nations along the Pacific Coast.

Dungeness crab is one of the most iconic and economically important fisheries in the region, valued at over $50 million annually in Oregon alone. Geoduck is Washington’s most valuable seafood export and shellfish growers generate over 2,700 jobs in the state. California’s wild-caught spot prawn fishery lands an average of 250,000 pounds per year.

The entire West Coast benefits from a $270 million dollar oyster growing industry. Traditional razor clam and salmon harvests hold spiritual and cultural significance for many Tribal nations. 

The future of these fisheries and ecosystems, and the communities that rely on them, will depend on their ability to adapt to climate change and ocean acidification.

The good news is we can take action to halt carbon emissions - the number one cause of ocean acidification – and ensure our ocean and coastal communities are resilient in the face of climate-ocean change.

In the face of climate change, we have a collective responsibility to protect our planet and secure a sustainable future for generations to come. Together, we can embark on a journey towards a healthier, less carbon intensive, and more sustainable world.

Here are some empowering actions that we can each take to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change:

We all have a role to play to combat climate change and ensure the health of our ocean! 

The good news is we can advance science, implement policies and take local actions that reduce the causes of OA and support the resilience of marine ecosystems and coastal communities we love. 

Learn more about  international ,  domestic  and  regional  efforts to combat OA. Join our networks!