[LINK] "Ocean acidification is killing baby oysters"

[rfmcdonald]

Al Jazeera America's Lisa Fletcher reports on the dire consequences of ocean acidification for shellfish.

Although it doesn’t get as much attention as melting ice caps or rising sea levels, ocean acidification is one of the most serious effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly a third of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, or about 22 million tons of CO2, is absorbed by the ocean every day. Scientists say this pollution has fundamentally changed ocean chemistry.

When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it becomes an acid. That acid can be lethal to baby oysters, preventing them from forming shells, Eudeline said. And it’s not just oysters at risk; lobsters, crabs, clams and coral reefs are feeling the effects of ocean acidification too.

Ocean acidity is projected to increase by a factor of five by the year 2100, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In water that acidic, the shell of a common sea creature will dissolve in 45 days.

This outlook has a significant effect on family businesses such as [Wasghington State's] Taylor Shellfish, which began harvesting oysters in the 1890s. Diani Taylor, 26, is part of the fifth generation of Taylors to work on beaches.

“Ocean acidification specifically is an issue in the water that’s difficult to manage around,” said Taylor, who is currently a law student at Seattle University. “And it’s affecting us right now in our hatchery.”