New research out of the School of Public Policy shows how policymakers can help shellfisheries in Northern California and Oregon adapt to ocean acidification caused by climate change
By Colin Bowyer, CLA Communications Manager - November 15, 2024
Average ocean pH has declined by 30 percent since the industrial revolution, a process termed Ocean Acidification (OA), which has direct, negative impacts on coastal communities reliant on ocean industries such as fishing and shellfish-specific aquaculture.
New research by Erika Allen Wolters, assistant professor of political science, and Ana Spalding, associate professor of marine and coastal policy (currently based at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama), examines how existing U.S. State and Federal policies impact the ability of shellfish growers in California and Oregon to adapt to OA. The paper, published in Marine Policy and supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also identifies areas of opportunity for policymakers to better support shellfish growers.
This research builds on previous studies by Wolters and Spalding on the adaptive capacity of shellfish growers in both California and Oregon; both of which were published in Ocean and Coastal Management.
Coastal communities in California, Oregon, and Washington, are uniquely vulnerable to OA. This is due to both socioeconomic reliance on marine resources, like shellfish farming, and, in many cases, their geographic positioning along OA “hot spots” where a confluence of global and local variables such as runoff, pollutants, and coastal upwelling push pH levels to relatively extreme lows compared to other regions.
OA directly affects oysters during their seedling stage. The ocean is absorbing more carbon dioxide than ever before, however a lower pH means there’s less calcium carbonate in the water, which shellfish rely on to build their essential shells. As acidity increases, shells become thinner and growth slows.
Recent estimates suggest that OA has cost the Pacific Northwest aquaculture industry $110 million and approximately 3,200 industry-related jobs. In the face of increasing OA impacts to coastal communities’ socioeconomic structures, there is a clear need for policy action to both address the causes of OA and to support communities as they adapt to and cope with its impacts.
“This industry has already experienced negative impacts from OA,” said Wolters. “We were curious about how these coastal communities focused on shellfish farming have adapted to the effects of OA through a public policy lens.”
Wolters, Spalding, and their co-authors conducted a comprehensive analysis of federal and state policies, as well as interviewed 22 industrial and small-scale shellfish farms in Oregon and Northern California. Their qualitative cross-comparison revealed a series of mitigation strategies policymakers and growers could adopt to help ameliorate the effects of OA in their fishing grounds.
A common anecdote from fisheries included the need to streamline the permitting processes for both federal and state-controlled waters, as well as a reduction of permitting costs. Relatedly, growers suggested the need for greater monitoring, networking, and knowledge sharing between fisheries, industry experts, community members, academic scholars, tribes, and federal and state agencies, to disseminate up-to-date ocean conditions, advise on policy, and provide technical support to impacted communities.
Growers also looked to gain larger flexibility in culture methods outside of the permitting and bureaucratic process, including which shellfish species or submerged aquatic vegetation (sea grass) to cultivate, as well as marketing and sale of their product.
“For better or worse, OA conditions will change,” said Spalding. “Resilience in the face of these changes will depend on how growers and policymakers converge to address OA in these critical ecosystems. From the growers’ perspective, their adaptive capacity is tied to their size and broader networks, where some will be able to cope with OA while smaller, less diversified, farms will likely experience significant impacts.”
Overall, after comparing anecdotes from growers with current policy, Wolters, Spalding, and their co-authors found that most of the direct impacts on adaptive capacity for shellfish growers are the result of federal and state directed efforts through legislation, action plans, councils, task forces, etc. Perhaps the most significant step to increase adaptive capacity, and echoed by growers, is streamlining and simplifying the permitting process, specifically by identifying a lead agency to manage permits thereby reducing redundancies and time. Oregon currently has no central state agency mandated with the protection and management of coastal waters.
“We’re hearing from growers clear policy steps necessary to ensure the survival of this critical industry that represents a large market share in both California and Oregon and thousands of jobs,” said Wolters.
While Wolters’ study focuses exclusively on Oregon and California, notably Washington State is actively working to address OA and its effects on the shellfish industry. Washington became one of the first western states to be significantly impacted by OA, leading to the creation of state panels to offer guidance and policy responses.
Adaptive capacity of shellfish growers ultimately depends on a myriad of on-going investments including economic, social, procedural, research, advisory, and technological, however feedback from shellfish growers compared with existing policy has identified areas of strategic growth. Building capacity through actively engaging with growers to help inform policy would not only allow growers to more readily adapt but continue to support an important economic sector in California and Oregon.