This February issue of the NECAN News is full of updates and opportunities! Read below for more information on what NECAN has been up to, funding updates, and meetings and webinars you can attend to learn more about ocean and coastal acidification (OCA).
NECAN February 2016 Update
Based on your input at our stakeholder workshops, NECAN has been developing a new website and resources, including an expanded technical document on the state of the science of OCA. We are also writing our implementation plan, and welcome your participation in any of our working groups (Science, Policy, Industry, Outreach and Education).
Funding Updates
Interested in funding your research on OCA? NOAA has requested an increase of over $11M in the FY17 budget to expand the ocean acidification observing network and to aid in the development and tools and adaptation strategies for affected industries and stakeholders, including the U.S. shellfish industry. They note that "this investment will make substantial advancements in OA observations, greatly expand understanding of the vulnerability of coastal communities, and further investigate OA adaptation options at local and regional scales, by providing data and products for coastal resource managers and other stakeholders." There is also the MIT Sea Grant Request for Proposals for 2017-2019 that is focused on OCA.
Meetings
The Maine Fishermen’s Forum is taking place at the Samoset Resort in Rockland Maine on March 3-5, 2016. On Thursday, March 3, from 1-4 is a session on “Questioning Our Changing Oceans”, designed and hosted by three Maine fishermen and will include science snapshots from four excellent scientist speakers and reflections on the changing ocean environment from four fishermen from around the country and Western Australia. On Saturday, March 5, from 1-2:30 is NECAN’s session titled “What’s New on Ocean Acidification in Maine and Beyond”. The session will begin by premiering the new O’Chang video on OCA. New research will be highlighted on lobster and other marine species in the Gulf of Maine in relationship to OCA. We’ll hear from an aquaculture business about how they are addressing the threat. We’ll also present an update on the efforts of NECAN and its resources, as well as an update on the State of Maine’s policy efforts. All seminars are free and open to the public at the Samoset Resort in Rockport.
In March, NECAN members will also be presenting at the Massachusetts Marine Educators High School Marine Science Symposium and Maine Environmental Education Association Conference. We’ll work on posting the resources shared at these meetings on the new NECAN website later this year.
Webinars
The “Critical Issues Webinar: Ocean Acidification Impacts on Fisheries” will occur on Friday, March 11 at 11am EST. Description: The increasing acidity of the ocean has many ecological and economic impacts that are intensified in colder bodies of water, such as those off the coast of New England, a region with a large fisheries sector. This webinar will address how geoscience helps us to understand ocean acidification, ocean acidification’s impacts on marine life, and what states and municipalities can do to reduce the fishery-related economic impacts of ocean acidification. This webinar is being co-sponsored by NECAN, the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, and Consortium for Ocean Leadership. On Twitter? Use @AGI_GeoIssues and #CIWebinar to reach out.
The SOARCE (Sharing Ocean Acidification Resources for Communicators and Educators) webinar series provides ocean acidification communication tools to formal and informal educators, and stakeholders across the country. Upcoming webinars:
· March 9: Common Solutions: Ocean Acidification and Blue Carbon
· April 2: Bringing Ocean Acidification Alive for Students
· May 6: Our ocean in a high CO2 world: The latest in science and communication
NECAN and OCA in the News
- The Atlantic Ocean Is Acidifying at a Rapid Rate
- NOAA Fisheries Service Releases First Regional Climate Vulnerability Assessment
- Delaware Ocean Acidification Report Published
If you have any updates you’d like shared with NECAN, please email cassie@neracoos.org
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