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In 2015 scientists observed a record annual increase of carbon dioxide at Mauna Loa, indicating how NECAN’s work is more important than ever. Read below for links to our new cartoon, new research, and opportunities to learn more about ocean and coastal acidification (OCA).

NECAN March 2016 Update

Video premier

NECAN is happy to support the release of "A Climate Calamity: Acid in the Gulf", a production of O'Chang Comics. "Acid in the Gulf" describes how ocean acidification affects coastal waters and marine resources. Maine Sea Grant, Dalhousie University, MEOPAR, NERACOOS, NECAN, NOAA's North Atlantic Regional Team, and University of Maine Cooperative Extension supported its production. 

State Updates

As a continuation of the Maine OA Commission’s work, the newly formed Maine Ocean and Coastal Acidification Partnership met at the Darling Marine Center on Monday, March 14th. The group met to discuss their overall goals and purpose, observational updates on OCA, and to strategize for a monitoring bond bill. The major purpose of the MOCA Partnership is to review and work towards any action that might be taken on the recommendations previously submitted to the legislature. A diverse group of over 30 individuals attended the meeting, including: state agencies, lobstermen, researchers, and nonprofits. The meeting notes and MOCA Partnership resources and materials will soon be made available to the public on the Maine Sea Grant website. The meeting was convened by the Island Institute, and facilitated by Susie Arnold (Island Institute) and Ivy Frignoca (Friends of Casco Bay).

In Massachusetts, US Congressman Bill Keating and Representative Tim Madden are sponsoring a OCA forum on March 18th, which will include panelists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Sea Grant Woods Hole, NOAA, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth -SMAST, local stakeholders from the shell-fishing and aquaculture communities, the Buzzards Bay Coalition, the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, as well as other regional entities. NECAN Steering Committee member Beth Turner will be a panel representative for NECAN.
 

Webinars

The US Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification is hosting “CO2 system studies in brackish waters: What should I measure and why?”, a webinar presentation by Andrew Dickson, Scripps Institute of Oceanography. The webinar will be hosted on March 22nd at 2:00 p.m. ET, and you can register here.

Abstract: Most of our approaches to studying the CO2 system in seawater environments were refined by marine chemists seeking to understand processes occurring in the open ocean. Brackish waters, however, bring complications. The salinity is typically quite variable, and the salt composition may well not adhere tightly to Marcet’s principle (constant relative proportions); the temperature too may be quite variable; and there may be significant quantities of other acids and bases present, in addition to the usual carbonate and borate systems. As a result, the techniques developed for measurement of seawater CO2 properties may not perform optimally in brackish waters, and there is even a question as to what constitute suitable equilibrium constants to use for such systems.

The next SOARCE (Sharing Ocean Acidification Resources for Communicators and Educators) webinar will be on March 22nd at 3:00 p.m. ET with "Exploring ocean acidification through media with EarthEcho Expeditions: Shell Shocked," presented by Stacey Rafalowski, Director of Programs for EarthEcho Expeditions. The SOARCE series provides ocean acidification communication tools to formal and informal educators, and stakeholders across the country.

The “Critical Issues Webinar: Ocean Acidification Impacts on Fisheries” presented last week was recorded and is available for viewing, along with presentations and links to resources, at the American Geosciences website.

New Research

 

If you have any updates you’d like shared with NECAN, please email cassie@neracoos.org

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