Ocean acidification threatens Pacific's ecosystems

Transcript

Ocean acidification is likely to pose a further threat to the Pacific Ocean's ecosystems in coming decades, according to the US's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The director of its Ocean Acidification Programme, Dr Elizabeth Jewett, was in New Zealand last week for a regional planning and consultation workshop.

Ms Jewett says an increase in acidity of the ocean threatens marine life, coral reefs and local livelihoods in the Pacific.

Dr Elizabeth Jewett told Esther Zweifel about the evidence of ocean acidification on the US's Pacific Coast.

 ELIZABETH JEWETT: Evidence of the impact has been most clearly documented along the West Coast of the United States, which is the Pacific Ocean. There we have actually not only seen the effects but had economic impacts. One of the important things to note about ocean acidification is that it is causing an increase in acidity and as a result this is actually making it more difficult for creatures in the ocean that make any kind of protective shell, it makes it more difficult for them to do that. We also are predicting impacts on coral reef ecosystems and obviously that's very, very important for the Pacific Islands.

ESTHER ZWEIFEL: For the Pacific, what sort of impact will this have in terms of the environment or the economy?

EJ: So, much of that is to be determined, we do know that the coastal fisheries account for about USD$200 million in subsistence value on the Pacific Islands, there's about another USD$165 million value to the commercial fishery, particularly tuna fishery in the Pacific Islands. So there's obviously a very, very strong dependence on fisheries in the Pacific Islands.

EZ: What can be done to mitigate this ocean acidification?

EJ: So that's what's really exciting about this workshop that I'm attending. The workshop has brought together participants from 13 Pacific Island countries and the focus is on what we might suggest for approaches for making countries and islands more resilient to ocean acidification. This is pretty cutting-edge thinking that's happening here. For instance some of the options that are being considered are, what can countries do to manage and protect coral reefs so that they are more resilient in the face of this larger, long-term change. Very specific approaches might include protecting and enhancing seagrass beds for instance, because seagrass actually improves the chemistry of the water, making it easier for coral reefs to grow. And so the extent to which we can protect those seagrass beds actually may protect the coral reefs that are close by.
Also what do we know about fish might be directly affected, or which types of clams and mussels and oysters are being grown around islands might be affected and
are there ways that we can manage them in way that they'll be more resilient. So we are very excited from NOAA to be a part of this partnership approach and again congratulate the New Zealand government for taking the step of actually making sure that this work is going to happen.

Dr Elizabeth Jewett says the New Zealand government has also recently announced funding for a new ocean acidification project to be led by NIWA.