October 28, 2019 — Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska on Friday introduced the Ocean, Coastal and Estuarine Acidification Necessitates (OCEAN) Research Act, which boosts investment in research that could improve ocean health and protect the seafood industry.
The senators said in a news release Friday that the bill would lead to greater research and monitoring of ocean acidification, which occurs as a consequence of carbon dioxide forming acids when dissolved in seawater. The process harms shellfish, coral reefs and other marine life essential for healthy ecosystems and coastal economies.
In coastal areas, acidification may interact with warming waters, harmful algal blooms and low-oxygen “dead zones” with severe impacts. Southern Massachusetts and Narragansett Bay have been identified as “acidification hotspots,” jeopardizing the $500 million-plus Massachusetts shellfish industry.
The bipartisan bill introduced Friday would reauthorize the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act, which lapsed in 2012 and provided funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation. The bill calls for engaging with coastal communities and the seafood industry through an advisory board and research grants.