Post on 20-May-2020
Bill Dewey
Taylor Shellfish Farms
Shelton, Washington
Didn’t enter scientific literature until 2003
Of the 70 million tons of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere each day > 25% absorbed by the oceans
The oceans have become 30% more acidic since the mid 1700s
Rate of change unprecedented in 50 million years
An additional 120% increase is projected by 2050
The first species effected are the calcifiers
Economic value of the oyster industry on the west coast, U.S.A
Annual farm-gate values: All farmed shellfish - $ 111 million Employment :3000 jobs Pacific oysters - $ 83 million Employment (estimated): 2000 jobs Total economic impact for oysters with services, suppliers etc (estimated): $ 207 million Source: PCSGA 2010
Is the Pacific Ocean’s
chemistry killing sea life? Seattle Times
6/14/2009
West Coast hatcheries
Taylor Hatchery Coast Hatchery
Whiskey Creek Hatchery
MBP Hatfield Center
Lummi Hatchery
Upwelling on the West Coast Deep cold nutrient-rich water brought to he
surface with north winds
Upwelled deep water is acidic and can be corrosive for aragonite
vertical section off St. George, CA. summer 2007
Feely et al. 2008. Science 320: 1490 - 1492
Impacts on larval production from two west coast commercial hatcheries
BIL
LIO
NS
OF
LA
RV
AE
WHISKEY CREEK HATCHERY JUNE - SEPTEMBER
TAYLOR HATCHERY ANNUAL PRODUCTION
BIL
LIO
NS
OF
LA
RV
AE
BIL
LIO
NS
OF
LA
RV
AE
Kurihara et al 2007
No natural set of Pacific oysters in Willapa Bay, WA for 7 years – prior to 2012
DATA OF WASHINGTON DEPT. FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE
Rela
tive n
atu
ral set
Year
HA
TC
HE
RIE
S
ES
TA
BL
ISH
ED
“Miners would try to alert themselves to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide or methane in a mine shaft by bringing a caged canary with them as they worked. The canary would inevitably die before these gases reached levels toxic to people.”
Is the Pacific oyster the canary in the mineshaft?
Source: Wikipedia Serinus canaria domestica
PSI - 21