Lobsters and acidic seas: can shellfish help neutralise one of the greatest threats to the ocean?
Crustaceans are the subject of tests to see if alkalis added to seawater, so it absorbs more CO2, harm marine life. But Trump’s halt to funding threatens to scupper the research
TL;DR
- Lobster roll prices are rising significantly due to warming oceans affecting lobster populations, with the Gulf of Maine warming faster than 99% of the world's oceans.
- Scientists are researching marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR), specifically ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), to increase the ocean's capacity to absorb atmospheric carbon.
- US federal funding for ocean science research has been drastically cut, impacting initiatives like LOC-NESS at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
- Experiments are testing the effects of ocean alkalinity enhancement on marine life, including lobsters, to assess potential physiological responses.
- European Union funding is increasing for mCDR research, supporting universities across Britain and Europe.
- Concerns exist about private industry pursuing large-scale experiments and carbon removal credits before the full biological impacts of OAE are understood.