The oceans’ absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is causing fundamental changes in seawater chemistry. CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which makes seawater more acidic. This process, known as ocean acidification (or OA) has a range of potentially harmful consequences for marine life.
OA in Washington State
Our state is experiencing ocean acidification sooner and more severely than expected, due to a combination of human and natural causes. Washington Sea Grant (WSG) has been involved in regional efforts to understand and address ocean acidification since corrosive seawater was first suspected as the cause of unexplained die-offs in West Coast oyster hatcheries. WSG continues to actively engage in OA science and policy at state and local levels.

Ocean Acidification in the Pacific Northwest is a fact sheet summarizing our growing understanding of the causes and consequences of OA in the region’s marine waters
Research Projects
WSG supports a strong OA research program. Since 2010, we’ve invested almost $1.5 million to improve our understanding of how Pacific Northwest marine species will be affected by OA, and ways to mitigate these impacts.
Olympic Coast Ocean Acidification Sentinel Site (OASeS)
In September 2016, regional experts and resource managers representing Washington Coastal Treaty Tribes, federal and state agencies, academia, and NGOs convened for a visioning workshop to discuss the designation of Washington’s north outer coast as a sentinel site for ocean acidification. The workshop was co-sponsored by NOAA’s OA Program, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and facilitated by Washington Sea Grant.
This report highlights the partner perspectives, information needs, opportunities and next steps identified at the workshop. Detailed proceedings of the workshop are available separately.
Community Engagement
WSG connects you to scientific information and OA experts, through education, presentations, and classroom visits.
- Members of WSG were involved in the May 2017 Washington Marine Resources Advisory Council (MRAC) meeting. MRAC creates policy recommendations and engages in outreach addressing OA in Washington State. Another meeting is scheduled for fall 2017.
- Washington Sea Grant was involved in the fifth NOAA West Coast Acidification Cruise, which set sail in May 2016 to study OA along the entire California Current system, from Baja California to the northern tip of Vancouver Island. This cruise aboard the R/V Brownincluded studies on harmful algal blooms and pteropods. Along the way, the scientists blogged some of their experiences- including explanations of OA chemistry and deployment of instruments. The team also got a chance to share their research throughout the trip. In San Francisco, scientists disembarked for some fun at the Exploratorium, explaining Ocean Acidification to eager crowds, while in Seattle, elementary students got a tour the R/V Brown led by members of the NOAA Corps.
- Meg Chadsey (WSG) worked with Chase Williams (UW) to coordinate and execute outreach efforts on behalf of a Sea Grant funded study investigating the effects of OA on Coho salmon. This study is led by Evan Gallagher of the UW School of Public Health.
WSG-funded postdoc Chase Williams shows Federal Way School District middle school students a video in which he challenges juvenile Coho salmon with future levels of carbon dioxide to test their ability to avoid predator scent.
- Washington Sea Grant’s OA team helped facilitate conceptualization of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary’s Sentinel Site program, which uses near shore monitoring to follow environmental change.
- EarthEcho’s Ocean Acidification expedition, Shell Shocked, brought young students to the Pacific Northwest to learn about the effects of decreased oceanic pH, aided by Meg Chadsey and Washington Sea Grant.
- Meg Chadsey, WSG’s Ocean Acidification specialist and head of the WSG OA team, has been serving as the Sea Grant liaison to NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.
We also have several on-going projects in the community:
- WSG partnered with the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and UW scientists on a proposal funded by the Paul Allen Family Foundationto pilot a novel OA mitigation strategy. The team will evaluate the potential of seaweed aquaculture to ‘scrub’ dissolved CO2 and nutrient pollution from Puget Sound. The project recently tickled some taste buds during an outreach event at the MOHAI Edible Science Fair, where museumgoers had the chance to sample some delicious kelp products.
- WSG continues to collaborate with NOAA to produce SOARCE(Sharing Ocean Acidification Resources for Communicators and Educators), a monthly webinar that highlight OA education and communication resources.
- WSG Marine Water Quality Specialist Teri Kingis a founding member of the California Current Acidification Network (C-CAN), formed in 2010. King is the Chair of C-CAN and helps oversee the dissemination of C-CAN products and information to the west coast OA community via the C-CAN website.
In the News
Due to a combination of human activities and natural factors, acidification in the Pacific Northwest is particularly severe. The region has also become a hotspot for both OA science and policy. Some recent developments:
- As oceans acidify, shellfish farmers respond
High Country News, September 18, 2017 - NOAA Launches Month-Long Cruise Tracking Ocean Acidification Effects – NOAA scientists aboard the R/V Ronald H. Brown lead an extensive cruise to study how ocean acidification is changing West Coast waters. Official NOAA blog: https://westcoastoa.wordpress.com/
- UW part of NOAA-led cruise to study West Coast ocean acidification
UW Today, May 10, 2016 - Cousteau’s ‘Acid Apolcalypse’ to feature Washington youth in ocean acidification project
UW Today, November 18, 2015 - The Mountain-Moving “Mosquito” of Ocean Acidification: Washington Sea Grant’s Meg Chadsey proves the power of one to mobilize action on a very big issue,
Sea Star, Fall 2015 - A risky business? Mussel farming in the face of ocean acidification and warming
San Juan Islander, July 6, 2015

Explore Sweetening the Waters: The Feasibility and Efficacy of Measures to Protect Washington’s Marine Resources from Ocean Acidification – a summary of various strategies for mitigating, remediating, and adapting to OA