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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Ocean Acidification Research on Local Scales

University of Washington (
Academic institution
)
#OceanAction47443
Description
Description
The Washington Ocean Acidification Center of the University of Washington's EarthLab is committed to continuing support to: Establish and sustain a comprehensive ocean acidification monitoring network to measure trends in local acidification conditions and related biological responses. This monitoring allows detection of long-term change and variability in local acidification conditions and advances our scientific understanding of local species’ responses. Ensure continued water quality monitoring at six existing shellfish hatcheries and rearing areas. These monitoring data enable real-time management of hatcheries under changing pH conditions, for example by indicating when seawater in hatcheries requires treatment. Provide short-term forecasts of corrosive conditions for application to shellfish hatcheries, growing areas and other areas of concern, and to describe spatial and temporal variation in water chemistry conditions in Washington coastal waters and estuaries including Willapa Bay, Columbia River, and Puget Sound. A real-time online tool has been developed and is accessible to the public, including shellfish growers and resource managers, to track acidification today and two days in the future. Conduct laboratory studies to assess the direct causes and consequences of ocean acidification, alone and in combination with other stressors, on Washington’s species. Biological studies focus on determining the responses of species of ecological, economic and cultural significance to a suite of existing and projected environmental stressors. The Center strengthens its work—both in terms of scientific rigor and application to real-world scenarios—through partnerships with federal, Tribal, state and local governments, industry, regional colleges and universities and others. Many productive partnerships and collaborations already exist and more are emerging as we work to address this issue.
Partners

University of Washington, Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), UN Ocean Decade Programme "OARS: Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability"

Goal 14

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 14

14.1

By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

14.1.1

(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

14.2

By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

14.2.1

Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

14.3

Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

14.3.1
Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

14.4

By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

14.4.1
Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

14.5

By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

14.5.1
Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

14.6

By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

14.6.1

Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

14.7

By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

14.7.1

Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

14.a

Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

14.a.1
Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

14.b

Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

14.b.1

Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

14.c

Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

14.c.1

Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

Name Description
14.3 Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
Observing data, forecasts, and biological experiments on biological organisms important to the Pacific Northwest
In-kind contribution
Exportable ocean acidification approaches to observing and modeling
No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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Timeline
01 June 2014 (start date)
31 May 2024 (date of completion)
Entity
University of Washington
SDGs
14
Other beneficiaries
State of Washington, Tribes, Shellfish aquaculture
Ocean Basins
North Pacific
Communities of Ocean Action
Ocean acidification
Countries
United States of America
United States of America
Headquarters
Seattle, WA, USA
Contact Information

Janet, Dr.

janewton@uw.edu