The Maine 1st District Rep. Chellie Pingree says some Maine fisheries are already threatened by ocean acidification, caused by excessive amounts of carbon in the atmosphere.
Maine U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree has introduced legislation that would require federal officials to study the effects of ocean acidification on coastal communities in Maine and around the nation.
The 1st District Democrat says there’s been a lot of discussion about the impact of CO2 emissions on sea levels and ocean temperatures, but not much focus on the role carbon emissions play in ocean acidification.
“It’s already a threat to some of the fisheries in Maine,” Pingree says, “clams, mussels, oysters – and we’re not quite sure yet what the scope of the impact could be on lobsters.”
Pingree’s bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to study the socio-economic impact of ocean acidification on coastal communities.
This story was reported and written by Ed Morin.
