September 17, 2013 — Several scientific studies suggest the commercially vital Alaska red king crab is particularly vulnerable to damage from marine waters that have soaked up too much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Tests by NOAA Fisheries show the slightly soured water caused by greenhouse gas absorption causes young king crab to die at more than twice the rate than crab raised in normal water. Snow crab may be equally at risk but have been more difficult to study in the laboratory.
In our region around the mouth of the Columbia River, Dungeness crab are a major economic factor. Thus far, Dungeness appear to be less vulnerable to harm from acidic water – perhaps because they are more habituated to dealing with changes in water chemistry in the near-shore environment. This doesn’t necessarily mean they have a “Get Out of Jail Free” card – Dungeness have been harshly impacted in areas of the Oregon ocean subject to low-oxygen “dead zones.” These zones are believed to be linked to the Pacific’s changing climate and circulation patterns.
Even if Dungeness are more resilient, acidification impacts on Alaska crab species will have ripple effects even this far south. There are local people whose income depends, in part, on these fisheries. And on a planet where ever-more people compete for finite natural resources, the degradation of any fishery inevitably results in additional harvest pressure in other places. For example, if Dungeness prices are driven up by a scarcity of Alaska product, there will be even more interest than there already is in our local waters. More crab boats may cram into the small areas where they are permitted by regulations and tribal treaties.
Read the full opinion piece at The Daily Astorian