Ocean Acidification Kills Oysters

I wrote previously that ocean acidification is one of the climate change risks that scares me most. Recently, I came across this article that describes how carbon dioxide concentrations in the ocean are causing oyster hatcheries to collapse.  Higher CO2 levels in water prevent oyster larvae from effectively forming shells, killing them within days.


This issue hits home for me, as I am a big fan of oysters.  They are a good source of zinc, iron, calcium, and protein.  Also, they don't have a central nervous system, and feed on plankton low in the food chain.  Moreover, they taste great.  One of my favorite things about living in Boston for the past year has been enjoying 50 cent oyster happy hours at The Red House in Cambridge.


While oyster farms may survive by adding chemicals to their water, oysters in the wild are at risk of massive population loss.  I don't like the thought of losing oysters and possibly other shellfish due to higher concentrations of CO2 in ocean water.  All the more reason to support climate change mitigation policies, such as clean energy investment, today.