The oyster hatchery industry on the U.S. West Coast nearly collapsed when they were caught off guard by increasing acidity in the coastal waters. In Maine, an oyster grower is testing whether new NOAA-funded technology can prevent a repeat on the East Coast.
In the summer of 2007, as oyster growers and hatchery managers in Washington state were experiencing yet another failed oyster harvest, Dr. Richard Feely set off on a research cruise to find out if the seawater itself was the culprit…