Ocean Acidification Hits Northwest Oyster Farms

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Eco/ocean-acidification-hits-northwest-oyster-farms/story?id=10425738

Ocean Acidification Hits Northwest Oyster Farms

Scientists Say Carbon Dioxide in Oceans Could Mean Curtains for Shellfish

By DARCY BONFILS
April 22, 2010

Mark Wiegardt and Sue Cudd have each dedicated about 30 years of their lives to bringing oysters to our tables. Now the two have found themselves in the forefront of one of the newest, most pressing environmental issues of our time: ocean acidification.

It all began with the oyster larvae at their Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery in Tilamook, Ore.

"It first started in 2007. We had a situation here when all of a sudden, our larvae started dying," said Wiegardt.

"At first we started wondering, what is wrong? Bacterial problems? What are we doing wrong?" Cudd said.

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