Maine lobsterman stacking traps at dawn. (AP)
The Massachusetts fishing economy generates more than $600 million annually and supports more than 5,700 jobs, according to the UMass Dartmouth Public Policy Center.
But a new report from the Massachusetts Special Legislative Commission on Ocean Acidification says the industry could suffer serious losses by the end of the century if ocean acidification — a process propelled by climate change — goes unaddressed.
“Ocean acidification is an existential threat to marine ecosystems and the livelihood of the people who work in them,” said state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, who led the commission that published the report.
As ocean water grows more acidic, shellfish struggle to form and maintain healthy protective shells, making them less likely to survive. Ocean acidification poses a particular threat to oysters, lobsters, and clams.