A new brochure produced by the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network details the impact of ocean acidification on all life stages of red king crab.
Lab studies have shown juveniles are in the most sensitive stage and that the overall response of the red king crab to ocean acidification will likely be determined by how well that group fares.
The brochure, which is available at https://tinyurl.com/yus58kv8, notes that when king crab sensitivities are combined with predicted future acidification levels based on current carbon emissions, negative effects emerge in Bristol Bay red king crab in about 20-30 years.
Still, scenarios including strong global emissions reductions show that conditions for crab remain favorable in Alaska longer into the future.
Network officials also noted that researchers and the crab industry are building relationships and helping to identify monitoring gaps to inform fisheries. Priorities now include more monitoring in the nearshore area of Bristol Bay where juvenile crab live.