Developing Resilience to Ocean Acidification in Red Abalone Aquaculture

The pH of the global ocean is becoming more acidic as a consequence of oceanic absorption of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. This process, termed “ocean acidification” (OA), will likely affect the aquaculture of marine shellfish. Maintaining current levels of commercial mollusc production will require the identification and commercialization of resilient seedstock. Through Phase I research efforts, we have discovered genotypes within the red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) metapopulation that exhibit resilience to future OA. In collaboration with university partners, our firm will identify the genetic signatures associated with tolerance to low pH, which will enable us to develop an OA-resilient strain of red abalone. We will verify their enhanced performance using advanced dissolved CO2 testing infrastructure, developed by our project PI in collaboration with university colleagues. We will also work to develop a robust commercial coralline algae feedstock, which our Phase I research indicates conveys additional resilience to OA. These products hold significant commercial promise, and could serve as an example for adaptation efforts in other shellfish sectors.