Acidifying waters and declining oxygen levels are reshaping the northeast Pacific’s marine ecosystems and threatening the coastal economies that depend on them—from shellfish hatcheries to wild fisheries. Between now and 2050, losses to the BC aquaculture industry due to ocean acidification and hypoxia are projected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars.
In response, the provincial government released the BC Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Action Plan (BC OAH) in 2023—a comprehensive roadmap with five goals, 15 objectives, and 62 actions to mitigate and adapt to the growing threats of ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH).
To put the plan into motion, the province created the Climate Ready BC Seafood (CRBS) program, supported by CAN $1.7-million in funding. CRBS supports 11 collaborative projects—led by scientists, First Nations, community organizations, and industry—to identify ways to safeguard BC's coastal resources.
Together, these projects have tested new ways to monitor, mitigate, and adapt to ocean acidification and hypoxia. Researchers at Vancouver Island University are identifying genomic markers linked to oyster resilience, while members of the Salish Sea Indigenous Guardians Association are tracking eelgrass health and fish communities.
Tourism operators, such as the Wilderness Tourism Association, are deploying ocean sensors on small vessels to monitor changing conditions, and hatcheries like Nova Harvest are using real-time carbonate data to adapt their operations.
Each effort tackles a piece of the same puzzle: how to sustain healthy oceans and a thriving seafood sector as OAH shifts ocean conditions.
The BC OAH Action Plan has been recognized internationally—endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Project and highlighted by the OA Alliance as a leading case study in regional action. It’s part of a growing global movement that uses local knowledge and adaptation to drive climate action and policy development.
In March 2026, as the CRBS projects conclude, partners will gather in Nanaimo for the BC OAH Action Forum, hosted by the Tula Foundation. The forum will bring together policymakers, community representatives, researchers, and champions of ocean and climate resilience to highlight achievements, assess remaining gaps, and chart next steps for sustaining progress on OAH action once the initial funding cycle ends.
The forum is an opportunity to carry the momentum of the CRBS program forward and keep B.C.’s seafood sector climate-ready for the long haul. It’s a reminder that even amid an overwhelming global challenge, collaboration can drive tangible adaptation.
