SMAST Seminar - DEOS - "Managing and Protecting Marine Carbon: A New Challenge for Marine Conservation" by: Trisha Atwood

Wednesday, April 09, 2025 at 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Department of Estuarine and Ocean Sciences

"Managing and Protecting Marine Carbon: A New Challenge for Marine Conservation"

Trisha Atwood
Associate Professor at Utah State University & Leader of the Aquatic Ecology and Global Change Lab

Wednesday, April 9, 2025
12:30pm-1:30pm
via Zoom

Abstract:

The ocean is a critical reservoir of carbon, storing vast amounts both in marine life and in seabed sediments. However, human activities—particularly certain types of fishing—pose significant threats to this carbon stock. This talk explores how fisheries, especially those involving bottom trawling and large-scale biomass extraction, contribute to the loss of marine carbon. Bottom trawling disturbs carbon-rich sediments, potentially releasing stored carbon into the water column and atmosphere. At the same time, the removal of fish biomass represents a direct extraction of organic carbon that would otherwise remain part of the marine carbon cycle. By examining the mechanisms through which fisheries impact carbon storage, this presentation highlights the urgent need to integrate carbon conservation into marine management strategies. Protecting seafloor habitats and reducing high-impact fishing practices could play a pivotal role in climate mitigation efforts, offering a powerful, nature-based solution for maintaining ocean health and planetary stability.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://umassd.zoom.us/j/97440069270?pwd=L2Z1bDZESTFCKzJYZWduYVhWenYvZz09

Note: Meeting passcode required, email contact below to receive

To request the Zoom passcode, or for any other questions, please email Callie Rumbut

Zoom
Callie Rumbut
c.rumbut@umassd.edu
https://umassd.zoom.us/j/97440069270?pwd=L2Z1bDZESTFCKzJYZWduYVhWenYvZz09