Radioecology Laboratory

1 Introduction Ocean acidification (OA) is a well-documented threat to marine ecosystems caused by the extensive anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). In the past 250 years, CO2 levels have increased by up to 50% as compared to pre-industrial times (Friedlingstein et al. 2022). The oceans absorb around 27% of the released carbon dioxide, leading to a significant change in the carbonate chemistry of seawater (Doney et al. 2009).

We recently published a paper entitled “Cracking the Myth: Bivalve Farming Is Not a CO2 Sink” [1], which challenges the growing narrative that bivalve aquaculture sequesters atmospheric CO2. We demonstrated that, when considering the full biogeochemical picture, bivalve farming in fact contributes to CO2 emissions. By clarifying these dynamics, our intention was to correct a misconception and prevent the misclassification of shellfish aquaculture as a carbon sink.

Charlotte L. Briddon1, Maria Nicoară1, Adriana Hegedüs1, Adina Niculea2, Richard Bellerby3,4,5, Wenche Eikrem3,6, Bibiana G.