About MACAN

Developing a Regional Perspective

The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN) is a nexus of scientists, tribal, federal, and state agency representatives, resource managers, and affected industry partners who seek to coordinate and guide regional observing, research, and modeling of ocean and coastal acidification. MACAN works to develop a better understanding of the processes associated with estuarine, coastal, and ocean acidification, predict the consequences for marine resources, and devise local adaptation strategies that enable communities and industries to better prepare and adapt. MACAN also helps to fulfill the needs of other regional entities where objectives align.

MACAN serves as an information hub and exchange among research, industry, and resource managers focusing on waters and impacted species from south of Long Island to and including Virginia. Network members work collaboratively on identifying and pursuing opportunities to address coastal and ocean acidification in the Mid-Atlantic, building upon the skills and interests of individual members and providing a forum to share best practices in monitoring and sampling collection.

Why Are We Working on This?

The Mid-Atlantic is home to shellfish and migratory fish habitats that support economically valuable commercial and recreational fisheries that may be impacted by ocean acidification. The Mid-Atlantic is also densely populated and urbanized, and its developed coastal counties drain nutrients and other materials through the region’s rivers, into several major estuarine systems causing coastal and estuarine processing that exacerbate ocean acidification. Acidification has scientific and societal ramifications including the alteration of ocean biogeochemistry, ecological consequences associated with altered ecosystems, and economic losses due to the decrease of commercially important organisms.

MACAN is one of many regional acidification networks across the United States. MACAN is coordinated by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO).

MACAN Steering Committee

Avalon Bristow, Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean

A.J. Erskine, KCB Oyster Holdings LLC

Kevin Hassell, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Sherryll Huber Jones, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Susan Langely, Maryland Historic Trust
Stephanie Kubico, Environmental Protection Agency
Whitman Miller, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Erica Ombres, NOAA Ocean Acidification Program

Ryan Ono, Ocean Conservancy
Beth Phelan, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Emily Rivest, Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Megan Rutkowski, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Pete Rowe, New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium
Grace Saba, Rutgers University/Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS)
Kari St.Laurent, Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve/Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Jeremy Testa, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Capt. Kevin Wark, F/V Dana Christine II

MACAN Working Groups

Science Working Group

The Science Working Group advises MACAN about the state of ocean and coastal acidification (OCA) in the Mid-Atlantic and guides MACAN’s efforts towards filling research and monitoring gaps identified in the 2019 synthesis papers. Our members help inform the topics for MACAN’s workshops and webinars, coordinate with MACAN’s industry, policy, and outreach working groups to ensure the most current science is reflected in our outreach resources, and collaborate with other Coastal Acidification Network (CAN) programs to coordinate approaches to cross-regional research priorities.

Lead: Jeremy Testa, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Outreach Working Group

The Outreach Working Group focuses on enhancing awareness and stakeholder engagement around ocean and coastal acidification (OCA). Our members are building an OCA resource toolkit for educators that will be hosted on MACAN’s website, coordinating with the science working group to develop outreach programs and resources for industry members, and exploring ways to connect citizen scientists with opportunities for OCA monitoring.

Lead: Kirstin Wakefield, MARACOOS

Industry Working Group

The Industry Working Group seeks to build stronger connections between members of the aquaculture, seafood, commercial fishing, and recreational fishing industries and MACAN’s partners. Our efforts are focused on increasing awareness of ocean and coastal acidification (OCA) in the Mid-Atlantic, communicating with the best available science about how OCA will impact species of concern, and encouraging active engagement from industry members in MACAN’s workshops and webinars. This group facilitates communication to MACAN about industry stakeholders’ needs and concerns while also communicating information from MACAN’s science, policy, and outreach working groups directly to industry members.

Lead: Mike Congrove, Oyster Seed Holdings

Policy Working Group

The Policy Working Group seeks to communicate information to policy makers about the drivers and impacts of ocean and coastal acidification (OCA) to best inform legislative decisions. Alongside this effort, the Policy Working Group regularly communicates with state OA commissions and task forces in the Mid-Atlantic region to facilitate information exchange and align with MACAN’s priorities. Additionally, this group is working to identify potential cross-state policy approaches that MACAN could help facilitate within the region to best address impacts and future concerns about OCA.

Lead: Megan Rutkowski, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

About MACAN

Developing a Regional Perspective

Why Are We Working on This?

MACAN Coordinators

Mary Ford

Avalon Bristow

Avalon Bristow

Avalon Bristow

Avalon Bristow

Avalon Bristow

MACAN Steering Committee

MACAN Working Groups

Science Working Group

Outreach Working Group

Industry Working Group

Policy Working Group