Today, Obama announced a new national ocean protection policy. It will be a comprehensive plan for the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans. The administration recognizes that our coastal regions in the U.S. provide millions of jobs and support our economy. I guess the recent BP OIl spill kind of put a spotlight on how much we depend on our oceans. This new plan is about protecting our oceans and beaches and restoring what has already been damaged. I hope they work fast.This new plan will also focus on ocean acidification, a increasing problem where our oceans absorb CO2 changing the chemistry of the water. This is a real danger to marine life. The acidity reduces carbonate--a necessary mineral that helps form shells and skeletons of shellfish and coral. Our food web will be affected and that's not good! Scientists say it's like osteoporosis of the ocean. My Grandma has osteoporosis and it is terrible! It makes your bones deteriorate. Watch this video to learn more about ocean acidification.
