Ocean acidification — the steady decrease in seawater pH caused by the absorption of atmospheric CO2 — now threatens the shell-forming capacity of molluscs, crustaceans and corals at every depth. Since the industrial revolution, ocean pH has dropped by 0.1 units, a 26% increase in acidity. Projections for 2100 show a further drop of 0.3–0.4 units under high-emission scenarios.

The economic consequences for fisheries and aquaculture are already measurable in Pacific oyster hatcheries and the North Sea crab industry. OceanConf 2026 brings together climate scientists and fisheries economists to quantify these losses and identify adaptation strategies.