The long-term impacts of acidification on ocean waters are causing higher mortality in sea life, but scientists at Oregon State University are searching for solutions.

Oyster farmers were the first hit in the early 2000s with $110 million in production losses.

"Seed farmers, they grow the oysters that are young, that are planted out; they were having real problems about a decade ago, but because of, basically, being able to measure the chemistry and knowing now how to augment that water that's going into the hatchery, they're back in business," said Oregon State University professor Francis Chan.

In response to the death rates among oyster larvae, Oregon State University started doing research on water chemistry to identify the problem.

The discovery was that carbon dioxide emissions in the air were being absorbed by the ocean, presenting a challenge to marine life trying to form their shells.

"It's the other side of the carbon dioxide problem for the ocean because we know that carbon dioxide can change the climate, but carbon dioxide can just straight up be dissolved in sea water. And the more carbon dioxide we emit, the more it goes in the ocean. The problem is, carbon dioxide, when it's in the ocean, it acidifies it," said Chan.

When CO2 reacts with ocean water, carbonic acid forms which must be stabilized by releasing a hydrogen ion.

This becomes bicarbonate instead of the calcium carbonate marine organisms need to grow properly and reduces the water's pH, moving it closer to being acidic. Marine animals that depend on shellfish for food.

That includes some salmon, which rely on certain snails that scientists recently discovered are developing with partially dissolved shells.

Coral, which also depends on calcium carbonate, also dies off.

This causes coral reefs, where many animals spawn, feed, and find protection, to erode.

Though it's a global ocean problem, it will impact each coast differently.

"There are hot spots where ocean pH is particularly low, but there are other areas that seem like they aren't as susceptible to the very low pH values. And that's because of circulation that drives ocean production. In any given year, there are areas of the South Coast that are doing much better than the North or Central Coast are," said Chan.

Chan says OSU and hatcheries are implementing mitigation strategies and conducting research to better understand and address the problem.

Hatcheries began putting a kind of antacid in the water to raise water pH, which is raising oyster production.

More sea grass in estuaries may also be a possible solution, as the grass absorbs CO2.

OSU does monthly monitoring of pH levels with units placed in coastal waters, and they've just begun a study to look at ways to manage fisheries to make them more climate and ocean acidification resistant.