Gulf of Maine sees first open-water ocean alkalinity enhancement field trial in US
The research vessel Connecticut trails behind the OSV Mahoney as both vessels circle the alkalinity-enhanced patch, dyed red with rhodamine tracer for visibility. Sarah Schumann photo.
August 28, 2025 — The U.S.’s first ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) field trial in federal waters took place on Aug. 13, with the dispersal of 16,500 gallons of sodium hydroxide into the Gulf of Maine. Led by a team of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) scientists, this milestone represents the culmination of three years of planning, which for the last year has included a steady stream of feedback (including some unvarnished pushback) from the fishing industry.
I joined the field trial as a fishing industry observer, and this is my report to the fleet.
