Marine carbon dioxide removal: How fishermen can have a voice
May 28, 2025 — This article is the second in a series for commercial fishermen about marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR). mCDR is a set of experimental techniques that could someday play a major role in combating climate change by accelerating the ocean’s uptake and storage of heat-trapping carbon dioxide pollution from the atmosphere.
In this article, we survey contemporary field-wide planning initiatives focused on supporting mCDR research and decision making. Each of these initiatives represents a potential opportunity for the fishing community to strategically engage in shaping the future of mCDR. Then, we describe early efforts to consider interactions between fisheries and mCDR. Finally, we invite fishermen and their representatives to apply to serve on a newly formed Commercial Fishing Industry Thought Leadership Forum on mCDR.
Shaping the future of mCDR
At least half a dozen road-mapping and visioning processes are taking place this year to outline future trajectories for mCDR in the U.S. and beyond. These reflect at once the infancy and the high level of excitement and ambition surrounding the field of mCDR.
