mCDR: Early Insights from the U.S. Commercial Fishing Community
Commercial fishing is a cherished way of life for coastal residents and a source of low-carbon protein for the world. Wild seafood production depends entirely on intact natural ecosystems that do the work of converting sunlight to edible biomass. Marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) cannot ethically proceed without putting fishery considerations front and center.
What would it mean—and is it even possible—to pursue mCDR in a “fishery sensitive” manner? Thirty-four commercial fishermen and fisheries representatives came together virtually from across Alaska, the West Coast, and the Northeast to explore these questions through a series of roundtable discussions. Hosted through the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign in collaboration with the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) and several supporting partners, these conversations constitute the first-ever fishing industry-led exploration of mCDR. Read more in the reports below.
RODA’s Guidance for Fishery-Sensitive mCDR memo series
The mCDR roundtable synthesis reports are intended to be used as source material for fishing community organizations and their allies to draw upon when developing their own recommendations related to mCDR. As an example of this use, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) published a three-part set of guidance memos on “fishery sensitive” mCDR in 2026, which can be found at RODA’s website or accessed by clicking the memo links below.
Effective engagement of the fishing community in an mCDR context. By Fiona Hogan, Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA). This memo provides preliminary guidance that mCDR developers and mCDR permitting agencies should use when engaging the fishing industry in the design of proposed projects or surveys taking place in fishing areas and seeking feedback from the broader fishing industry community.
Elements of effective governance for fishery-sensitive mCDR development. By Fiona Hogan, Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA). This memo provides preliminary guidance on the core elements that should be incorporated into the governance of pilot and full-scale mCDR projects that would ensure a transparent, science-based, and collaborative approach is taken that recognizes the expertise of the fishing industry.
Engaging commercial fishermen as co-producers of information in a mCDR context. By Darcy Dugan, Alaska Ocean Acidification Network (AOAN), Alex Harper, California Current Acidification Network (C-CAN), Austin Pugh: Northeast Coastal Acidification Network (NECAN). This memo provides preliminary guidance for engaging commercial fishermen in the context of: mCDR project design, assessing baseline biogeochemical conditions of prospective mCDR sites; monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of mCDR projects; and assessments of impacts to marine resources via pre-development and post-development site-specific fisheries surveys.