Alaska is blessed with some of the richest and most abundant fisheries on the planet. These amazing resources support many Alaskans through commercial and sport fishing, and they help fill our freezers for the long, dark winters. At every level -- culturally, economically, socially -- our oceans, our fisheries and our coastal watersheds help to define us as Alaskans because they make our way of life possible.

But recent scientific research shows our oceans are changing.

Scientists frequently call Alaska "ground zero" for rapid climate change, and we need look no further than the receding glaciers in Kachemak Bay for direct evidence of these dramatic impacts. Now we know that climate change -- and the proliferation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere -- are causing another phenomenon: ocean acidification.

According to research by University of Alaska Fairbanks scientist Dr. Jeremy Mathis, Alaska's oceans are becoming increasingly acidic.

Rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere translate into higher concentrations of CO2 in our oceans, where CO2 creates carbonic acid. The ocean contains minerals (calcium carbonate) that organisms such as oysters and crabs use to build their shells. Ocean acidification makes it more difficult to build shells, and in some cases the water can become corrosive enough to break down existing shells. A good analogy is what acidic soda pop can do to our teeth.

While impacts to traditional shellfish raise serious concerns, they are not the only problem associated with ocean acidification. Certain plankton, called pteropods, reside at the bottom of the food chain, and they rely on calcium carbonate to build their tiny shells. These plankton are a key food source for salmon and other economically important species, and they are at heightened risk from ocean acidification.

Dr. Mathis said in a recent press statement from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, "It seems like everywhere we look in Alaska's coastal oceans, we see signs of increased ocean acidification. ... Increasing acidification of Alaska waters could have a destructive effect on all of our commercial fisheries. This is a problem that we have to think about in terms of the next decade instead of the next century."

To learn more about ocean acidification, go the Alaska Marine Conservation Council Web site: www.akmarine.org.

Right now Congress is considering legislation to address climate change. And later this year, the United Nations will hold a major climate change conference in Copenhagen to address the issue at the global level.

Sometimes the problems of climate change and ocean acidification appear too daunting, and that alone, our voices get drowned out by the lobbyists and the talk shows and the 24/7 media barrage. But there's something you can do at the local level.

This Sunday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m., you can join hundreds of your friends and neighbors for "Voices for the Ocean." We'll be forming a flotilla to create a message using boats and kayaks about ocean acidification. Aerial photographs will help send this urgent message to our politicians and decision makers at the state, federal and international levels. Afterward, we'll gather on the boardwalk behind Mako's Water Taxi on the Spit, with featured speakers, live music and great food.

As a commercial fisherman, my way of life -- and the well being of coastal communities -- rely on a healthy and productive ocean. The time to act is now. If we want to ensure our kids and grandkids can experience the same ocean bounty and richness we've enjoyed, we need to get involved.

To learn more about this important event, go to www.voicesfortheocean.org or contact Alan Parks at 399-3096.

Annette Bellamy is a commercial fisherman who lives Halibut Cove.