Comparing Ocean Acidification Communication Strategies and Effectiveness in Marine Education Centers

Abstract

Ocean acidification (OA), one of the most impactful aspects of our changing oceans, significantly threatens ecosystems, industries, and communities reliant on at-risk species, such as corals and shellfish. Washington state, with its notable reliance on such species for both its economy and culture and its naturally acidified waters, is especially vulnerable. However, OA remains an under-discussed and misunderstood phenomenon, especially among the public. While many informal marine education centers such as aquariums, science centers, and marine reserves do provide communication on OA, the prevalence, type, and quality of this communication varies drastically, meaning that the public’s ability to receive effective OA education varies as well. Thus, I conducted staff interviews to catalogue the prevalence of OA communication efforts at marine education centers and address barriers to effective OA outreach. I found that while 88% of participating marine education centers discuss OA in some capacity, 81% feel restricted in their ability to talk about OA or ocean change, citing issues such as audience interest and politics. I also conducted visitor surveys at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium to determine how attendees’ preconceived knowledge of OA’s causes, impacts, and mitigation strategies changed based on provided communication and what gaps remain. While visitor knowledge of OA increased by a statistically significant amount (from 63% of visitors knowing essentially nothing about OA before the visit to 44% after; p < 0.001), only 49% of visitors correctly identified fossil fuel emissions as a primary cause of OA. Despite this, 97% of visitors indicated willingness to take action against OA, and nearly equivalent amounts of visitors supported individual-level vs societal-level action. Together, this research lays the groundwork for improving OA communication to the public by highlighting the importance of uplifting meaningful action, intentionally connecting with visitors through community-level and place-based impacts, and addressing staff hesitancy to discuss ocean change issues. Going forward, these recommendations will be critical in driving tangible action to address OA and protect at-risk communities and ecosystems.