Marine carbon dioxide removal technologies, or mCDR, are designed to help the ocean do what it already does — absorb carbon from the atmosphere — but faster and at greater scale than nature alone allows. As these approaches move from concept to active research and federal legislation, the fishing industry has both a stake in how they develop and a unique body of knowledge to contribute.  

This session introduces the technology, previews an active research effort, examines where federal governance stands, and explores how fishermen and working waterfront communities can help shape mCDR in ways that protect fishing grounds while supporting the healthier, more resilient marine ecosystems that sustainable fisheries depend on.  

Attendees will: 

• Get an introduction to mCDR — what it is and how the leading approaches work 

• Learn what the federal legislative landscape looks like for mCDR and how industry engagement can shape governance 

• Hear what a “fishery sensitive” approach to mCDR research and governance looks like in practice, and what lessons from fisheries management can offer this emerging field 

• Understand how the working waterfront can support this work and why fishermen’s ecological knowledge is a resource that researchers and policymakers need