Title: Assessing Coastal Community Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change:  Pathways to resilient coastal futures

Abstract: Understanding a community’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and adapt to impacts of environmental, economic, or cultural change is an essential component of understanding and supporting pathways to resilient coastal futures. In the context of Ocean Acidification and associated environmental stressors, for this project we interviewed shellfish farms in California and Oregon to assess their capacity to adapt to risks from changing ocean conditions due to climate change. Specifically, we explored shellfish growers’ perceptions of the impacts of environmental change and identified explicit strategies currently used, or being considered for use, within the industry to adapt to these changes. Our research questions included: 1. What are shellfish farmers’ perceptions of environmental change? 2. What adaptive strategies are being used to decrease vulnerability and increase resilience to OA and environmental change? And 3. What policy opportunities exist to implement these strategies?