What is GCOOS and the GCOOS-RA?

Many organizations and individuals are concerned with sustained observations and/or products and services based on such observations from the estuaries and Exclusive Economic Zone of the Gulf of Mexico. A group of these entities have signed a resolution agreeing to form a Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) beginning with the integration of existing observing system elements and the sharing of non-commercial and non-proprietary data and products. General agreement has been reached on a GCOOS mission statement or vision. This regional system will be a part of the U.S. sustained and Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).

The Memorandum of Agreement for the GCOOS Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) became effective on 25 January 2005. Qualified individuals are encouraged to become Parties by signing the MOA either on behalf of their organizations or as an individual. This Regional Association provides formal governance of GCOOS. The GCOOS Business Plan is in preparation. On June 22, 2005, ballots were counted and the initial Board of Directors of the GCOOS-RA was elected. Members of the Board represent the distribution of private sector, government, academia, and education and outreach Parties to the MOA.

An ongoing series of meetings and workshops are being held as part of the development of this Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System. Key meetings held to date have dealt with: an integrated data system for the Gulf of Mexico; the mission, initial building blocks, and tentative organization for GCOOS; a meeting to consider next research activities in the Gulf to support socioeconomic needs; the private sectors' perspective of and roles in the ocean observing system; a meeting to consider GCOOS's role in detecting, monitoring and predicting harmful algal blooms in the Gulf; a meeting planning for the GCOOS Education and Outreach Council; and adoption of a Governance structure for the GCOOS Regional Association and consideration of a draft business plan. Reports of these meetings are available. Information regarding additional meetings now planned as well as other items of relevance may be viewed on the GCOOS News Board.

A large number of Gulf of Mexico observations, products, and services are now produced on an ongoing basis. The identification of ongoing activities and products which should be considered as the initial building blocks for GCOOS is being refined on a continuing basis. Efforts in developing GCOOS must now focus on: integrated additional observing system elements, improving model sharing and validation, developing requirements of users of data and products, and developing operational structures.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this website has been gathered from various sources and is not guaranteed to be up-to-date. Reliance on the information contained on this website is at the user's own risk.