The way forward on
IOOS
By Zdenka Willis, Director, NOAA IOOS Program & Kim Cohen, Management Analyst, NOAA IOOS Program
The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) will be a sustained network of "eyes" on buoys, ships, satellites, underwater vehicles, in-situ sensors and other platforms that routinely supply data and information needed to detect and predict changes in our nation's coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes. IOOS is intended to be a major shift in approach to ocean observing, drawing together the vast network of disparate, federal and nonfederal observing systems to produce a cohesive suite of data, information, and products at a sufficient geographic and temporal scale to support decision-making. As the system matures, IOOS is expected to advance beyond its current science and management applications toward an instrument of policy and governance. Current efforts only scratch the surface of what we need to know about our oceans and coasts to fully assess their impact on commerce and transportation, weather and climate, and ecosystems. Ocean observing data are required to support a wide
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range of critical decisions, including evacuations, beach and shellfish closures, fisheries catch limits, and the identification of safe and efficient shipping routes to transport the products we rely on each day. The impact of these daily decisions on the U.S. economy is significant, as the coastal state economy is valued at $10.3 trillion . According to the National Ocean Economics Program, the 30 coastal states accounted for 82% of the total U.S. population in 2006 and 81% of jobs. In 2004, the coastal leisure and hospitality sector alone generated $340B and 10M jobs to the U.S. economy. The coastal trade, transportation, and utilities sector generated an additional $950B. In 2005, Hurricanes Wilma, Rita, and Katrina accounted for approximately $157B in damages and 1,987 deaths within coastal communities . Resource and emergency managers must have ready access to the tools and information needed to support informed and effective coastal and ocean decision-making.
October 2007
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