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From the Director:

Hello IOOS Community,

Congratulations to PacIOOS! On October 23, IOOS re-certified the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) as a Regional Information Coordination Entity (RICE) after careful and considerate review of PacIOOS' practices in regards to data collection, governance, and management. Certification recognizes an entity as meeting federal standards for data gathering and management and is key to the establishment of the full IOOS system, and mandated by the ICOOS Act.  Certification is valid for a period of five years and PacIOOS, the first Regional Association to be RICE certified, has demonstrated and maintained good standing as a RICE during this time and we commend them for this.  IOOS’ Regional Information Coordination Entities bring together local, state and regional ocean and coastal observing capabilities to save lives, safeguard property, and foster economic development. Certification means that these regional organizations are providing high-quality observations to National-level standards and extending the reach and ability of Federal programs.

Currently all 11 Regional Associations are RICE certified. PacIOOS paves the way for the first to be recertified and we look forward to the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) undergoing this process in 2021.

Best wishes,
Carl

From the U.S. IOOS Office:

  • IOOS Association is Seeking Nominations for the 2021 Caraid Award: The IOOS Association created the Caraid Award in 2020 as an annual award to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to observing and understanding our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes through vision, leadership, friendship and collaboration. The word “Caraid” is a Scottish Gaelic word, meaning “care" or "love” and is pronounced like “courage.” These are the attributes - caring and the courage to do what matters - that makes IOOS work. The first recipient of the award was Dr. Ru Morrison whose Scottish heritage and collaborative nature inspired us to learn about Caraid, not only as a word, but also as an ethos he brings to all of his work. Nominations for the 2021 CARAID award are now open through December 11, 2020. Candidates can be an individual, a group, or an organization that has contributed to observing and understanding the oceans, coasts, and/or Great Lakes through collaboration, innovation, and/or a commitment to working with stakeholder. Click here to learn more and submit a nomination!

  • Ocean observing prize open for stage 2 competition: The U.S. Department of Energy and NOAA announced the opening of the DEVELOP competition within the Ocean Observing Prize, a multi-stage prize that challenges innovators to integrate marine renewable energy with ocean observation platforms. The DEVELOP Competition challenges problem solvers to develop technologies to help us better map, monitor, and understand the ocean, improving our ability to forecast hurricanes and providing an invaluable service to coastal communities. Offering $2.4 million in cash prizes, access to testing in tanks and at sea, and in-kind support, the DEVELOP Competition comprises three contests—Design, Build, and Splash. Now open, the Design Contest will remain open for 120 days, closing February 16. 

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

    • HFR Community and Wind Turbine Interference Mitigation: In addition to answering questions submitted by the oceanographic high-frequency radar (HFR) community, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has replied with questions of their own.  A discussion of responses in the context of HFR WTRIM research & development is ongoing.  If you know someone who would like to join in this discussion to synergize oceanographic HFR and offshore wind energy operations, please contact Surface Currents Program Manager Brian Zelenke at brian.zelenke@noaa.gov

    • 11th ROWG Workshop - November 17–18, 2020: The 11th international oceanographic/liminographic Radiowave Operators Working Group (ROWG) workshop is going virtual for the first time and will be held 1400–1700 EST (1100–14:00 PST) on November 17–18, 2020.  Free registration is open at this link. A draft agenda for the meeting is now available here. It includes introductions, short presentations, and open discussions on a variety of technical topics related to oceanographic/liminographic HF radar.  Additionally, in lieu of the epic Icebreakers of the past, we are planning a group toast to honor Jack Harlan’s retirement.  The HF radar operator community looks forward to this opportunity to connect before the next in-person meeting and hopes to expand participation.  If you are new to the HF radar community, or perhaps time constraints and travel costs have not allowed you to participate in previous workshops, we welcome you to join us for this virtual event!  Anyone with suggestions to add to the meeting’s agenda is encouraged to e-mail Surface Currents Program Manager Brian Zelenke (brian.zelenke@noaa.gov) who will coordinate submissions received with the ROWG organizing committee (viz. [in alphabetical order] Tom Cook, Brian Emery, Lisa Hazard, Mike Muglia, Mark Otero, Hugh Roarty, Trip Taylor, Teresa Updyke, and Brian Zelenke).

    • Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) Update: The Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) is excited to be rolling out some new efforts in the coming months. If you would like to find out more about what we have planned or how to get involved, JOIN UG2 Today! UG2 is a great way to connect with other glider operators and users. It is a grassroots community where members connect to share experiences, tips, and help each other out. We will be kicking off a webinar series December 9th at 2pm EST. More info to come.

    • 2021 Glider Training: The University of Southern Mississippi is planning 2021 sessions for the undergraduate Unmanned Maritime Systems Certificate Tier 1 and Tier 2 programs. The Tier 1 course is scheduled for March 15-April 16 in-person in Gulfport, with a maximum capacity of 15 students. The Tier 2 course is scheduled for a glider field project in Gulfport in October and November with a maximum capacity of 10 students. (Dates to be designated, but will coincide with the second half of the fall semester.). The Tier 1 program is normally a prerequisite to the Tier 2. Read the curricula flyer here and read more about the program.

    • ATN Steering Group Meeting: Our next ATN Steering Group Meeting, SG-8 is being scheduled for early December 2020. This will be the first meeting run jointly by co-chairs Bill and Sam Simmons.

    • First AniBOS Network Meeting: The first organizational meeting of our international AniBOS network is scheduled for November 18 & 19. It will be a remote meeting bringing together the global AniBOS community. 

    • MBON and ATN Seek Data Contributors to Track Marine Megafauna Hotspots: A new collaborative project between the US Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and the Animal Telemetry Network (ATN), called BioTrack, is seeking data contributors. This project aims to map and track hotspots of marine megafauna like sharks, whales, turtles, seabirds and others in order to assess where these species are overlapping and predict how they will change in the future. These hotspots are expected to change over time in response to environmental shifts, so it will be important to identify these critical areas and prioritize special protections.  This project is currently using satellite tracking data; if you would like to contribute data to the project please contact Chelsea Black at clb210@miami.edu or visit https://marinebon.org/pages/biotrack/ to learn more.

    • MBON Hosts Global Webinar on Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) Monitoring: On October 26, MBON along with GOOS, OBIS, Ocean Best Practices System, and OceanObs RCN hosted Melissa Miner, University of California - Santa Cruz, for a webinar highlighting efforts and successes of the Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe) program. MARINe is a simple and inexpensive, yet statistically sound approach to collecting long-term monitoring data. This approach has enabled the program to grow into a multi-organization consortium that monitors sites along the entire Pacific Coast of North America, from Alaska to Mexico. Key components to MARINe’s success will be highlighted, including: 1) collaboratively developed, standardized “core” protocols that can be layered with “supplemental” protocols to better capture regional differences, 2) a centralized database that ensures data accessibility and compatibility, 3) a website with data display capabilities that can be utilized by a broad range of users, including researchers, resource managers and the general public, and 4) a diverse funding model that can provide long-term sustainability.  The webinar was recorded and can be viewed here: https://usf.box.com/s/9oc14djcak07sjh9hw4ekq7fxcp1b2og

    • GOOS, MBON Colleagues in Japan Receive New Funding for Asia Pacific MBON: Masahiro Nakaoka (Hokkaido University),Takehisa Yamakita (JAMSTEC) and colleagues have just received funding for the 2020-2025 project “Evaluation of Marine Biodiversity in Coastal Areas of Southeast Asia: Improving Precision in Estimating Past Trajectory, Current Status and Future Forecast.” This funding will support the Asia Pacific MBON team’s work on seagrass and mangrove ecosystems in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, and the hope is to link with other types of marine ecosystems and with scientists in other countries in Asia Pacific regions. For more information or to collaborate, contact gabrielle.canonico@noaa.gov.

Data Management and Cyberinfrastructure (DMAC) Subsystem and Tools Built on IOOS data (DMAC System Architect Micah Wengren and IOOS Data Management leads: data.ioos@noaa.gov, or the 'ioos_tech' listserve: https://groups.google.com/g/ioos_tech):

  • 2020 DMAC Virtual Meeting: The 2020 DMAC Virtual Annual Meeting was held Oct 13 - 15.  Agenda and presentations will be made available on the IOOS DMAC website soon: https://ioos.noaa.gov/project/dmac/.  IOOS received over 140 registrations for this year’s virtual meeting, and average daily attendance on the videoconference numbered 100, making this the largest DMAC meeting of all time!

  • October DMAC Tech Webinar: GLOS Marine IoT Framework & Architecture - October 29th, 2020: Please join us next Thursday October 29 for the Halloween edition of the DMAC Tech Webinar series!  We'll have a spooky presentation from the GLOS DMAC team of Sneha 'Boo' Bhadbhade and Tim 'Killer' Kearns on GLOS' adoption of AWS for data ingest, dissemination, and DMAC integrations. Please join us next Thursday at 3PM ET using the meeting connection information below.

  • TDWG 2020: Hassan attended TDWG 2020 and contributed to the discussion on biological data standards. Check some interesting talks here: 

    • Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of Water Level Data Update: We’ve started on the update to the Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of Water Level Data. This manual was selected for an update because of the importance of water level due to sea level rise, storm inundation, and the proliferation of contracted private sector deployments. See the present manual at https://ioos.noaa.gov/ioos-in-action/manual-real-time-quality-control-water-level-data/ and let us know how it might be improved.

    • Ocean Best Practice System: The OBPS steering group met last week to review the results of the annual workshop and develop strategies for the next three, five, and ten-year periods. An important component of these plans addresses how the OBPS will interact with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development activities. Another recent OBPS development is a collaborative effort with the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) Research Vessel Technical Enhancement Committee (RVTEC). The RVTEC meeting is this week (see https://sites.google.com/unols.org/2020virtualrvtec/home?authuser=0) and OBPS SG members will participate, with the goal of bridging these two communities to the mutual benefit of both.

    • U.S. CLIVAR Ocean Uncertainty Quantification Working Group: Efforts to create the OceanUQ website continue. It will include a compilation of resources for uncertainty quantification for physical ocean variables – a listing of guides, websites, and handbooks for best practices in quantifying uncertainty. If you have any interest in contributing or developing a UQ blog relevant to your work, contact any working group member. Until the OceanUQ site is launched, see https://usclivar.org/working-groups/ocean-uncertainty-quantification-working-group.

Modeling and Analysis Subsystem (IOOS PO and IOOS Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed (COMT) POC – Tracy Fanara, Tracy.Fanara@noaa.gov):   

  • Mark Your Calendars - Ocean Visions 2021 Summit: The next Summit will be held on the campus of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography between May 18-20, 2021. We anticipate having three satellite campuses virtually linked in Australia, South Africa, and Germany. Details to follow. The summit is being planned as "in-person" on all campuses with the ability to also participate virtually thanks to our partner the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Please save the date and sign-up for updates, we will soon release a draft Program & Agenda and share the link on social media. https://www.oceanvisions.org/summit-2021. Join the Ocean Visions Network here: https://www.oceanvisions.org/support-us  

Interagency and International Collaboration/News:

  • UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development: Call For Decade Actions No. 01/2020 Now Open! The vision of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. To achieve the Ocean Decade vision, a wide range of partners will implement endorsed Decade Actions in the form of programmes, projects or activities over the next ten years. Proponents of endorsed Decade Actions will have the opportunity to join a highly visible, shared, global effort that builds on decades of achievement in ocean science. There will be opportunities to create new collaborations across disciplines, geographies and generations, as well as opportunities to access new sources of support. Via this first ‘Call for Decade Actions’, partners are invited to request endorsement under the Ocean Decade for transformative Decade Actions that contribute to the Ocean Decade vision. Interested parties should complete and submit the relevant online “Request for Endorsement” before 15 January 2021. This Call for Decade Actions is the first of series that will launched as part of the Ocean Decade and it focuses specifically on:
    • i. large-scale, multi-country, transformative Decade programmes; and
    • ii. large-scale contributions of in-kind or financial resources for Decade Actions or coordination costs.
  • DUE 8 NOVEMBER 2020: In order to plan for a dialogue and encourage cross-talk between Action proponents during the OceanObs RCN workshop sessions, we invite participants to send summaries of proposals for Programmes and Contributions for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to the workshop organizers for postingand information of other proponents. Please submit these contributions via email to:carib@usf.eduandjay.pearlman@fourbridges.orgby DATE: 8 NOVEMBER 2020 and include the following information: 
    • Title of proposed Action (even if draft)
    • Short (1-2 paragraph) description of the Action
    • Planned start date and duration
    • Brief description of group proposing
    • Point of Contact
  • BACKGROUND: The first call for Actions to address the ‘challenges’ and ‘outcomes’ envisioned for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) was released 14 October 2020: https://oceandecade.org/resource/124/Call-for-Decade-Actions-No-012020---Resources-Page (Deadline for proposals for Programmes and Contributions: 15 January 2021) These Actions should address the Ocean Decade Implementation Plan (Version 2): https://oceanexpert.org/document/27347.  
  • The United States National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council (NOMEC Council) Seeks Public Input on Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Efforts in the U.S. EEZ: The National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council (NOMEC Council), a group of federal agencies established to carry out the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone, is requesting your input on developing an Implementation Plan and setting strategic priorities for the effort to map the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by 2040 and explore and characterize strategic areas. The public may provide written input by November 12 and participate in online sessions November 16 and 18. 
    • REQUEST FOR COMMENTS: The public is particularly encouraged to provide comments via email on the development of the NOMEC Implementation Plan and strategic priorities. Please submit comments and letters by email no later than Nov 12, 2020, to nomec.execsec@noaa.gov, with subject line "Public Comment on Implementation Plan for the National Strategy" for request #1 and subject line, "Public Comment on Exploration Priorities for the Implementation Plan" for request #2. All responses and questions can be addressed to nomec.execsec@noaa.gov. Please reach out for additional information or questions regarding NOMEC.
  1. Implementing a National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the U.S. EEZ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a notice stating that the NOMEC Council requests input from all interested parties on the development of an Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the U.S. EEZ (“National Strategy”). Input should be provided by 12 November. 85 Fed. Reg. 64446(10/13/20) [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/10/13/2020-22411/request-for-comment-implementation-plan-for-the-national-strategy-for-ocean-mapping-exploring-and].
  2. Strategic priorities for mapping, exploring, and characterizing the U.S. EEZ NOAA issued a second notice stating that the NOMEC Council requests input from all interested parties on the strategic priorities to be included in the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy. Input should be provided by 12 November. 85 Fed. Reg. 64448 (10/13/20) [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/10/13/2020-22413/request-for-information-implementation-plan-for-the-national-strategy-for-mapping-exploring-and].
  • NOAA Improves Marine Navigation Near Georgia and New Hampshire Naval Bases: Two new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems, also known as PORTS®, are improving maritime safety near Kings Bay, Georgia, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, near two U.S. Navy installations. NOAA and the U.S. Navy partnered to install the first new PORTS in two years, the 34th and 35th in the nationwide network. The system nearNaval Submarine Base Kings Bay, the East Coast home to America’s Ohio-class submarines, is an integrated series of sensors which will provide critical real-time information on oceanographic and meteorological conditions. This will greatly increase the navigation safety of vessels entering and exiting the channels of the St. Marys River and the Cumberland Sound. The second site is near thePortsmouth Naval Shipyard, whose primary mission is the overhaul, repair and modernization of the Navy’s nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet. A new tide station on Seavey Island along the Piscataqua River will help protect shipyard personnel, critical facilities, and U.S. Navy submarines. Other local mariners and agencies will also have access to the real-time water level information, helping them better plan vessel transits and prevent mishaps. 
  • NOAA, Local Council to Improve Marine Navigation Near Valdez, Alaska: A new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System, also known as PORTSⓇ, aims to improve maritime safety and efficiency off Valdez, Alaska. The Valdez PORTS will consist of an existing NOAA National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) station at Valdez and two new meteorological-ocean buoys, operated and maintained by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC), that measure tidal currents, wind, air temperature, water temperature and barometric pressure. The PWSRCAC is an AOOS partner and the data from these buoys is currently being streamed real-time through the AOOS data portal. AOOS is working with the council on plans to provide maintenance, upgrades, and additional sensors to the critical buoys in the near future.
  • NOAA Participates in Standard Ocean Mapping Protocol Symposium: Non-federal stakeholders were given the chance to evaluate and comment on the new Standard Ocean Mapping Protocol (SOMP) through a virtual symposium. The protocol will guide all mapping participants (federal, state, non-governmental), providing recommended standards, specifications, and best practices that will improve communication, reduce costs, and prevent unnecessary/repetitive efforts. SOMP is initially focused on ocean mapping at least 40 meters deep. The symposium was hosted by the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping, of which NOAA’s Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping Program is a member.
  • OCS Completes Hydrographic Survey Response to Hurricane Delta: Office of Coast Survey’s (OCS)navigation response teams (NRTs) completed hydrographic surveys in areas affected by Hurricane Delta at the request of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). These areas included portions of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway adjacent to the Calcasieu Ship Channel in Louisiana. With lessons learned from the response to Hurricane Laura — the first major hurricane of the 2020 season and the first hurricane response during a pandemic — the NRTs successfully collected and processed data in separate locations. NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson also supported the response effort by surveying the entrance to the channel and found a sunken barge three meters below the surface. All survey data was processed and delivered to USACE to ensure timely reopening of waterways.
  • NGS Collects Emergency Response Imagery for Damage Assessment of Hurricane Delta: From October 10–11, the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) collected aerial damage assessment images in the aftermath of Hurricane Delta. NGS flight crews collected images in specific areas identified by NOAA in coordination with FEMA and other state and federal partners. The crew flew over more than 5,212 square kilometers during 12 hours and collected 9,741 images. NOAA’s aerial imagery aids safe navigation and captures damage to coastal areas caused by a storm. Aerial imagery is a crucial tool to determine the extent of the damage inflicted by flooding, and to assess the damage to major ports and waterways, coastlines, critical infrastructure, and coastal communities. This imagery provides a cost-effective way to better understand the damage sustained to both property and the environment.
  • FEMA Ends Policy Favoring Flood Walls Over Green Protections: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has taken a dramatic step to encourage communities to use environmentally friendly features such as wetlands for flood protection instead of building sea walls and levees. A new FEMA flood policyreleased last month is drawing praise because it will promote mitigation projects that provide environmental benefits in addition to flood protection. FEMA's policy boosts the nationwide push for "nature-based" flood control such as wetlands, open space and reefs over traditional flood barriers that are built to contain rivers and coastal storm surge and can disrupt the natural environment.Read more here. 
  • Due October 30th - Call for Nominations - Assessment and Advancement of Science in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Environmental Studies Program: The Ocean Studies Board is seeking experts to serve on the Committee on Assessment and Advancement of Science in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Environmental Studies Program. This committee will plan workshops and produce a report outlining how the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management can achieve "first in class" status for the use-inspired science program within their Environmental Studies Program. The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 30via the nomination form. Self-nominations are welcome. For more information and to submit a nomination,click here. 
  • Meet the New GOOS Steering Committee Co-Chair Anya Waite: Scientific Director and CEO of major Canadian ocean think-tank Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), Dr Anya Waite has been selected as co-chair of the GOOS Steering Committee by its members, joining co-chair Toste Tanhua. She is the first woman at the head of this body since its creation in 2011. Watch this 2 minute videowith Dr Anya Waite on her role as GOOS co-chair. Read more here. 
  • GOOS Observations Coordination Group Publishes Ocean Observing System Report Card 2020: The GOOS Observations Coordination Group launches a new Ocean Observing System report card and introduces the rebranding of JCOMMOPS as OceanOPS along with its first-ever 5-year Strategic Plan (2021-2025). The 2020 Ocean Observing System Report Card provides an update on the status of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), including the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on ocean observations and lessons learned, advances in observing measurements and initiatives, and the connection with ocean services resulting from the observations. Read more here and download the report card here. 
  • GOOS and the Ocean Decade: The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is set to launch on 1 January 2021 with a mission “to catalyse transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development, connecting people and our ocean.” An essential Ocean Decade infrastructure challenge, one of ten identified, is to “7: Ensure a sustainable ocean observing system across all ocean basins that delivers accessible, timely, and actionable data and information to all users.” GOOS plans to be a major contributor to the Decade, taking a central role in addressing Ocean Decade Challenge 7, and developing three transformative Ocean Decade programmes, united under the theme of integration: Integrated system design; Connecting to local communities; and Integrating observations into the coast. Teams from the GOOS Steering Committee are developing these concepts, and plan to open to community and partner input and co-design in the coming months. If you are interested, please contact us at decade@goosocean.org
  • Grants & Funding Opportunities:
    • RFP to Enhance Regional Ocean Data Sharing: SECOORA is soliciting proposals that focus on geospatial data required by states and regional organizations in addressing coastal and ocean management issues. The funding for this award was appropriated by Congress to enhance capacity for sharing and integration of data from Federal and non-Federal sources to support regional coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes management priorities. Proposals are due October 30, 2020 at 5 PM ET. Total funds available are $180,000. SECOORA intends to award between 1 and 5 proposals.  Click here for more information and how to apply. 
    • RFP to fill regional product and observational gaps: SECOORA is soliciting proposals focused on filling product and/or observational gaps defined in the Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System Strategic Operational Plan 2020 – 2025.  This document presents the SECOORA priorities for contributing to our improved understanding, management, and stewardship of valuable coastal ocean resources. Proposals are due November 30, 2020 at 5 PM ET.  Access the Operational Plan and find out more about the RFP here. 
    • Knauss Fellowship Opportunity Now Open! The notice of federal funding opportunity for the 2022 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship is now open. The fellowship provides a one-year, paid experience for highly-qualified early career professionals to work on issues related to coastal, marine and Great Lakes science and policy in offices within the executive or legislative branch of government in Washington, D.C. Graduate students interested in marine science policy should explore the information about the fellowship as soon as possible and talk to their local Sea Grant program (or the National Sea Grant Office) at least one month prior to the February 19, 2021 deadline. Learn more about becoming a Knauss FellowandRead the official opportunity on grants.gov.
    • NOAA Sea Grant & Ocean Acidification Program Funding Opportunity: Shellfish Aquaculture Partnerships: The National Sea Grant Office and the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program are funding a joint competition to fund proposals that seek to establish, continue, and/or expand collaborations between researchers and the shellfish aquaculture industry. Specifically, applications to this competition should utilize new or existing research/industry partnerships to study how ocean and coastal acidification in combination with other stressors impacts shellfish aquaculture. Applications must include at least one researcher and one shellfish grower acting as co-Principal Investigators, and the proposed work must utilize a co-production of knowledge framework. Read the formal announcement on Grants.gov NOAA-OAR-SG-2021-2006704. An informational webinar will be held in November, date to be announced. Letters of Intent due December 15, 2020 via email (oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov). Full proposals due March 16, 2021 via Grants.gov. This information is also available at https://seagrant.noaa.gov/Funding. 

Delivering the Benefits:

  • NOAA launches National Marine Ecosystem Status portal: NOAA's newest web portal is a remarkable tool showing "at-a-glance" the status of seven major US marine ecosystems across the U.S. as well as a national synthesis. The site provides a starting point for you to access and explore a multitude of NOAA (and IOOS Regional Association!) websites with information and data that NOAA collects on specific themes and regions. Check it out! 

  • Drones in the Coastal Zone now on demand: SECOORA’s Drones in the Coastal Zone workshop, held virtually earlier this month, reached capacity!  The content of the workshop is now available on YouTube in three parts.  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Congressional:

  • No update.

Communications/Outreach/Education:

  • St. Petersburg Science Festival goes virtual: The 2020 St. Petersburg Science Festival went virtual. The festival is an annual regional celebration where families and the public explore hands-on science, technology, engineering, art and math. Team IOOS, a joint effort between GCOOS and SECOORA, continued its 10-year tradition of collaborating at this event. Approximately 100 schools and over 3,300 students joined the live YouTube broadcast to learn about ocean observations, how IOOS supports safe and efficient maritime operations, and to practice deciphering the International Code of Signals. Dr. Chris Simoniello and Grant Craig, GCOOS, tag teamed with Abbey Wakely, SECOORA, to raise awareness about IOOS STEM resources and opportunities. Recorded sessions and accompanying activity sheets are available online!

  • NANOOS Presentation for NOAA West Watch: NOAA's most recent West Watch was held on 20 October 2020. The webinar summarized coastal environmental conditions and impacts in the Western Region. The webinar included contributed slides from the NANOOS, CeNCOOS, and SCCOOS regions, who regularly report on their local coastal ocean conditions. The next webinar date is 26 January 2021. Contact NANOOS if you want to participate or have any comments.

  • OA experiments can be done at home! The "For Educators" page on the Alaska OA Network website has links to curriculum, videos and experiments that can also be used by parents overseeing at-home learning. The curriculum is organized by concepts identified in the Common Core standards which are used by Alaska schools.  Looking for a quick OA demo? This video provides a short background on OA followed by a tabletop experiment showing how increased CO2 affects the pH of water. 

  • The Economic Value of MARACOOS - We need to hear from YOU! In partnership with the IOOS Association, we are looking for input on the value you see in MARACOOS data and services. It is important to note that MARACOOS is NOT considering charging for data, we are simply trying to capture the value of what we do. Please take the brief survey here: middlebury.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9TBH66Y1Ru7AbL7. If you have any questions, please contact: info@maracoos.org.

Click here to view the IOOS Association Calendar

Do you have suggestions for new things you would like to see in the Eyes on the Ocean IOOS Bi-Weekly? Contact us at: eoto@noaa.gov.

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