The Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System is the U.S. IOOS Region that provides coverage from Point Conception south to the Mexico border.  The primary goal of SCCOOS is to provide the scientific data and information needed to inform decision-making and better understand the changing conditions of the coastal ocean in Southern California.  SCCOOS has aligned its priorities and objectives with the focus areas designated by U.S. IOOS, as identified by users and stakeholders throughout the nation.

Distinguishing characteristics of the Southern California region:

• Advancing integrated, customized products that are critical for safe and efficient navigation, search and rescue, and oil spill response.
• Promoting safe recreational use of beaches and provide warnings of wave and tide-induced coastal inundation.
• Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms, ocean acidification and hypoxia, protecting drinking water, beach and near shore water quality, and ecosystem based management.
• Monitoring Harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, protecting drinking water, ocean acidification, beach & near shore water quality, and ecosystem based management.