MOU with West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health

The West Coast Ocean Observing Systems (SCCOOS, CeNCOOS and NANOOS) and the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health (WCGA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in October 2012 to advance the effective management of coastal and ocean resources on the West Coast. The MOU, signed by the state governments of California, Oregon and Washington and by the directors of SCCOOS, CeNCOOS and NANOOS, provides a formal mechanism for ensuring that the organizations' collaborative efforts are responsive to the comprehensive West Coast stakeholder community and incorporate the best available ocean observation-based information. Please click here for more information.

West Coast MOU

In order to further the mission of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and serve the requirements for ocean observations, data, and information at the scale of the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), the three regional components of IOOS on the West Coast recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand and strengthen West Coast regional ocean observing collaboration.

Through the MOU, the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS), the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS), and the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) affirmed their commitment to jointly plan CCLME observations and share information that will mutually benefit each sub-region and the West Coast as a whole.

“IOOS is a national-regional partnership working to provide new tools and forecasts to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect our environment,” said Zdenka Willis, Director of the U.S. IOOS Program. “Long-term partnership building between regional IOOS partners further strengthens the national system and its ability to address unique management issues that span political boundaries.”

The MOU represents a formalization of the commitment of SCCOOS, CeNCOOS, and NANOOS to work cooperatively with governmental and non-governmental entities in identifying and providing ocean and coastal information products that inform a broad range of scientific, economic and management activities in fisheries and water quality, climate variability and change, coastal hazards, marine commerce and safety, and other priorities identified by regional management groups.

“SCCOOS, CeNCOOS and NANOOS have demonstrated their ability to effectively address sub-regional issues based on unique expertise and stakeholder input,” said John Stein, Acting NW Fisheries Science Center Director and Western Regional Collaboration Team Lead for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “Functioning as a cohesive whole at the scale of important regional ocean governance and management initiatives–including the West Coast Governors‘ Agreement on Ocean Health–will ultimately benefit the stakeholders in these initiatives and the users of the IOOS system.”

A copy of the MOU can be accessed here. Please contact Julie Thomas, SCCOOS Executive Director, at jot@cdip.ucsd.edu with any questions.

"California's Ocean" Podcast and Video

Travel the California coast to discover how several very different people use ocean observing systems. An Ocean Gazing Podcast produced by COSEE NOW in collaboration with SCCOOS and CeNCOOS. Listen to the podcast or download the iPod video here.

Access realtime and archived SCCOOS data collected within the Southern California Bight (SCB). Products include

Access information about SCCOOS rapid response and intensive regional observations projects. (more)