The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)

IOOS is a national-regional partnership working to provide new tools and forecasts to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect our environment. Integrated ocean information is available in near real time, as well as retrospectively. Easier and better access to this information is improving our ability to understand and predict coastal events – such as storms, wave heights, and sea level change. Such knowledge is needed for everything from retail to development planning. The IOOS Mission is to lead the integration of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing capabilities, in collaboration with Federal and non-Federal partners, to maximize access to data and generation of information products, inform decision making, and promote economic, environmental, and social benefits to our Nation and the world. The eleven regional associations that comprise IOOS include the Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CARICOOS), which represents the U.S. Caribbean Exclusive Economic Zone. https://ioos.noaa.gov/about/about-us

CARICOOS Mission

The Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CARICOOS) is the regional association and coastal and ocean observing system managed by Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. CARICOOS is committed to: (i) providing integrated, remotely-sensed, forecasted and in situ information about the Caribbean coastal region and related ecosystems for timely use by a diverse range of stakeholders, including federal and state agencies, researchers, the maritime sector, industries, educators, and others seeking to know current and foreseeable ocean conditions, to understand this coastal environment, to manage ocean and littoral resources, and to develop commercial uses of marine resources, data, and information; (ii) helping to anchor a national ocean observing system; (iii) developing new sensor technologies; and (iv) stimulating innovation by supporting new and expanded business opportunities in such areas as, but not limited to, energy, ocean and coastal engineering, information technology, and living marine resources. http://www.caricoos.org/

Introducing OCOVI

Ocean and Coastal Observing – Virgin Islands, Inc. (OCOVI) initiates and facilitates activities in the USVI region that monitor, manage, protect, sustainably utilize and foster appreciation of the region’s marine and coastal environments and resources by providing data, information, products, services and advisement. OCOVI assists CARICOOS in advancing the goals of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).