Saving Seafood

NOAA invests $45.7 million to improve ocean observing systems

October 9, 2026 — NOAA’s U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) Office announced today 11 new five-year cooperative agreements to support regional and national ocean observing. These agreements will enable U.S. IOOS regional associations to operate regional coastal observing systems (RCOSs) throughout U.S. waters, and will provide $45.7 million in funding for the first year.

Data collected from ocean observations:

  • Supports anglers, aquaculturists, shipping and logistics managers, and coastal communities in making sound economic and safety decisions;
  • Supports management and mitigation of coastal hazards, such as flooding and harmful algal blooms; and
  • Provides essential information for weather forecasting and national defense.

The regional associations are a fundamental part of the national observing system, and help ensure that the system is both effective and efficient. They are federally certified to collect and manage high-quality observing data, forming robust partnerships with local stakeholders and coastal communities. As the regional component of the nationwide U.S. IOOS network, regional associations meet local needs by using stakeholder feedback to guide the development of RCOSs while also integrating national priorities and requirements.

These cooperative agreements are awarded every five years through a competitive process and support the continued operation and modernization of our nation’s coastal, ocean and Great Lakes observing capabilities. Total awards include additional funding from other NOAA offices in the National Ocean Service, National Weather Service, NOAA Fisheries, NOAA Satellites and NOAA Research.

Read the full article at NOAA Ocean Services

ALASKA: AOOS: Home of Alaska ocean data

September 3, 2026 — Bordered by the Pacific and Arctic oceans and the Bering Sea, Alaska is home to the richest fisheries in the world, and the source of half the wild fisheries harvest in the U.S.

Managing the fisheries of the 900,000 square mile EEZ, or exclusive economic zone, surrounding the state effectively requires massive amounts of data that are often collected by different entities, public and private, using different methods. Harvesting the bounty safely and economically also relies on information about weather, waves, ice conditions, stock migration patterns, and more.

To gather and share the data being collected to support Alaska’s marine economic and subsistence activities, the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) was founded in 2003 and started operating in 2004 as one of the regional hubs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) national Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). IOOS was formally established in 2007 and continues to expand in its role as an information portal on many fronts.

“It’s a lot to manage,” says AOOS’ executive director, Sheyna Wisdom. “If you look at California, for example, they have two regional hubs, and they’re both on the Pacific. Ours are very spread out, and if you look at the Arctic, it doesn’t have the same information needs as Southeast.”

Besides marine traffic, water quality, and other projects, much of the AOOS budget of over $4 million goes into funding research that supports fisheries and coastal communities that depend on fisheries.

“What we do is collect information and make sure it is available to the people who need it,” says Wisdom. “With the Alaska Sea Grant, we co-host the bi-monthly Alaska Marine Policy Forum where the public gets updates on marine policy issues. We also facilitate several collaboration networks to connect people across Alaska, such as the Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network or the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network. We take our role as a connector very seriously.”

Read the full article at National Fisherman