# Presentation: 329893

## Ten–Year Strategic Plan for the NOPP

Achieve & sustain an Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)

Promote lifelong ocean education

Modernize ocean infrastructure & enhance technology development

Foster interagency partnerships to increase & apply scientific knowledge

- Achieve & sustain an Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
- Promote lifelong ocean education
- Modernize ocean infrastructure & enhance technology development
- Foster interagency partnerships to increase & apply scientific knowledge

**Notes:**
This year, the NOPP strategic plan, which makes the establishment of the IOOS a high priority, was approved by the NORLC.

## Commission  on Ocean Policy

- Implement ecosystem–based management
- Strengthen regional approach
- Implement an Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)

**Notes:**
The COP report strongly recommends ecosystem-based, regional approaches and makes IOOS implementation a high national priority.

## Strengthen the Regional Approach

- _Region_: The next larger scale one must observe to understand local scales of variability & change
- IOOS Regions
- Flexible boundaries for ecosystem – based, adaptive management
- Fixed boundaries for funding & accountability

**Notes:**
As for the regional approach, the best definition I’ve seen for the purposes of ecosystem-based management is “The next larger scale....”
For the purposes of the IOOS, we use 2 definitions.  For ecosystem-based management, boundaries cannot be fixed.
However, for the purposes of funding and accountability, fixed boundaries are a must.

## Coastal Component

-   Federal Agencies
-    Responsible
-   EEZ & Great Lakes
-   Core variables required by
-     regions & Federal Agencies
-   Network of sentinel &
-     reference stations
-   Standards/Protocols

-  Regional Associations
-   Responsible (aka ROC)
-  Involve private & public
-   sectors
-  Inform Federal Agencies
-   of user needs
-  Enhance the backbone
-    based on user needs
-  Incorporate sub–regional
-   systems

- _Regional COOSs_

- _National Backbone_

**Notes:**
The National Backbone will be operated by federal agencies, cover the nation’s EEZ and GLs, measure and process a set of core variables, establish networks of sentinel stations, and use common standards & protocols.
Regional observing systems will be operated by RAs which will involve both private & public sectors in design, operation, & improvement of the system, inform federal agencies of regional needs, enhance the backbone, and incorporate sub-regional systems and elements as needed.  
Note that RAs provide an important means by which private sectors, state and federal agencies, and NGOs can contribute to and benefit from the IOOS.

## Part I – Structure and Governance

Vision & IOOS design principles
Planning  Implementing Bodies & Process

Part II – Building the Initial IOOS (FY 05 – 06)

Link existing observing subsystem assets across agencies
for the provision of integrated products
through data management & communications (DMAC)

Coordinate regional development

Part III – Improving the IOOS (FY 07 – 14)

Enhance the initial IOOS
R&D priorities

- Vision & IOOS design principles
- Planning  Implementing Bodies & Process
- Part II – Building the Initial IOOS (FY 05 – 06)
- Link existing observing subsystem assets across agencies
- _for the provision of integrated products_
- _through data management & communications (DMAC)_
- Coordinate regional development
- Part III – Improving the IOOS (FY 07 – 14)
- _Enhance_ the initial IOOS
- R&D priorities

- 1st Annual IOOS
- Development Plan

**Notes:**
The 1st Annual IOOS Development Plan recommends the way forward.  It has 3 parts.  Part I is primarily concerned with governance, part II with building the initial IOOS using existing observing subsystem assets, and part III with enhancing the initial system.

## Part I – IOOS Governance

**Establish Policies & Procedures**
_**Federal Agencies**_
**Responsible for Implementing the**
**Global Component & National Backbone**

**Executive Committee**
**Approve Plans**
**Provide Resources**

**OceanUS**
**Plan & Coordinate**

**NFRA**
**Represent & **
**Coordinate**

**ORAP**
**Advise**

**USGSC**
**User Input &**
**Performance**

**Interagency Working Group**

**RAs**
**Responsible for**
**RCOOSs**

**Part I – IOOS Governance**

**Notes:**
In terms of governance, the plan calls for Ocean.US to function as an Interagency Program Office under the auspices of the NORLC and its Exec Com.  It also calls for the establishment of RAs and an NFRA and gives the rationale the underlying rationale.

## Part II:  The Initial IOOSFirst Steps

- Global & Coastal
- Develop the DMAC subsystem
- Coordinate development of global & coastal components
- Establish education network
- Global
- Continue implementation of observing subsystem elements
- GODAE
- Coastal
- Establish RAs
- Implement the initial backbone to improve estimates of core variable fields
- Implement coastal GODAE

**Notes:**
Part II makes continued implementation of the global component, coordinated development of the coastal and global components, and the development of an integrated DMAC system high priorities.

## Part II: Initial National BackboneRecommended Operational Observing Subsystem Elements

- Remote Sensing
-  GOES, POES (NOAA)
-  Altimetry Data Fusion Center (Navy)
*In Situ* Sensing
-  Stream gauge programs (USGS)
-  Tide gauge networks (NOAA, USGS)
-  Buoy programs (NOAA, Navy)
-  Wave gauge programs (NOAA, Navy, USACE)
-  Hydrographic & Habitat surveys (NOAA, USGS,         	USACE)
-  LMR – Endangered Species Surveys  (NOAA, USGS)

**Notes:**
Recommended programs for the initial operational backbone include both remote sensing and in situ measurements.  While remote sensing focuses on physical variables, in situ programs include several that survey habitats and measure chemical and biological variables.

## Part III – Enhancement Categories

- DMAC
- Global  National  Regional
- Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems
- Incorporate existing “sub–regional” observing systems & elements
- National Backbone Operational Observing Subsystem
- Increase density of measurements
- Incorporate additional sensors
- Education & Training

**Notes:**
Priority enhancements of the operational IOOS target the global ocean component, DMAC, RCOOSs, the National Backbone and Education. 

## Part III – Enhancement CategoriesHigh Priority Pilot Projects

-  Surface current maps (NOAA, Navy, NSF, USGS, MMS, USACE, EPA, USCG)
-  Near shore bathy-topography maps (NOAA, Navy, USACE, USGS)
-  Coastal GODAE (??)

**Notes:**
Priorities for R&D include developing capacity for surface current mapping and high resolution near shore bathy-topography mapping.  Modeling, benthic habitat mapping, and improved observational capabilities are also priorities for R&D.  Again, these recommendations are based largely on recommendations that came out of Airlie House.

## The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System(IOOS)

- NOAA
- Navy
- NASA
- NSF
- USACE

- USGS
- MMS
- EPA
- USCG
- DOE

- An Interagency Collaborationfor the Public Good

- http://ocean.us

**Notes:**
The 1st Annual IOOS Development Plan is currently available on the Ocean.US web site for public comment through 15 November.  I urge you to review it and send us your comments.  Thank you.