Natio n al O cea n Service

America’s Oceans and Coasts:

Safe, Healthy, and Productive

oceanservice.noaa.gov

NOS VISION

A nation with safe, healthy, and productive oceans and coasts

NOS MISSION

To provide science-based solutions through collaborative 

partnerships to address evolving economic, environmental, 

and social pressures on our oceans and coasts

NOS Vi s i on a n d Mi ss i on

T h e N a t i on a l O c e a n S e r v ice

is the nation’s premier science agency for oceans and coasts with 

1,700 scientists, natural resource managers, and other highly trained 

specialists who:

Provide state-of-the-art nautical charting, geospatial positioning, and 

tidal and water-level monitoring.

Protect places, including areas within the National Marine Sanctuary 

System.

Support coastal state management of 27 national estuarine research 

reserves.

Respond to hazardous oil and chemical spills, assess damages to the 

environment, and restore habitats back to health.

Empower states to protect coastal resources and guide economic 

development.

Enable coastal managers to make better decisions through targeted 

training programs in the United States and abroad.

Assess, monitor, and predict impacts from natural and human-induced 

environmental hazards such as climate change, harmful algal blooms, 

hurricanes, erosion, habitat loss, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise.

Advance ocean and coastal management internationally.

Promote global standards and protocols for open exchange of scientific 

information to improve environmental decision making. 

N atio n al O cea n S ervice

Our oceans and coasts touch every American 

every day – providing us with places to live, 

food to eat, jobs, commerce, recreation, 

energy, even medicines that heal. In the face of growing 

challenges, the National Ocean Service is leading the 

way to keep coastal communities, economies, and 

ecosystems safe, healthy, and productive.
Climate change | Port congestion

Ocean acidification | Sea-level rise

Population growth | Pollution

Drought | Water Quantity & Quality 

Coral bleaching | Shoreline erosion

Marine debris | Floods 

Addressing these challenges and protecting America’s oceans and 

coasts requires:

Ocean and Coastal 

Management, Protection, 

and Restoration

to help communities and 

ecosystems withstand the effects 

of more than 50 percent of the 

population living near the coasts 

on just 17 percent of total U.S. 

land area.

Ocean Science and 

Technology

to fight pollution that has 

rendered almost 50 percent of 

tested U.S. estuaries and 12 

percent of coastal waters unfit for 

swimming, fishing, or aquatic life.

Safe and Efficient 

Navigation

to ensure the U.S. Marine 

Transportation System continues 

to enable shipping of more than 

95 percent of foreign trade, which 

currently generates one trillion 

dollars each year for the U.S. 

economy.

T he N ational Oc ean S ervi c e l e a d s t h e n at i o n and the world in promoting: Productive 

and sustainable ocean and coastal ecosystems Coastal communities that effectively manage the risk of hazards 

and climate change Safe and efficient maritime transportation Environmental education that inspires action to protect precious 

resources. T he N ational Oc ean S ervi c e and our p artners will help grow our nation’s coastal economy 

while sustaining a healthy and productive environment through achievement of these eight major goals:

1 Prepare the Coasts for 

a Changing Climate... 

through tools and information to help 

communities better utilize coastal 

resources in a rapidly changing 

environment.

Inform community land-use decisions 

with tools and information addressing 

impacts of coastal flooding and sealevel rise

Guide coastal development through 

national climate change adaptation 

policies

Acquire and restore habitats to protect 

coasts from impacts of sea-level rise

2Create Tomorrow’sSolutions... through innovative integration 

of ocean and coastal science and 

technologies.

Improve navigation, ecosystem 

management, and coastal 

development strategies with 

Integrated Ocean and Coastal 

Mapping (map once, use many ways)

Develop integrated ecosystem 

assessments for NOAA’s eight 

regional ecosystems by 2015

Develop an Integrated Ocean 

Observing System to deliver 

innovative products and services 

3Protect Human Health and Safety...

by providing early warning systems 

for threats through systematic ocean 

assessments and by ensuring that timely 

data reaches NOAA partners to help 

them take actions to protect human 

health. 

Prevent unnecessary beach closures 

with timely and accurate pathogen 

forecasts

Provide harmful algal bloom forecasts 

for U.S. coastal waters to protect 

human health and coastal economies

Update environmental health and 

hazard resilience indices in real time

4Sustain Coastsand Economies... through promotion of economic 

security while sustaining 

environmental health and 

productivity.

Ensure safe movement of goods 

that contribute more than 1 trillion 

dollars to the nation’s economy 

Promote energy security through 

environmentally sound ocean 

development

Improve food safety through 

monitoring and assessment

Mitigate escalating costs of 

coastal disasters

5 Monitor Changing Oceans and Coasts... by ensuring accurate, timely, and 

relevant observations of dynamic 

environments so communities have 

the right data from the right place 

at the right time.

Chart 3,000 square nautical miles 

for safe navigation each year 

Drastically reduce the number of ships 

running aground by providing realtime information at major ports

Map U.S. coral ecosystems for 

management and protection 

Provide coastal land use change analysis

6Protect Resources at Risk...

through conservation and responding 

to environmental threats at home and 

abroad to prevent damage to critical 

watersheds and other resources.

Reduce marine debris and 

abandoned fishing gear on 

U.S. coasts

Acquire or designate special places 

for long-term protection 

Provide ecological characterizations 

to meet management needs 

7 Raise the Nation’sCoastal Conscience...

by connecting people with oceans and 

coasts, linking protection with future 

prosperity, and prompting individual, 

community, and global action.

Raise community awareness about 

coastal risks and provide tools to 

reduce loss

Inspire more volunteers to improve 

the nation’s oceans and coasts 

each year

Encourage ocean literacy and 

protection through education 

and training for all ages

8Foster Action by All Nations... to better manage our global ocean 

and coasts.

Enhance long-term U.S. and global 

economic security through ocean 

and coastal resource management 

and protection

C halle n g e s Con f r ont i n g t he Na t i on The Na t i on al Ocea n Ser v ice Mee ts t he C halle n g e