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3. 2021 NOS Science Report

2021 National Ocean Service Science Report
          Selected scientific projects undertaken by NOS program offices during Fiscal Year 2021.


This report includes summaries of selected scientific projects undertaken by the program offices of NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) during Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21). All of these projects were submitted by each program  office for consideration in the annual NOAA Science Report (2021), within which many are  also featured. Each project summary includes a  short description of the research conducted by  NOS staff, major accomplishment(s), and points  of contact, with links to published materials and  online project information. This product was assembled by the National Ocean Service Coastal Science Board, which serves as the forward-thinking science advisory group to the  National Ocean Service. The Board provides a forum to strengthen internal connections between program offices; NOS Headquarters and Leadership; and NOAA Headquarters, resulting in better service to NOS constituents and greater support of NOAA’s mission. Additionally, the Board  provides assistance to all NOS Program Offices  in establishing and addressing priorities for  coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes science, as well  as in identifying current and future science and  research requirements in support of NOS Program  Offices, associated stakeholders, and statutory  mandates. The Board reports to the director of  the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, who serves as the NOS representative to the NOAA Science Council. The Board also  provides annual updates of its progress to NOS  program office leadership. The National Ocean Service is the nation’s  premier science agency for oceans and coasts.  NOS delivers the applied science, modeling,  tools, and services needed to understand, predict,  and respond to the challenges we face along  America’s 95,000 miles of shoreline and 3.5  million square nautical miles of coastal, Great  Lakes, and deep-ocean waters. Additionally, NOS  oversees the definition, maintenance, and access  to the National Spatial Reference System for all  federal geospatial activities. This enables NOS to  better manage the sea/shore boundary for coastal  resilience and planning.
 2021 NOS Science Report The NOS Science Report for 2021 is a subset of the larger NOAA Science Report. The document is available to download in whole or in parts below.
 NOS Science Report 2021: Full Report
 This report includes summaries of select scientific projects undertaken by program offices of
                          NOAA’s National Ocean Service during Fiscal Year 2021. Each project summary includes a short description of the research conducted by NOS staff, major accomplishment(s), links to published materials, and online project information.
 Section One: Preparedness & Risk Reduction (Coastal Resilience)
 COASTAL COMMUNITIES represent a major
economic engine for the United States.
Immediate and potentially life-threatening events
such as hurricanes, as well as long-term issues like
high tide flooding, are real challenges to coastal
communities. NOS brings a unique range of
information and capabilities to help communities
prepare for, respond to, and recover from these
events.
 Section Two: Safe and Efficient Transportation and Commerce
 SHIPS MOVE $1.5 TRILLION worth of products
in and out of U.S. ports every year. Every
ship moving in and out of U.S. ports relies on
navigation charts and water level information
that NOS alone provides. All mapping, charting,
and transportation activities and infrastructure
are founded on a reliable, accurate national
coordinate system. NOS is solely responsible for
maintaining that system, which provides more than
$2.4 billion in potential annual benefits to the U.S.
economy. Businesses in the maritime community
rely on NOS for a range of decisions, from how
much cargo to load to choosing the safest and
most efficient route between two points. They use
NOS data, tools, and services to plan seasonally
for ship schedules to service global trade more
safely and efficiently as significantly larger vessels
transit through U.S. ports.
 Section Three: Stewardship, Recreation, and Tourism
 The value of the U.S. coastal
tourism and recreation industry in 2009 was
$62 billion. NOS plays a critical role in protecting
and promoting access to these special coastal
and marine places. NOS is entrusted with the
responsibility to manage a network of underwater
parks encompassing more than 600,000 square
miles of coastal, marine, and Great Lakes waters.
Across all national marine sanctuaries, about $8
billion annually is generated in local economies
from activities like commercial fishing, tourism,
and recreation. NOS also partners with states to
manage national estuarine research reserves, a
network of 29 coastal sites designated to protect
and study estuarine systems. The reserves
reflect the rich diversity of environments along
our coasts and Great Lakes, and provide places
for education, recreation, and boosting local
economies.


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