America’s Oceans and Coasts: Safe, Healthy, and Productive 

The National Ocean Service 

2008 Annual Report 
Message from the 

Assistant Administrator 

“America’s oceans and coasts safe, healthy, and 

productive.” These words are more than just a phrase 

for the people of the National Ocean Service (NOS) 

– they represent our mission, our passion, and a 

seemingly simple idea that keeps us moving towards a 

common goal. 

NOS is proud to highlight our annual 

accomplishments and the value of these eff orts in 

reaching that goal, and in the pages that follow, we 

recount some of the ways that we are seeking solutions 

to the challenges facing America’s 95,000 miles of 

shoreline and 3.5 million square miles of coastal, Great 

Lakes, and deep-ocean waters. 

From climate change, sea-level rise, storms, and marine 

debris, to pollution, port congestion, and population 

growth, the demand on our fragile resources continues 

to grow, threatening not only the health of the coasts 

and ocean, but human health as well. Th e people 

at NOS are tackling these challenges and remain 

dedicated to growing our Nation’s coastal economy 

while sustaining a healthy and productive environment. 

In 2008, we worked to keep coastal communities safe, 

responding to nearly 180 hazardous spill incidents, 

restoring damaged resources, and delivering the tools, 

information, and training needed to help coastal 

managers do their jobs better. We continued to assess 

the effects of natural hazards on coastal areas, and, 

along the Gulf Coast, we installed four hurricanehardened structures to collect essential water-level data 

during extreme coastal storm events. 

Observing is the foundation of understanding, and 

as we learn more about our oceans and coasts, we 

will be better prepared to respond to changes such 

as sea-level rise and habitat loss. To this end, over 

the last year, we made great strides in refining the 

NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System Program, 

providing new tools and resources to develop standards 

for data management and communications. Th ese 

data standards are a critical piece to ensuring that 

ocean observations collected from diff erent sources 

are compatible. We are ultimately working to build 

a national system to better understand and forecast 

ocean and coastal changes and their impacts. 

Because our waterways form the backbone of our 

national commerce system, in 2008, we took initial 

steps to upgrade and modernize NOS’s hydrographic 

data collection fleet. The increased speed and 

capability of these vessels will allow us to collect 

hydrographic data to produce the Nation’s nautical 

charts. In addition, the Physical Oceanographic RealTime System® was expanded to four new locations in 

the Gulf of Mexico, helping to further ensure smooth 

traveling along our Nation’s marine highway. 

2 The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 
In order to keep you and your family safe, the people 

at NOS conducted research on increased occurrences 

of bacteria and disease in coastal areas and explored 

techniques to address problems such as coastal 

pollution. We funded research to predict both the 

larger-than-normal harmful algal bloom in the Gulf of 

Maine and the largest “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico 

in the summer of 2008. These predictions helped local 

communities prepare for these events, reduce economic 

losses, protect human health, and overall serve as the 

scientific foundation for management eff orts. 

And finally, to protect the marine and coastal areas that 

are special for their aesthetic, recreational, ecological, 

cultural, and economic value, we worked to develop 

innovative science and technology solutions to solve 

coastal problems. In 2008, NOS scientists released 

a major report assessing the condition of coral reef 

ecosystems, showing that nearly half of the Nation’s 

coral reefs are now considered to be in “poor” or “fair” 

condition. NOS commemorated the designation of the 

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in 

Hawaii as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area to support 

conservation of this nearly 4,500-square-mile pristine 

coral reef habitat, and we worked with nations around 

the world to protect other sensitive marine ecosystems. 

I ask that you read this year’s accomplishments to 

gain a fuller appreciation of the scope and reach of 

the NOS mission. We continue to make great strides 

towards our goal, and we are excited about what we will 

accomplish in the coming year. 

While this report highlights many activities for 2008, 

it does not come close to capturing the energy, hard 

work, and passion the men and women of this great 

organization bring to bear upon our critical mission 

each and every day. Together with our partners, I am 

confident that we will overcome the challenges facing 

our oceans and coasts. 

Together, we will keep America’s oceans coasts 

safe, healthy, and productive—today and for future 

generations. 

John H. Dunnigan 

Assistant Administrator 

National Ocean Service 

The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 3 
Protecting Coastal Communities 

The narrow fringe of our Nation’s coast covers less than 20 percent of our land area yet is home to more than 

half of all Americans. As more people move to live in this finite coastal space, coastal communities become more 

vulnerable to threats such as coastal storms and climate change. 

During fiscal year 2008, the diverse expertise, products, and services that are the hallmark of the National Ocean 

Service helped keep Americans along the coast safer. Highlights from the year include: 

• Responding to nearly 180 hazardous spill incidents, including the M/V Cosco Busan spill in San Francisco 

Bay, California; the release of an estimated 419,000 gallons of fuel oil on the Mississippi River near New Orleans, 

Louisiana; and hundreds of reported spills that occurred as a result of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. In addition 

to maximizing recovery efforts and minimizing environmental damage after these spills, NOS assessed injured 

resources and began the restoration process. 

• Installing NOAA“Sentinels of the Coast” at four locations in the Gulf of Mexico. These water-level observing 

stations are built to withstand Category 4 hurricanes and deliver real-time storm-tide data during severe coastal 

weather events. NOAA water-level and meteorological data are key components of coastal decision making 

before, during, and after major storms. 

• Releasing a 20-year study that shows that environmental laws have had a positive eff ect on reducing overall 

contaminant levels in U.S. coastal waters. The report, which presents findings in a quick-reference format, 

nevertheless points to continuing concerns with elevated levels of metals and organic contaminants found near 

urban and industrial areas of the coasts. 

• Making land-cover change maps and information available for nearly all developed areas of the Nation’s coasts. 

These data show how much of a region is covered by forests, wetlands, impervious surfaces, and other land and 

water types and can be used to document trends and changes over time. Land-use information is important for 

understanding and managing coastal change. The data are online at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/landcover/. 

4 The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 
The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 5 

The challenge for NOS is 

to understand, protect, and 

manage coastal areas to 

make coastal communities 

safer and more sustainable. 

In rising to this challenge, 

NOS is working to enhance 

coastal resiliency in the face 

of natural disasters and 

climate change, to minimize 

the environmental, social, 

and economic impacts from 

coastal hazards. NOS is 

also protecting and restoring 

coastal habitats, reducing 

impacts associated with 

coastal development and other 

uses, and protecting coastal 

water quality and quantity 

to prevent illness and sustain 

ecosystems. 

• Finding and reporting navigation hazards throughout the Nation’s 

waterways. From charting and notifying mariners about a 600­

pound World War II-era torpedo in the Gulf of Mexico to locating 

for removal 600 tons of rock hazards from the entrance to Port 

Fourchon, Louisiana, NOS was hard at work responding to survey 

requests near some of the Nation’s busiest ports. 

• Providing Federal leadership in support of the Gulf of Mexico 

Alliance and its regional priorities. Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, 

Mississippi, and Texas initiated the Gulf Alliance in 2004 with 

the goal of increasing regional collaboration to enhance the 

environmental and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA 

played a key role in implementing many actions identified in the 

Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts and 

supported efforts to develop actions centered on coastal community 

resilience. 

• Releasing draft management plans for the Papahānaumokuākea 

Marine National Monument in Hawaii and Stellwagen Bank 

National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Massachusetts. Th e 

plans lay the foundation for protecting these marine areas and 

recommend actions to better manage each area and its resources. 

• Beginning, in cooperation with coastal states, to track habitat 

conservation performance measures to better communicate the 

National Coastal Zone Management Program’s role in conserving 

coastal habitat. Habitat conservation is increasingly important as 

populations in the Nation’s coastal zone continue to grow. 
Observing Our Oceans & Coasts 

Our planet is constantly changing. Right now, it is changing quickly and in ways that are impacting society. Despite 

this fact, our oceans, which cover more then 70 percent of our planet, remain poorly understood. And much of what 

we do know about the oceans is fragmented. 

In fiscal year 2008, NOS made great strides in collecting observations to improve our knowledge of ocean and coastal 

changes. Highlights from 2008 include: 

• Providing, through the NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) Program (part of NOS), new 

tools and resources to enhance the development of standards for data management and communications. 

IOOS partners now have access to a set of Web-based tools to simplify the process of submitting proposed new 

standards. Data standards ensure that ocean observations collected from multiple sources are compatible, an 

essential component of building IOOS. 

• Beginning the installation of a sentinel climate change monitoring network that will monitor coastal land 

elevations in relation to local sea level throughout the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. In the 

coming years, the goal is to expand the program to include all reserves within the system, to establish the reserves 

as “sentinel” sites for measuring and monitoring the impacts of climate change on estuarine systems. 

• Leading eff orts to make selected ocean observation data compatible, thereby increasing their value and utility 

for decision-support tools, products, and services. Last year, NOAA IOOS focused on a set of fi ve observations, 

including temperature, salinity, water level, currents, and ocean color, and targeted harmful algal bloom forecasts, 

coastal flooding predictions, integrated ecosystem assessments, and hurricane intensity forecasts for data delivery. 

• Releasing a new version of the Web mapping portal NowCOAST (http://nowcoast.noaa.gov/) that provides 

users with near real-time coastal environmental information, including weather forecasts and global sea-surface 

temperature analyses. NowCOAST is used to help recreational and commercial mariners, emergency responders, 

coastal managers, coastal ocean modelers, marine educators, and others plan and manage coastal uses. 

6 The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 
The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 7 

NOS is filling the gaps 

in information needed 

to better understand 

and forecast ocean and 

coastal changes and their 

impacts on commerce and 

transportation, weather and 

climate, and ecosystems. 

Central to these eff orts is 

the establishment of an 

Integrated Ocean Observing 

System to coordinate and 

disseminate data and 

information to decision 

makers so that they can take 

action to improve safety, 

enhance our economy, and 

protect our environment. 

• Initiating a two-year eff ort to add meteorological sensors to National 

Water Level Observation Network stations, with 25 stations upgraded 

in fiscal year 2008. The upgrades included the installation of wind, 

barometric pressure, and air temperature sensors, followed by monitoring 

and validation of the data. NOAA water-level and meteorological data 

have long been key components of coastal decision making. 

• Supporting NOAA’s Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping initiative 

to serve the greatest possible range of ocean and coastal geospatial data 

users through partnerships, the development of common standards, 

and technological innovation. Pilot projects in North Carolina, New 

Hampshire, and Alaska helped enhance ocean and coastal mapping 

activities and maximize the usefulness of the data and products. 

• Expanding the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System 

(PORTS®) to four new locations in the Gulf of Mexico and on the 

West Coast while enhancing existing PORTS® along some of the 

Nation’s busiest waterways. NOAA PORTS® provides accurate, realtime ocean and weather data to mariners to enhance safe and effi cient 

marine transportation. PORTS® data are accessible online at http:// 

tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ports.html. 

• Awarding funding to various partners to help develop a national 

network of 11 Regional Coastal Ocean Observing Systems and 

management structures. Transitioning regions to a national network 

of observing systems and management structures will help expand the 

network of ocean-related observations, data, and products available and 

meet regionally specifi c needs. 
Supporting Marine 

Transportation 

Each year, the U.S. marine transportation system conveys 95 percent of U.S. foreign trade by volume, moves two billion 

tons of freight, transports millions of people, contributes over $700 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product, and 

provides more than 13 million jobs. Yet America’s ports – our lifelines for commerce, trade, and the economy – are 

highly congested, increasing the risk of accidents and environmental harm. 

In fiscal year 2008, NOS continued to support the Nation’s commerce with information for marine transportation. 

Highlights from the year include: 

• Releasing a new version of the Online Positioning User Service (OPUS). By using as little as 15 minutes’ 

worth of dual-frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) data, the new version, known as OPUS-Rapid 

Static (OPUS-RS), saves time and money relative to the standard OPUS, which requires at least two hours of 

GPS data. OPUS and OPUS-RS allow users to submit their GPS observations to NOAA, where the data 

are processed to determine corresponding three-dimensional positional coordinates. Each OPUS solution is 

estimated to save the user $600 over traditional positioning methods. 

• Helping to organize and participating in an international workshop to develop a draft standard for displaying 

environmental information on electronic navigational charts (ENCs). Participants came to consensus on a 

draft proposal to display information on marine protected areas and coral reef ecosystems on ENCs that will be 

refined and submitted for approval to an International Hydrographic Organization committee. Such eff orts are 

important in preventing ships from damaging delicate marine ecosystems. 

• Releasing three new products that use data from the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®), 

including a Web site that delivers a brief paragraph capturing the conditions of an estuary, port, or harbor in real 

time; a Web site that allows users to customize their PORTS® displays to include plots from any station and 

data type; and an application that allows PORTS® users with Internet access on their mobile phones to view data 

products directly on these devices. 

8 The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 
Now more than ever, the tools and 

information developed by the National 

Ocean Service are required to keep 

marine transportation safe, effi cient, and 

environmentally sound. From producing 

and updating nautical charts to managing 

the Nation’s geospatial reference system, 

providing accurate positioning information, 

delivering real-time oceanographic 

information, and surveying our shoreline, 

NOS is there to ensure smooth traveling 

along the Nation’s marine highways. 

• Launching a new multimedia elementary educational program, Nautical Charts, to teach budding mariners in 

grades 3 through 5 about chart symbols, boating safety, and why nautical charts are important. Nautical Charts is 

online at http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/nautical_charts/. 

• Continuing work with Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize to improve surveying and charting capabilities in 

the face of increased shipping traffic through the Gulf of Honduras. The countries are also pursuing Particularly 

Sensitive Sea Area designations to bring international attention to the Gulf ’s unique resources, including the 

Mesoamerican Great Barrier Reef, and to facilitate safer, environmentally sensitive maritime commerce. 

• Launching plans to replace existing surveying vessels and upgrade and modernize NOS’s hydrographic data 

collection fl eet. Two new vessels are currently under construction and the NOAA Ship Rainier added a new 

survey launch that features increased speed, expanded deck space, and an updated interior layout. The work of 

these vessels is central to collecting the hydrographic data needed to produce the Nation’s nautical charts and 

ensure safe navigation. 

• Advancing efforts to protect blue whales in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, following the deaths of 

five blue whales within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary during 2007. NOS forwarded a draft 

emergency response plan to members of a special Subcommittee of the Sanctuary Advisory Council. Th e plan 

calls for increased surveillance, improved coordinated response to possible strandings, and the initiation of 

precautionary management actions. 

• Beginning test flights of an airborne gravimeter in support of the Gravity for the Redefinition of the American 

Vertical Datum (GRAV-D) program. GRAV-D is an effort to use gravity data to redefine the vertical datum of 

the United States by 2017. The GRAV-D program will allow NOAA to increase the accuracy of the geoid model 

and, ultimately, give users the ability to use GPS to determine elevations relative to sea level. 

The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 9 
Reducing Ocean & Coastal 

Health Risks 

What happens in our oceans and on our coasts can have a direct impact on our health. Blooms of toxic algae, more 

frequent occurrences of bacteria and disease in waters, and increased chemical and nutrient pollution are putting 

hundreds of millions of people in danger. 

NOS is working to protect the health of all Americans as well as marine life and the economies that depend on healthy 

ocean and coastal marine resources. Highlights from fiscal year 2008 include: 

• Funding research that predicted that the 2008 hypoxic zone, or “dead zone,” in the northern Gulf of Mexico 

would be the largest on record. Later research found that the actual size of this low-oxygen zone was slightly 

smaller than predicted, but was still the second-largest dead zone on record. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone 

threatens commercial and recreational fisheries. Predictions of the dead zone’s size help determine relationships 

between hypoxia and nutrient pollution and provide the scientific foundation for management eff orts. 

• Hosting a workshop to address land-based sources of pollution in China’s Xiamen Bay and Juilong River. 

These important ecosystems are impacted by pollutant loading from excessive application of agricultural nutrients 

and pesticides, sedimentation and soil erosion, and domestic waste-disposal practices. The workshop focused on 

developing a plan of action to address these problems. 

• Testing the incorporation of surface currents data into the Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasting System (HABFS). HAB-FS partners are working with the NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System Program to receive 

the currents data. Including currents data in the forecasting system is one step toward improving prediction of 

HABs. Better prediction of HABs has a direct bearing on the tourism industry, public health and safety, fishing 

and aquaculture industries, and the management of threatened and endangered species. 

• Providing specialized assistance to coastal managers and other stakeholders to enhance the effectiveness of local 

management and planning to address land-based sources of pollution that threaten coral reef ecosystems. 

Efforts included hosting a workshop on managing island watersheds in Guam and establishing pilot projects in 

the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to improve water quality and reduce sediment runoff near coral reefs. 

10 The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 
The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 11 

The National Ocean Service 

strives to predict, manage, 

and prevent ocean and 

coastal health risks. NOS 

provides early-warning 

systems and forecasts to 

reduce risks of exposure to 

contaminants and builds 

networks to monitor and 

evaluate illness in people and 

marine animals. Biological 

and chemical sensors help 

measure threats to public 

health, and NOS research is 

establishing links between 

land use and chemicals in the 

marine environment. 

• Funding the first-ever prediction of a larger-than-normal 

harmful algal bloom in the Gulf of Maine in the summer of 

2008. The prediction allowed shellfish farmers and fishermen to 

shift the timing of their harvests and state resource and public 

health managers to make better decisions regarding closures of 

shellfish beds. Th ese eff orts helped reduce economic losses 

from the bloom and prevented people from eating contaminated 

shellfish and getting sick. 

• Approving, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control 

Programs for South Carolina and Florida. Congress established 

this program in 1990 to encourage better coordination between 

state coastal zone managers and water-quality experts to reduce 

polluted runoff in the coastal zone. Twenty-one of the 34 coastal 

states and territories now have fully approved Coastal Nonpoint 

Pollution Programs. 

• Investigating environmental contaminants in and around 

the National Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay, California. More 

than 70 vessels make up the fleet, which is maintained by the 

United States Maritime Administration for national defense 

or emergency purposes. NOAA is working with all involved 

stakeholders to evaluate potential environmental concerns, 

including heavy metals and antifouling agents in paint that is 

peeling off of the vessels. 
Marine Places

Protecting Coastal & 

With expansive beaches and a seemingly endless horizon of blue water, the beauty of ocean and coastal areas is hard 

to dispute. Yet we rarely think about our dependence on coastal resources to satisfy our ever-increasing appetites for 

energy, food, goods, and services. 

During the 2008 fiscal year, NOS remained on the front lines to protect our Nation’s coastal and marine places. Some 

2008 highlights include: 

• Commemorating the designation of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument as a Particularly 

Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) by the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United 

Nations. The monument, which provides habitat for more than 7,000 marine species and contains 4,500 square 

miles of pristine coral reefs in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, is the twelfth PSSA in the world. Th e PSSA 

designation deems an area deserving of special protection because of its ecological, socioeconomic, or scientifi c 

significance and its potential vulnerability to damage from international maritime activities. 

• Publishing new editions of nautical charts that depict the boundaries of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine 

National Monument, the newly designated PSSA, Ship Reporting System Areas, and special zones known as 

“Areas to be Avoided.” The updated nautical charts will help mariners navigate the waters of the monument’s 

remote and pristine 1,200-mile stretch of coral islands, seamounts, banks, and shoals. 

• Assisting Trinidad and Tobago in the development of a National Program of Action (NPA) to improve 

watershed management and protect coastal resources. An NPA provides a framework for coastal management 

and is a national plan to prevent, reduce, control, and/or eliminate marine degradation from land-based activities. 

NOS helped identify major land-based pollution sources and refined specific actions to mitigate pollutant 

impacts on Trinidad and Tobago. 

12 The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 
To balance environmental conservation, 

economic development, and recreational 

enjoyment of ocean and coastal resources, 

the National Ocean Service is protecting 

13 national marine sanctuaries, one 

national marine monument, 27 national 

estuarine research reserves, and a network 

of other marine protected areas. NOS 

is working to identify, reduce, and 

prevent marine debris and to increase 

our understanding of coral bleaching and 

disease while taking steps to conserve these 

“rainforests of the sea.” 

• Organizing the fifth annual NOAA Restoration Day, where 200 NOAA employees and partners worked to 

restore a site in Maryland and a site in Virginia. Restoration activities included planting underwater Bay grasses, 

seeding native oysters on an offshore reef, planting over 2,000 wetland plants, performing coastal-bottom mapping 

via boat, clearing brush, and fish seining. 

• Protecting over 8,000 acres of critical coastal habitat – including 35 properties – through the Coastal and 

Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP). Five new CELCP projects were selected for funding during 

the year; projects were chosen based on their contributions to ecological conservation, recreational opportunities, 

aesthetic and historical significance, and technical and scientific merits, among other criteria. 

• Leading a scientifi c research expedition to the site of the remains of three sunken German submarines off 

the coast of North Carolina. As part of an effort to properly document and protect the wrecks, NOS conducted 

a non-invasive archaeological survey that included photo documentation of the vessels’ visible sections and the 

biological communities found at the sites. 

• Working to reduce the amount of unused fishing gear in fi shing communities and the marine environment 

through the Fishing for Energy Project. This partnership project provides a place for a fishing community to 

dispose of, at no cost, old or derelict fishing gear recovered while at sea. New Bedford, Massachusetts, was the first 

port on the Eastern Seaboard to launch the program, with four sites added and plans to expand to the entire East 

Coast. 

• Releasing The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2008, a 

report assessing the condition of coral reef ecosystems in 15 locations ranging from the U.S. Caribbean and Gulf 

of Mexico to the western Pacific. Research in the report shows that nearly half of the Nation’s coral reefs are 

now considered to be in “poor” or “fair” condition. 

The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 13 
The National Ocean Service 

at a Glance 

We value your interest, questions, and comments. Please feel free to contact us. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

National Ocean Service 

1305 East-West Highway 

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3281 

(301) 713-3074 

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov 

NOS Communications (301) 713-3010 

Public Affairs (301) 713-3066 

The Assistant Administrator’s Office 

(301) 713-3074 

JOHN H. DUNNIGAN 

Assistant Administrator 

WILLIAM CORSO 

Deputy Assistant Administrator 

NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER (CSC) 

(843) 740-1200 

http://csc.noaa.gov 

CSC provides skills and information resources to state and local coastal resource managers, supporting issues such as 

hazards, habitats, sustainable communities, and data and information access and usability. 

CENTER for OPERATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PRODUCTS and SERVICES (CO-OPS) 

(301) 713-2981
 

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov
 

CO-OPS collects and distributes observations and predictions, including tides and currents, to ensure safe, effi cient,
 

and environmentally sound maritime commerce.
 

NATIONAL CENTERS for COASTAL OCEAN SCIENCE (NCCOS) 

(301) 713-3020 

http://coastalscience.noaa.gov 

NCCOS conducts and supports research, monitoring, assessment, and technical assistance for managing coastal 

ecosystems and society’s use of them. 

14 The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 
OFFICE of COAST SURVEY (OCS) 

(301) 713-2770 

http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov 

OCS is the Nation’s nautical chart maker – collecting, 

managing, and compiling the data and information 

necessary to maintain the national suite of over 1,000 

nautical charts. 

NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY (NGS) 

(301) 713-3242 

http://geodesy.noaa.gov 

NGS develops and maintains a national system of 

positioning data needed for transportation, navigation, 

and communication systems; mapping and charting 

efforts; and defense operations. 

OFFICE of NATIONAL MARINE 

SANCTUARIES (ONMS) 

(301) 713-3125 

http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov 

ONMS protects and manages 13 sanctuaries and one 

marine national monument, which together encompass 

more than 150,000 square miles of U.S. ocean. 

OFFICE of OCEAN and COASTAL RESOURCE 

MANAGEMENT (OCRM) 

(301) 713-3155 

http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov 

OCRM provides leadership to state and territorial 

coastal programs, manages a national system of marine 

protected areas, and supports management and science 

to protect coral ecosystems. 

OFFICE of RESPONSE and RESTORATION 

(OR&R) 

(301) 713-2989 

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov 

OR&R works to prevent and mitigate harm to coastal 

resources, responding to oil spills and hazardous 

material releases and working to restore damaged 

coastal resources. 

NOAA INTEGRATED OCEAN OBSERVING 

SYSTEM (IOOS®) PROGRAM 

(301) 427-2420 

http://ioos.noaa.gov 

NOAA IOOS® supports the development of a 

coordinated network of people and technology working 

together to generate and disseminate continuous data 

on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, and the oceans. 

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE (IPO) 

(301) 713-3078 

http://nosinternational.noaa.gov 

IPO is the focal point for NOS’s international activities 

to enhance U.S. and international partnerships and 

capabilities for ocean and coastal management. 

NOS MANAGEMENT and BUDGET OFFICE 

(MBO) 

(301) 713-3056
 

MBO is the focal point for planning, management,
 

budget, internal and external communication, and 


education activities of the National Ocean Service.
 

Thank you to all of the National Ocean Service employees, family members, and friends who 

contributed to this publication. Photo contributors include: Robert Schwemmer, Claire Fackler, 

Steve Sellers (Eastern Carolina University), NCCOS’s Center for Coastal Environmental Health and 

Biomolecular Research, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Maritime Administration, and numerous other 

people and groups not listed here. 

The National Ocean Service: 2008 Annual Report 15 
U.S. Secretary of Commerce 

Carlos M. Gutierrez 

Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - NOAA 

William J. Brennan, Ph.D 

Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management 

National Ocean Service 

John H. Dunnigan 

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ 

NOS Communications and Education (301) 713-3010 

Public Affairs/Media Relations (301) 713-3066 

National Ocean Service 

1305 East West Highway 

Silver Spring, MD 20910 

U.S. Government - 2008