Each match consists of a series of toss-up questions that individual team members must answer without collaboration. A team, correctly responding to a toss-up question, is given a bonus question. The final competition features a third type of question given once per game. Unlike the toss-up and bonus questions, both teams can answer the team challenge question and win points for their correct responses. Each match has a maximum of 1 team challenge question and 25 toss-up questions paired with an equal number of bonus questions.
Additional time is given during the break for team challenge questions at the final competiton.
While regional competitions are generally completed in one day, the finals are held over a two-day period. The winning teams from each of the nineteen competitions are offered transportation to, and room and board in Miami, FL for the final competition on March 31 to April 3rd, 2001. The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a collaborative effort between CORE and NMEA with financial sponsorship provided by several federal agencies and additional sponsors. Regional Coordinators and Volunteers Nineteen sites have been selected from among the CORE institutional membership for the regional bowl competitions. Each site has designated a staff member as the primary coordinator for the region.