IOOS Monthly Newsletter
February 2025
The Eyes on the Ocean™ Newsletter is an informal way of keeping you up-to-date on U.S. IOOS® activities.
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ICYMI: the Regional Association Model Inventory is live! We’ve gathered 150+ models run by IOOS Regional Associations and made them indexed and searchable — find the models you need with a few clicks!
Dear IOOS Community,
In December, I had the privilege of helping announce the awardees for our Ocean Enterprise Accelerator program during an event at the National Press Club here in Washington, DC. The value of ocean data and information has never been in more demand. IOOS supports lives, communities, businesses, and our day-to-day lives. This program will expand not only our ability to gather and use that data, but it will also spur growth in the Ocean Enterprise sector, helping to continue this path of development and commercialization for years to come.
Over the next four years and guided by market needs, these accelerator groups will recruit and mentor small businesses and entrepreneurs from all over the country who are developing promising ocean technologies and data services, and help them take those developments from idea to implementation. We’re so excited to see where this project takes us!
And on a different note: over our winter hiatus, we used our newsletter survey results to develop a new, sleeker look — a big thank you to all who took the time to respond. One difference I’d like to highlight is that we’re streamlining the content coming to your inbox, with more news available in our online edition. Please click through and explore more of what interests you. We hope you like the changes, and if you’d like to send us any feedback, reach out to eoto@noaa.gov.
Thanks,
Carl
From the
IOOS Office
Ocean Enterprise Accelerators announced: NOAA announced $54.3 million in awards to kickstart four innovative business accelerators. The program, led by U.S. IOOS, creates a nationwide network of accelerators that will identify and develop key commercial opportunities that leverage ocean and coastal observing technologies and information services. These business accelerators will empower early to mid-stage businesses, providing them with training, resources, mentorship, and seed funding to successfully bring innovative solutions to market. https://ioos.noaa.gov/about/governance-and-management/inflation-reduction-act/accelerators/
MTS Dialogues with Industry - HABs Webinar Series: On January 15 and 29, the Marine Technology Society held the first two of three three Dialogues with Industry about harmful algal blooms. The first dialogue was focused on instrument provision. Tiffany Vance, Laura Brenskelle, and Zack Baize from the IOOS Office participated in the NOAA planning team for these dialogues. The second, held January 29, focused on user-driven ocean information and the final dialogue on February 12, 2025 will discuss mechanisms for control.
- Dialogue 3 (Feb 12, 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM ET): Focus on Mechanisms for Control | Register!
IOOS Launches K-12 Education Toolkit! A joint project between the IOOS Enterprise and UCAR, the toolkit leveraged existing resources from the Regional Associations to provide a collection of activities that help students learn about ocean observing. The activities are place-based but offer suggestions and jumping off points for learning related to other parts of the country, allowing educators to customize the activities more if they choose. The full toolkit is available in English and Spanish on the IOOS Association website: https://ioosassociation.org/resources/k-12-education-toolkit/
Observing Systems, Data, and Modeling
PacIOOS Forecast Notification System: The PacIOOS Forecast Notification System has been updated and is available on the PacIOOS website! The notification system is designed to send an alert to your registered device when there is a forecast of a high sea level or impact event for the selected location. https://notifications.pacioos.hawaii.edu/
CETACEAN Data Repository is now live! This five-year collaborative project is focusing on helping to restore Gulf cetacean populations following the Deepwater Horizon spill. Online at cetacean.gcoos.org.
The Salish Sea and Columbia River Operational Forecast System (SSCOFS) data is live on the IOOS Model Viewer. Check it out here: https://oceansmap.com/link/5ATm_RB8Q32ZXxVnLd_mdA
Real-Time Shark Detection Buoys Deployed: The Shark Lab at CSU Long Beach deployed two new real-time acoustic receiver buoys with support from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. These buoys, now operational off San Onofre and Ventura, collect and transmit air temperature, near-surface water temperature, and acoustic transmitter detections. Additionally, each buoy is equipped with sensors near the seafloor to measure water temperature, chlorophyll, and dissolved oxygen. These sensors are collecting critical shark detection and environmental data, transmitted in real-time to California lifeguards to enhance beach safety. By early 2025, this data will also be accessible via the SCCOOS and CeNCOOS data portal. https://data.caloos.org/
Northeast Pacific Acoustic Telemetry node: AOOS is a key partner in the development of the new Northeast Pacific Acoustic Telemetry (N-PAcT) node, an initiative focused on building partnerships to better understand marine species on the move. This collaborative network will unite researchers and organizations from Alaska to Baja California who are actively working or interested in tracking marine animals using acoustic telemetry. https://aoos.org/announcing-the-northeast-pacific-acoustic-telemetry-node/
Join IOOS and mentor a student for Google Summer of Code 2025! IOOS plans to apply for our fourth year as a Google Summer of Code (GSoC) mentoring organization in 2025. To have the best chance of being re-accepted, we need as many quality projects ideas and mentors from our extended DMAC community (you!) to include in our application by the Feb 11 deadline. https://ioos.noaa.gov/news/google-summer-of-code-2025-application/
Establishing bio-logging data collections as dynamic archives of animal life on Earth: A new paper published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, highlights the progress made within the bio-logging community, including networks such as the U.S. Animal Telemetry Network (ATN), to increase the availability of telemetry data. This paper also included recommendations for more coordination and support to sustain efforts across relevant stakeholders and contains a global map of existing projects currently available within the ATN, alongside other bio-logging platforms around the world (Figure 1). https://rdcu.be/d5ptG
NOAA and BOEM WTRIM coordination: NOAA and BOEM have fully executed an Annex to the NOAA-BOEM Memorandum of Understanding to Coordinate and Collaborate on High-Frequency Radar Interference Mitigation. This addendum to a 2022 MOU between NOAA and BOEM establishes a mechanism to ensure that offshore wind lessees are responsible for mitigating potential interference from their turbines to the IOOS HF-radar National Network. The Annex includes specific measures to be included in the terms and conditions of BOEM’s approval of any offshore wind projects with foreseeable oceanographic HF-radar impacts. Those terms include OSW lessees instrumenting their wind farms with ocean surface current and wave sensors, and telemetering those data to IOOS for public distribution for the life of the wind farm.
New informational video provides a primer on Alaska HABs: The Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network announced the release of a new informational video that provides insight into harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their impacts across Alaska. https://aoos.org/new-informational-video-provides-a-primer-on-harmful-algal-blooms-in-alaska/
NANOOS Buoys Rescued! Many thanks to the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards and the Makah Tribe for their roles in helping recover valuable assets affected by unusually intense storm action in the Pacific Northwest. The CRITFC/CMOP Plume buoy, the UW/APL Cha’ba buoy, and one of the Quileute Tribe’s two Backyard Buoys spotter buoys took unplanned journeys — you can read more about the recoveries at the link. https://www.nanoos.org/news/index.php?item=ThankYouCoastGuards241219
IOOS Enterprise
Community Ice Thickness Data Collection: GLOS is starting a community ice thickness project to help Great Lakes ice models. Webinar Feb. 6! https://glos.org/ice-thickness-monitoring/
New Tool Supports Resilience in Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: This Story Map helps planners tackle climate challenges. https://aoos.org/new-tool-supports-climate-resilience-in-rural-alaska/
2024 Caribbean Hurricane Glider Mission Enhances Understanding of Ocean Heatwaves, Storm Intensification. Let’s look at what we’ve gotten back. https://news.caricoos.org/2024/12/09/2024-hurricane-glider-mission-in-the-caribbean-region-enhances-understanding-of-ocean-heatwaves-and-storm-intensification/
NANOOS launches videos collection. Find the full catalog of NANOOS videos from webinars to tutorials and more! https://www.nanoos.org/videos/videos.php
2024 Vembu Subramanian Ocean Scholars Award winners: Four selected for an opportunity to present at a conference or meeting. https://secoora.org/winners-2024-vembu-ocean-scholars-award/
2024 SECOORA Data Challenge winners: This student competition calls for proposals combining datasets to address coastal community issues. https://secoora.org/winners-of-2024-secoora-data-challenge/
GCOOS now has its own unique ROR identifier. GCOOS’s new ROR is https://ror.org/024q01f72.
Backyard Buoys in Alaska 2024: AOOS looks back at the highlights of the busy 2024 Backyard Buoy season. https://backyardbuoys.org/2025/01/22/backyard-buoys-reflects-on-a-successful-2024-season-in-alaska/
The IOOS Association has a new website! Check it out: https://ioosassociation.org/
GCOOS Begins 20th Anniversary Year. Celebrating 20 Years of Ocean Observing in the Gulf of Mexico. https://gcoos.org/20-years/
GCOOS releases 2024 Annual Report. Read the highlights and access the full report online. https://gcoos.org/2024-annual-report/
Partners
NOAA releases Coastal Ocean Reanalysis: CORA delivers 40+ years of modeled water level and wave information every 500 meters along the U.S. east and Gulf coast. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/jan25/NOS-releases-first-modeled-dataset.html
Tidal Analysis Datum Calculator in Digital Coast. For quick generation of a suite of tidal datums using water level data. https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/tad.html
VDatum Transformation Coverage Tool now publicly available. New web-mapping application developed to determine where vertical datum transformations can be performed. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/f10ad7ee020d49d49eff432462e884fb
2024 National Plan for Civil Earth Observations Published. The National Plan helps inform Federal investments in civil Earth observation systems. https://usgeo.gov/national-plan.html
First IODE/GOOS Data Workshop Report: Access the full Workshop Report here: https://goosocean.org/document/35428, or download the Executive Summary here: https://mcusercontent.com/75c69bf185fb2be069850f6ee/files/3c793003-1f02-75e5-9260-e70d6cf46173/IOC_IODE_GOOS_Data_Workshop__Executive_Summary.pdf.
COP16 Outcomes. At the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16), the focus on ocean biodiversity reached new heights. https://goosocean.org/news/cop16-outcomes-ocean-observing-and-data-for-biodiversity-conservation/
GOOS seeks Observations Coordination Group Vice Chair: Standards and Best Practices. Opportunity closes February 14. https://goosocean.org/news/goos-call-for-observations-coordination-group-ocg-vice-chair-standards-and-best-practices/
NOAA launches BIL-IRA Awards Explorer. New map tool hosts database of 900-plus NOAA projects. https://www.noaa.gov/news/bil-ira-awards-explorer-find-investments-making-big-difference-for-us-communities
New Papers and Reports
- Establishing bio-logging data collections as dynamic archives of animal life on Earth
- Modeling the advective supply of Calanus finmarchicus to Stellwagen Bank as an indicator of sand lance foraging habitat, and the climate vulnerability of a National Marine Sanctuary
- September 2024 California HAB Bulletin
- California HAB Bulletin: October 2024
- 2024 GCOOS Annual Report
- USGEO EOA Climate Report
- CDIP Extreme Wave Event Bulletin: Pacific Coast Long-Period Swell Dec. 22-24
- Experimental Weekly Sargassum Inundation Risk
- Outlook of 2024-25 Sargassum blooms ( January 7, 2025)
News Clips
- Map Shows Where Floridians Face 'High Risk' of Red Tide Irritation (GCOOS), Newsweek, 12/2/2024
- Scientists to study with underwater robots (GLOS), The Alpena News, 12/7/24
- Biden-Harris Administration identifies 4 business 'accelerators' to boost the Blue Economy (NOAA/U.S. IOOS Press Release)
- 'Blue Economy' Target of Government Funding
- Tampa Bay Wave partners with NOAA in $13.9M initiative to advance 'bluetech' solutions
- New funding will help entrepreneurs create technology to strengthen coasts
- Seaworthy Collective raises new funds and joins NOAA’s $13.9M BlueTech initiative
- StartBlue Accelerator Program Awarded $13.5 Million from NOAA to Expand Support for Ocean-Focused Startups
- South Florida, Tampa Bay nonprofits join blue tech accelerator program with $14M federal earmark
- $14 million NOAA grant fuels blue tech innovation in Florida
- Braid Theory – an AltaSea Anchor Tenant – Part of NOAA’s Fast-Track Innovations Grant on Coastal Resilience and the Growing Blue Economy
- Boston nonprofit gets $13.5M from NOAA for new bluetech accelerator
- USF and partners launch innovative accelerator program to grow the marine economy
- Baldwin Secures $13.4 Million for New Business Accelerator to Support Great Lakes Economy and Resiliency
- Local group wins $14 million for blue tech accelerator
- Great Lakes accelerator focused on water technology lands federal funding
- Tampa Bay Wave joins $13.9 million NOAA initiative
- Braid Theory – an AltaSea Anchor Tenant – Part of NOAA’s Fast-Track Innovations Grant on Coastal Resilience and the Growing Blue Economy
- StartBlue Accelerates with Major Funding
- Building Resource and Community Resilience to Rapidly Changing Oceans (NOAA Fisheries)
- New Radar Station Improves Ocean Data for St. Thomas as Delayed Buoy Replacement Continues (CARICOOS), The Virgin Islands Consortium, 12/16/24
- Celebrating the Success and Growth of the Blue Water Task Force in 2024 (PacIOOS), SurfRider, 12/17/24
- 47-Foot Fin Whale Found Washed Ashore Near Anchorage (IOOS, AOOS, NANOOS, PacIOOS), Alaska Native News, 12/18/24
- Alaska Marine Science Symposium to feature Backyard Buoys, keynote speakers (AOOS), The Cordova Times, 12/18/2024
- Great Lakes researchers ask for help from ice fishing community (GLOS), WCMU, 12/26/2024
- Effort To Map Bottom of Great Lakes Part of Climate Change Mitigation Effort (GLOS), Urban Milwaukee, 12/27/2024
- Mending Fences: Strengthening Homeland Defense through Integrated Civil-Military Air Surveillance (U.S. IOOS), War on the Rocks, 1/10/2025
- National Ocean Service releases first modeled water level and wave dataset (U.S. IOOS), NOAA National Ocean Service, 1/13/2025
- How Mapping the Seafloor Benefits Science and Safety (GLOS), Discover, 1/13/25
- Veterinarians strive to save sea lions from toxic algae (SCCOOS), VIN News Service, 1/14/2025
- Biden-Harris Administration invests more than $17 million for Regional Ocean Partnerships through Investing in America (GLOS, CARICOOS, SECOORA, PacIOOS, AOOS), NOAA, 1/14/2025
- Freight steamer, fireboat among another record number of Lake Michigan shipwreck discoveries (GLOS), Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/23/25
- Push to map the Great Lakes floor continues (GLOS), WCMU, 1/23/25
- The hatcheries that are helping oysters pass the acid test (U.S. IOOS), The Fish Site, 2/3/25
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