You may know that the Office for Coastal Management’s Digital Coast website was developed to meet the unique needs of the coastal management community. What you may not be aware of is that in addition to providing data and predictive tools, the site offers a wealth of learning resources through its Digital Coast Academy.
June is our annual celebration of National Ocean Month. We are often asked at this time of year, how many oceans are there? There’s only one! The ocean is the defining feature of our planet, covering approximately 70 percent of Earth’s surface. Our one ocean is divided into five named ocean basins and is intricately connected to major lakes, watersheds, and waterways through a vast and complicated drainage system. No matter where you live, you are connected to our one global ocean.
On April 3, 2018, several NOAA leaders joined me and local officials at PortMiami to dedicate a new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) comprised of three offshore buoy-mounted current meters that will enhance navigation safety for the Miami seaport. In Miami, ship pilots face strong currents from the Gulf Stream as they enter the channel. The new PORTS provides pilots with critical real-time information that they need to make navigation decisions, using a new technology configuration that makes the meters more reliable, more cost-efficient, and extends their range offshore. The information is especially important as cargo ships and cruise ships become larger and carry more goods and people.
2018 is the third International Year of the Reef—a platform to highlight the importance of coral reefs. Covering less than one percent of the planet, coral reefs are the home to 25 percent of marine species and supply food to millions of people. They are also vital to our ocean economy, providing billions of dollars in services, such coastal protection, jobs, tourism and more.
I’d like to take a moment to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments across our programs in FY 2017. More than 40 examples of our success appear in the newly released Fiscal Year 2017 Year in Review. Here are some numbers that help tell the story of the year.
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Steven Thur has been selected to serve as Director of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) effective December 10, 2017. Dr. Thur brings a high degree of scientific rigor and an emphasis on organizational excellence that we believe will advance the work of NCCOS and coastal science throughout the National Ocean Service.
The strength of the United States economy is a topic of frequent discussion. Today, I'd like to highlight the value of of a particular segment of the U.S. economy. The ocean economy includes businesses dependent on ocean and Great Lakes natural resources.
This post summarizes recent NOS activities supporting response and recovery to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
The breadth of the National Ocean Service's response to Hurricane Harvey is far-reaching. View a synopsis of current activities.
I'd like to share two recent developments from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS). In June, we released a new five-year strategic science plan and officially completed an organizational realignment from five research Centers to an office with three divisions.
It is with profound sadness that I share with you the news that our beloved colleague, Margaret Davidson, has passed away following a long illness. Margaret was the greatest visionary I ever had the pleasure to meet—and she was a visionary who took action. When she spoke of "now," she meant two to three years down the road because she was always thinking that far ahead of the rest of us. She was a mentor, confidant, and a friend to me and to many other in the global coastal community.
National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator Dr. Russell Callender.
