Summary of GCOOS Workshops Held

Dr. Ann E. Jochens, Ph.D., J.D.Texas A&M University

GCOOS Stakeholder Meeting

Mobile, AL

10 January 2006

Objective

To summarize GCOOS workshops held to date and to indicate some of the results

Since October 2000, eight Gulf-wide meetings have been held with the following foci:

– Academia– State and federal agencies– Private sectors– Predicting, detecting, and tracking Harmful Algal

Blooms– Underpinning research– Education and outreach– Governance and Business Plan for Regional

Association– Requirements of offshore energy industry

Gulf of Mexico Regional NVODS Workshop

Stennis Space Center, MS, 31 Oct - 2 Nov 2000

• To introduce regional data providers to the Distributed Ocean Data System (DODS)

• To share information regarding regional data archived and that being collected

• To obtain commitments for data sharing

• To assess future needs for data sharing

• 41 participants representing 25 organizations.

• 16 formal presentations describing data holdings

• 12 verbal commitments by workshop participants to serve selections of their data holdings via DODS-enabled servers

• Agreement on post-workshop activities to promote data sharing

• As follow up, the Gulf of Mexico regional partners were contacted to inquire regarding resources that might be needed to serve their data sets and to encourage data sharing.

Meeting Attendees and Affiliations

• Tony Amos, University of Texas Marine Science Institute• Landry Bernard, NAVOCEANO• John Blaha, NAVOCEANO• Jim Bonner, TAMU-CC/TEES• Jim Braud, NAVOCEANO• Richard Campanella, Tulane/Xavier Center for

Bioenvironmental Research• Jim Corbin, MSU ERC/CCS• Steve Foster, MSU ERC/IDSL• Jim Fritz, TPMC• Mike Garcia, SAIC/NDBC• Norman Guinasso, GERG/Texas A&M University• Martha Head, NAVOCEANO• Dan Holloway, University of Rhode Island• Matthew Howard, Texas A&M University• Stephan Howden, University of Southern Mississippi• George Ioup, University of New Orleans/Stennis• Peter Lessing, NDBC• John Lever, NDBC• Alexis Lugo-Fernandez, Minerals Management Service• Mark Luther, University of South Florida• Melanie Magee, Gulf of Mexico Program

• Robert “Buzz” Martin, Texas General Land Office• Eugene Meier, Gulf of Mexico Program• Patrick Michaud, TAMU-CC/CBI• Bob Molinari, AOML/NOAA• Steve Morey, COAPS/Florida State University• Frank Muller-Karger, University of South Florida• Doug Myhre, University of South Florida• Worth Nowlin, TAMU/NAVOCEANO• Jim O’Brien, COAPS/Florida State University• George Rey, LEAG/CBR• Reyna Sabina, AOML/NOAA• Mitch Shank, NAVOCEANO• Ruben Solis, Tx Water Development Board• Susan Starke, NCDDC/NOAA• Vembu Subramanian, University of South Florida• Molly Sullivan, Tulane University• Jack Tamul, NAVOCEANO• William Teague, NRL• Nan Walker, Lousiana State University• Patti Walker, DATASTAR/NDBC

Progress with Data Sharing

Sharing Data in Real Time

• National Data Buoy Center agreed to receive, quality control, and distribute appropriate real time data.

• Most major Gulf producers of such data now are providing through this path, including notably the major systems:– Texas Automated Buoy System

– Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System

– Texas Coastal Ocean Observing Network

• Other systems committed to using this approach include:– Wave-Current Surge Information System

Regional ServersAOML: Physical Oceanography Group (Molinari & Sabina) Installed DODS server on existing AOML website Opened to public in August 2003 - but has server problems Serving 41,500 XBT profiles from years 1966-2000 Serving 138 drifter trajectories Plan to add XBT profiles as time permits

DISL: Dauphin Island Sea Lab (Keri Duvall & Melissa Kincke) Received DODS configured server from TAMU Server is online Working on format conversion of sensor data LUMCON: Marine Consortium (Brenda Babin) Received DODS configured server from TAMU Server is online Have developed suitable netCDF format conversion software In process of populating server

Regional Servers [Continued]USF: Satellite Group (Muller-Karger & Brock Murch) Servers purchased by NVODS and configured Currently serving proprietary SeaWiFS images Currently serving full-swath AVHRR data in hdf Plan to serve public domain SeaWifs images Plan to serve archived AVHRR data.

USF: Coastal Observations (COMPS Group Luther & Subramanian)

Servers purchased by NVODS and configured Scripts to automate serving of near-real-time data are

under development Serving 8 coastal stations Serving test data for 4 offshore buoys Serving nowcast and forecast model data Plan to serve offshore buoy archived data Plan to install Live Access Server

Regional Servers [Continued]NDBC: National Data Buoy Center Server online Serving all Gulf of Mexico buoy & CMAN stations Serving meteorological and wave data Sept-2001 to Mar 2003

TAMU: Dept. of Oceanography (Nowlin & Howard) Server up - new interface with aids to data selection Serving historical data: 9500+ CTD/STD/Bottle profiles,

29000 XBT, 8 Million hours current meter time series,and 33 river discharge data sets from northern Gulf of Mexico

GERG: Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (Guinasso & Lee)

Server online Serving archived Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS) data Working on scripts to append near real time data Thinking about using FreeForm server

Regional Servers [Continued]

TWDB: Texas Water Development Board (Dale Crockett) Currently developing netCDF format conversion routines for their Bay Model Circulation Data Sets

UTMSI: Coastal Observations Group (Tony Amos) NVODS supported for recovery of data in archives Server purchased and configured by TAMU FreeForm data format designed and tested Data population in progress Server hacked and taken offline in October 2003.

Other existing DODS servers in Gulf of Mexico region

• Florida State University, Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS). Serving NSCAT Winds, QuikSCAT Winds, FSU Winds, WOCE Ship Data

• Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO). Serving SWAFS circulation model output, wave model output, bathymetry, MCSST

• Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC). Serving MMS-DeSoto Canyon Moorings Eddy Instrusion Study

Gulf of Mexico Workshop for Managers of Observing System Activities

Stennis Space Center, 14-15 January 2003

• Describe aids to data sharing:– OPeNDAP data transfer protocol– NDBC offer to QC and distribute real time data– NCDDC offer of portal to distributed data sets

• Review ongoing observing system activities• Agree on resolution to establish regional ocean observing system

beginning with sharing of data and products• Agree on Vision Statementfor Gulf of Mexico regional ocean

observing system• Agree on provisional structure for regional system• Agree on nominees to represent region at First National

Ocean.US Summit

• 52 participants• Representation of state agencies in AL, FL, LA,

MS, and TX• Representation of federal agencies in Gulf region,

including Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, NASA, Navy, and NOAA

• Agreement on a Mission Statement for GCOOS• Initial signatories to a Resolution to Participate in

the Development of the GCOOS

A Workshop to Explore Private Sector Interests and Roles in the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System; Focus on

the Southeastern U.S. and Gulf of Mexico. 2-4 March 2004 Houston, TX

• The overall workshop goal was to define the interests and potential roles of the private sector in the regional/coastal ocean component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).

• The key objectives were:- To introduce to industry the U.S. IOOS and specifically the plans for Southeast Atlantic-Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEA-COOS) and (GCOOS);– To identify the basis for public/private/academic sector interactions in the context of U.S. IOOS: and- To develop a plan-of-action, including public relations, demonstration project initiation, follow-on communications, and plans for advocacy.

Exploration of Private Sector Interests in IOOS: Focus on GoM and Southeast U.S.

Five breakout groups met to consider:• The role of industry in implementation of IOOS• Sharing of data and products• Plans for demonstration projects• Recommended levels of advocacy by the private sector• Plans for future communications

This highly successful workshop set the standard for follow-on IOOS-Industry interactions.

Harmful Algal Blooms: The Role of GCOOS in Detection, Monitoring, and Prediction

13-15 April, 2004 St Petersburg, FL

• To review HAB data and information needs of agencies, managers, and scientists

• To assess current capabilities• To formulate an action plan to improve

capabilities

HABS Workshop

• 45 participants representing 31 organizations.

• Formal presentations and breakout sessions focused on needs and priorities.

• Agreement on needs for observations, model development, common standards and protocols, research and development.

• As follow up, NOAA Coastal Services Center published a workshop report, “Action plan for harmful algal blooms and the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System: Results from a regional workshop” (NOAA/CSC/20516-PUB). http://www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/habf/HAB_GCOOS_report.pdf

Next Steps in the Gulf of Mexico: Response to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

Recommendations

7-8 July 2004, College Station, TX

About 130 representatives from marine industry, academia, and government met to plan the next research steps steps for the Gulf of Mexico in response to recommendations from the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Included were two commissioners.

Next Steps in the Gulf of Mexico

The individual topical presentations were followed by breakout sessions to focus recommendations for needed research in the areas of:

• Biodiversity

• Oceans and human health

• Texas watersheds and sediment management

• Policy, economics, and social sciences

• Human impacts

GCOOS Education and Outreach Formation Meeting

29-30 November 2004, Biloxi, MS

• 21 attendees representing education and outreach activities of Sea Grant Programs, COSEEs, NERRs, state agencies, and universities on the Gulf coast.

• Representatives from Ocean.US Office and Digital Library for Environmental Science Education

GCOOS Education and Outreach Formation Meeting Results

• Suggested terms of Reference for the GCOOS Education and Outreach Council

• Suggested programmatic questions for consideration by the GCOOS Education and Outreach Council in the following areas:- Stakeholder/user identification and engagement- Education community identification and engagement- Public awareness- Inreach with GCOOS community- Project and product development- Evaluation and assessment

Initial GCOOS Stakeholder Meeting

24-25 January 2005, New Orleans, LA

The objectives of this meeting were to:

• Ratify an initial governance mechanism, in the form of a Memorandum of Agreement, for the Regional Association that will govern GCOOS

• Obtain nominees for the Board of Directors, Councils and Committees of the Regional Association

• Consider recommendations for a longer-term governance structure

• Reach consensus on parts of a draft GCOOS Business Plan and a path to its further development

Initial GCOOS Stakeholder Meeting

• In preparation, working groups prepared draft Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and Business Plan for the GCOOS-Regional Association.

• 88 participants represented a very broad range of stakeholders.• The MoA was accepted with revisions as the governance

document establishing the GCOOS-RA and was signed by enough Parties to the MoA to bring the RA into force.

• The draft Business Plan was discussed at length—many suggestions for improvements were obtained.

• Written nominations for the Board of Directors and Councils and Committees of the new RA were solicited.

• Activities to inform and entrain potential providers and users into the system were considered.

GCOOS and the Private Sector: Oil and Gas and Related Industry

2-4 November 2005, Houston, TX

Objectives• Obtain agreement on a short list of recommended products of highest priority to these

industry sectors.• Identify users for these priority products.• Obtain guidance regarding what observations are needed to produce these products.• Discuss which products are for common use, and so likely produced at government expense,

and which are niche products, best produced by the private sector.Participation• 47 attendees; representing oil and gas companies, state and federal government, offshore

service companies, environmental forecasting firms, data management companies, and academia.

Result• Identified priority needs for data and products.

Identified High Priority NeedsProduct Needs

Hurricane Severity Forecasts

Surface current forecast maps

Measurement & Product archive

Operation maps of SSTs

Forecast maps of 3-D deepwater currents

Forecast maps of winds and waves

3-D current forecasts on shelf

Probability maps of bottom hazards

Measurement Needs

Hurricane severity model improvement

Operational satellite altimeters (near real-time)

Operational satellite radiometers (near real-time)

Operational satellite wind (QuikSat)

2Hz wave data (not real-time)

Improve hurricane severity forecasts (real-time)

Offshore meteorology measurements (real-time)

Upper column current and temp/salinity profiles

Marine mammals and sea turtle sightings

High resolution coastal bathymetry, topography, and subsidence rates

Future Focused Stakeholder Workshops• Fisheries — regulatory, commercial, and recreational

Lamkin, NOAA SE Fisheries Science Center, suggested this effort begin with a short workshop to introduce IOOS and the RAs to all fisheries sectors: regulatory, commercial, recreational, and academic. That would be followed by in-depth workshops to develop requirements of the sectors separately. A steering committee for the initial workshop, including a representative of SECOORA, has been formed.

Storm surge and flooding—energy management; Joint CSC/NOAA-SECOORA-GCOOS sponsorship. Discussions scheduled for January 23 at CSC.

Maritime transportation—including shipping agents, port authorities, shipping lines, and pilots.

Recreational boating, including marinas, power squadrons, yacht clubs.

• Water quality.

Key on Gulf of Mexico Alliance Plans and on results of U.S. IOOS Public Health Workshop scheduled for 23-25 January 2006.