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GCOOS is the Gulf of Mexico regional component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). Our mission is to provide timely, reliable and accurate information on the open and coastal ocean waters of the Gulf of Mexico to ensure a healthy, clean, productive ocean and resilient coastal zone.
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June 2018 - In This Issue:
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Greetings:
I hope everyone had a great week during GOMA's All Hands Meeting in St. Pete (we were an event sponsor); for me, the meeting offered a great opportunity to network with colleagues and find areas where we can work together on ocean observing issues that we all share.
Earlier in the week, I joined colleagues from NOAA, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Florida's Fish and Wildlife Commission, a restaurateur and a Florida county commissioner for a briefing on Capitol Hill about harmful algal blooms in Florida. One of our goals for the NOAA-led briefing was to draw attention to the
need for federal reauthorization of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA). The event was hosted by Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Bill Posey. (Read more below.) We were pleased with event turnout - it was standing room only - and the questions posed by staffers were thoughtful. HABs affect nearly every state in the nation and we hope that drawing attention to the problems they cause will lead to bipartisan research and operational funding support.
Finally, I have some sad news to share this month. Chris Elfring, Executive Director of the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, has died. I had great respect for Chris and her leadership of the GRP and am saddened by this loss to her family, friends, colleagues and the Gulf community. Chris's family will hold a celebration of her life at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018, at Woodend Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD. Learn more about Chris and her contributions to polar science in her obituary.
Barb Kirkpatrick
Executive Director
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Nadine Slimak, Public Relations & Content Marketing, Vetted Communications, LLC
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| Recap: Congressional Briefing on Florida Red Tide |
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Across the U.S., the seafood, restaurant and tourism industries suffer an estimated $82 million in annual economic losses from harmful algal blooms - losses played out in communities from California to New England, from Ohio to Florida.
Florida is especially vulnerable. From red and brown tides on the coasts to cyanobacteria in lakes, the state has more toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs) than any other in the nation. As the lead federal agency for coastal HABs, NOAA, along with other federal and state partners, has long-term investments in HAB research, detection, forecasting and response.
On Monday, June 11, 2018, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Bill Posey co-hosted a Congressional briefing on harmful algal blooms in Florida and the federal response undertaken by NOAA and its partners.
There are thousands of species of algae - phytoplankton - in fresh and marine waters. They are essential to life as we know it, forming the basis of the food web and providing an important source of the oxygen we need to breathe. While most species are harmless to humans and animals, some are toxic. When these species multiply - creating harmful algal blooms (HABs) - they can wreak havoc on human and marine animal health, contaminate seafood and devastate local economies.
Key details during the briefing included:
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- The need for federal reauthorization of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA) to protect the public. This 1998 Act created a funding stream for new harmful algae research and monitoring programs that forecast bloom movements and help ensure a safe seafood supply.
- Information about new research that is moving HAB forecasting from a county-level forecast to a beach-level forecast.
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From left to right: Restaurateur Ed Chiles, Owner and CEO of the Southwest Florida-based The Chiles Group; Dr. Richard Stumpf, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Oceanographer; Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick, Executive Director of GCOOS; Dr. Katherine Hubbard, Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Cecil Pendergrass, Lee County, Florida, County Commissioner; Dr. Steven Thur; Director of NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.
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- Information about improved tests for toxins in shellfish that will ultimately lessen the time that shellfish beds need to be closed and offer better protections for human health.
- The further need for funds to help Florida and its communities respond to blooms.
- The need to provide ongoing operating funds to keep HAB forecasts functional and available to the public - the same way weather, hurricane and ripcurrent forecasts are provided.
Speakers during Monday's Capitol Hill briefing included:
- Dr. Steven Thur - Director of NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, one of the lead NOAA agency for HAB research, forecasting and response. Dr. Thur discussed the national issues and how NCCOS is responding.
- Cecil Pendergrass - Lee County, Florida, County Commissioner, who talked about the impacts that blue-green algae blooms on the Caloosahatchee River in Lee County and the Karenia brevis-fueled coastal red tides have on his county's residents, businesses and visitors.
- Dr. Katherine Hubbard - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who discussed the statewide impacts of HABs and how Florida responds each year to them, including its extensive monitoring programs that ensure shellfish are safe for human consumption and the regular bloom forecast updates that FWC provides.
- Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick - Executive Director of the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System, who discussed how HAB forecasting has made dramatic improvements over the last 20 years, but that the need remains to further refine HAB forecasting so that it covers more beaches in more locations. She also discussed the need for continued funding support to keep HAB forecasting systems operational in Florida.
- Dr. Richard Stumpf - NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Oceanographer, who discussed federal efforts to develop HAB forecasts, refine them and keep them operational so that human health and coastal economies can withstand bloom impacts.
- Ed Chiles - Owner and CEO of the Southwest Florida-based The Chiles Group (a restaurant group), who discussed the real effects that HABs can have on coastal businesses and the needs that remain for continued funding support for HAB research and mitigation. He also highlighted the need for ongoing operational dollars to keep forecasts available to the public.
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USGS scientist Kim Yates, right, instructs students during a laboratory demonstration on ocean-acidification techniques in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
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The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network -- coordinated by GCOOS -- is pleased to announce that it has a new Steering Chair.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Kimberly Yates, senior research oceanographer at the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Center for Coastal and Marine Science. She is also a member of the U.S. Interagency Work Group on Ocean Acidification (IWG-OA), the Executive and founding Steering Committees of the Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network (SOCAN), and served as Co-Chair of the Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry - Ocean Acidification Subcommittee (OCB-OA).
She specializes in integrated science studies that examine how changes in coastal ecosystem processes may impact or mitigate risks from coastal hazards, using a whole system perspective that considers the interactions and linkages among chemistry, biology and the physical environment. Much of her recent work has focused on how coral reef seafloor erosion changes risks from sea level rise, waves and storms; impacts on coral reefs and estuaries from coastal and ocean acidification; and identifying and characterizing coastal climate change refuges.
- This month, we're teaming up with the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) and their Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network (SOCAN) to host a webinar with Dr. Yates at 2 p.m. EDT, June 22.
- Webinar link
- Event number: 644 848 527
- Event Password: S3fHick7
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Join Now: Shellfish Growers Climate Coalition
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The Shellfish Growers Climate Coalition is a partnership among shellfish growers, other entities in the food sector and The Nature Conservancy that was created earlier this year to advance effective climate policy by focusing on four areas:
- Educating consumers about the need to take action to slow and stop greenhouse gas emissions;
- Communicating with policy makers about needed action to address climate change;
- Growing the Coalition including more shellfish growers and other food sectors;
- Coordinating, advancing and publicizing research on the impacts of climate change on shellfish and other agricultural products.
The Coalition, with 16 members from the U.S. East and West coasts, is inviting new members to join. For more information on the Coalition, its activities and membership, please email Project Manager Sally McGee at [email protected].
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Gulf Dead Zone Forecast: Average
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Scientists are forecasting that this summer's Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone or 'dead zone' - an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and other marine life - will be approximately 5,780 square miles, approximately the size of Connecticut.
The 2018 forecast is similar to the 33-year average Gulf dead zone of 5,460 square miles and is smaller than the 8,776 square mile 2017 Gulf dead zone, which was the largest dead zone measured since mapping began in 1985.
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The Mississippi River basin drains approximately 41% of the land area in the U.S., ranging as far west as Idaho, north to Canada and east into New York State.
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This is the first year NOAA is conducting the Gulf dead zone forecast independently. It is the culmination of a multi-year academic-federal partnership to develop a suite of NOAA-supported hypoxia forecast models. The partnership included teams of researchers at the University of Michigan, Louisiana State University, William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science, North Carolina State University and the USGS. Some of these groups are also developing independent forecasts, released in coordination with NOAA and using the USGS data.
"The Gulf's recurring summer hypoxic zone continues to put important habitats and valuable fisheries at risk," said Dr. Steve Thur, director of NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. "Although there has been some progress in reducing nutrients, the overall levels remain high and continue to strain the region's coastal economies."
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The IOOS PO hosted the 2018 DMAC Annual Meeting May 21-23 in Silver Spring. This year's meeting was well attended, with more than 50 people registered. The schedule included sessions covering all aspects of DMAC, including biological data/MBON and the Animal Telemetry Network, ERDDAP implementation for DMAC, modeling and the cloud and model visualization, THREDDS 5.0, and QARTOD, among others. This year's meeting was extended to three days rather than two, and included an afternoon session organized and led by six RA data managers on topics important to the RAs, including cloud migration, meeting certification requirements, analytics, and others, as well as a round robin discussion of management of specific data types such as gliders, moorings, biological data, and others. Plans are underway for a DMAC Code Sprint meeting to be held in Ann Arbor/Detroit Michigan in October as a hands-on follow-up to the DMAC meeting.
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| Hurricane Recovery Grants |
The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has announced 11 grant awards totaling $287,565 to assist in the recovery  of Gulf of Mexico region scientific research efforts impacted by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. These awards are the result of the second of two fast-track grant cycles for Scientific Research Disaster Recovery Grants announced last November to help with repair, replacement, or recovery of equipment, data, or other research materials damaged or lost as a result of the hurricanes and their aftermaths.
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Louisiana Sea Grant: Marking a Half Century
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Louisiana Sea Grant will mark it's 50th anniversary of service and partnership in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes at 10 a.m. June 20 at the Terrebonne Parish Main Library, 151 Library Drive, Houma. Refreshments will be served, and the event is open to the public and the media from Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.
Since its establishment in 1968, Louisiana Sea Grant has worked  to promote stewardship of the state's coastal resources through a combination of research, education and outreach programs critical to the cultural, economic and environmental health of Louisiana's coastal zone. Louisiana Sea Grant, based at LSU, is part of the National Sea Grant College Program, a network of 33 university-based programs in each of the U.S. coastal and Great Lakes states and Puerto Rico.
The Houma outreach event is one of six to be held across the coast over the next several months. The events will be held in or near where LSG has extension offices. All events will be held in connection with the Marine Extension Program and local parish extension offices. Participants will get a chance to see Louisiana Sea Grant Program research and outreach efforts throughout the Louisiana coastal zone.
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Texas Sea Grant Graduate Awards
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The Texas Sea Grant College Program at Texas A&M University (TAMU) awarded $43,961 to 23 graduate students at three Texas A&M University System institutions.
The funds are awarded through Texas Sea Grant's Grants-In-Aid of Graduate Research Program, which provides small grants to students enrolled at the main TAMU campus in College Station, Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG), or Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) whose marine- or coastal-related research in any field of study is relevant to Texas, though not necessarily based in Texas. The grants are awarded after a competitive proposal review process and are designed to promote scientific excellence and achievement.
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| From Science News: Sunshine is Making Deepwater Horizon Oil Stick Around |
In the days and weeks after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, sunlight hit the oil slicks on the surface of the water. That triggered chemical reactions that  added oxygen to oil molecules that once were just chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms. These oxygenated hydrocarbons are still sticking around eight years later with little evidence of degradation, researchers reported May 29 in Environmental Science and Technology.
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RESTORE Funding Opportunity
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The NOAA RESTORE Science Program's
funding competition on long-term trends is now open. This funding competition continues the Science Program's commitment to producing timely and high-quality scientific findings and products to support the management and sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, including its fisheries.
The Science Program is making approximately $15 million available now through this competition to fund approximately six projects for five years. An additional $15 million will be available for an additional five years of funding for high performing projects. In total, a project could receive 10 years of continuous support.
- Pre-proposals, which are required, are due by July 30, 2018
- The deadline for submitting a full application is Oct. 29, 2018
- See the full announcement for complete details
- The priority for this competition is identifying, tracking, understanding, and/or predicting trends and variability in the Gulf of Mexico's living coastal and marine resources and the processes driving them.
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Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group Welcomes Project Ideas
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The Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group is beginning restoration planning for 2018-2019 and would like your input regarding natural resource restoration project ideas in Mississippi. Information about the restoration types being considered, as well as the Oil Pollution Act criteria against which project ideas will be evaluated, can be found in the Trustees' Programmatic Restoration Plan.
Leading off our next years' planning efforts we will be working on Restoration Plan II. We intend to focus on, and would like to receive your project ideas for, these restoration types:
- Wetlands, Coastal and Nearshore Habitats Projects will focus on two restoration approaches: 1) Create, restore and enhance coastal wetlands, and 2) Protect and conserve marine, coastal, estuarine, and riparian habitats. (Programmatic Restoration Plan Sections 5.5.2; 5.D.1)
- Nutrient Reduction (Nonpoint source) (Programmatic Restoration Plan Sections 5.5.4; 5.D.2)
- Oysters (Programmatic Restoration Plan Sections 5.5.9; 5.D.1)
- Sea Turtles (Programmatic Restoration Plan Sections 5.5.10; 5.D.4)
- Marine Mammals (Programmatic Restoration Plan Sections 5.5.11; 5.D.5)
We encourage community members and other stakeholders to submit new restoration project ideas or make revisions to previously submitted project ideas via two project submission portals:
New, revised and previously submitted project ideas relative to the specific restoration types above that are submitted by August 10 for the upcoming Restoration Plan II will be considered. Project ideas submitted after the deadline, along with previously submitted and unselected project ideas, will be considered in future restoration planning.
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Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Conference 2019 News
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The 2019 Conference (Feb. 4-7, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel,  New Orleans) is soliciting session proposals from the community to address the conference theme and topics.
Submission deadline: July 1, 2018 (11:59 pm Pacific Time).
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Restoration Funding Calendar
By State:
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What's the Best Way to Responsibly Collect Ocean Data?
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From Earth & Space Science News:
High-quality [ocean] observations are the culmination of years of methodological development; however, many documents describing these best practices are scattered online or buried in institutional archives. Representatives from major global ocean observing networks and programs met at a November 2017 workshop at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) offices in Paris to define what a sustainable repository of best practices should look like.
Workshop participants determined that the path forward centers on the adoption of the Ocean Best Practices (OBP) "repository," developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (UNESCO-IODE). The UNESCO-IODE repository is a sustained, open access, and internationally recognized store of standard operating procedures, manuals, operating guidelines, and documentation of methods.
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| EPA Gulf of Mexico Program |
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The EPA Gulf of Mexico Program released Funding Opportunity EPA-GM-COOPERATIVE-AGREEMENTS-2018-1 to address water quality improvement; coastal habitat and ecosystems enhancement, restoration and/or protection; environmental education and outreach; and community resilience in the Gulf of Mexico region and its watersheds.
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Fisheries Innovation Fund
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The Fisheries Innovation Fund releases two requests for proposals (RFPs) each year to work towards sustainable fisheries in the United States: a Fisheries Innovation Fund RFP and an Electronic Monitoring and Reporting Grant Program RFP.
Fisheries Innovation Fund funding priorities include bycatch reduction, recreational fisheries and offshore aquaculture including activities to build community capacity and encourage sustainable use practices. Most projects have originated locally to address needs, challenges and opportunities at the community level.
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| University of South Carolina |
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UofSC is seeking a Director for its Baruch Marine Field Lab (BMFL) in Georgetown, SC. The director serves as chief administrator of operations and facilities which consists of 18 primary structures (~50,000 sq.ft), boat and vehicle fleets, 20-25 employees, and hosts about 5,000 visitor days/year. Oversees operating budget, interacts with campus offices, ensures compliance with policies including health and safety, develops and implements site-specific procedures, supervises staff, and oversees use and maintenance of facilities and equipment. Communicates and coordinates with academic programs and researchers to promote and schedule use of the site. Conducts independent research program and other activities as a member of the research faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences. This is a non-tenure track position.
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The GRP is seeking a Senior Program Officer (social sciences) to support a combination of program and grant management and analytical work. The work will require broad training in the social sciences and familiarity with a range of theoretical approaches, methodologies, and quantitative and qualitative analyses.
Responsibilities include:
- Designing and managing highly complex programs or projects,
- Conducting workshops and meetings,
- Preparing background papers and technical summaries, and
- Serving as liaison between board/committee/panel members, the National Academies, and other applicable parties.
- Full position details
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| U.S. Food and Drug Administration |
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One contract position is available for 11 months (with possibility of extension) to support research at the FDA Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory (GCSL)/Division of Seafood Science and Technology, Dauphin Island, AL. This Division is within the Office of Food Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). The positions may require travel to alternate work location (FDA, College Park, MD campus) for additional training and skill development, as needed. The participants will work alongside lead research scientists to gain experience in planning and conducting studies and related activities in support of the FDA's mission to address the need for method development and analysis of marine biotoxins in fish and fishery products. Specific areas of focus are:
- Chemical analysis of marine biotoxins in fish and fishery products
- In vitro assays for marine biotoxins in fish and fishery products.
Position is anticipated to become available July 2018. Begin and end dates are flexible. The ideal applicant will have completed a Master's or Doctoral level degree program in biology/chemistry or related fields. Applicants must be a US citizen or have permanent resident status. To apply, please send CV/resume and two letters of reference to Dr. Ron Benner ([email protected]). Please include the area of focus in which you are interested. If you are selected for the position, college transcripts (official or unofficial) and proof of health insurance will be required. Application deadline: July 31, 2018.
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July
MBON
A Special Meeting of the Biodiversity Ad Hoc Working Group- Focus on MBON: the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network at 1 p.m. ET, Thursday, July 26, 2018.
The webinar will feature updates on the US MBON demonstration projects and partner MarineGEO efforts, success stories, including products for targeted user needs, progress on shared priorities, such as eDNA and seascapes. With presentations by Dr. Bob Miller, Santa Barbara Channel MBON, Dr. Frank Muller-Karger, Sanctuaries MBON, Dr. Katrin Iken, Arctic MBON, Dr. Emmett Duffy, Smithsonian/MarineGEO. Webinar info:
August
August 20-24, 2018, University of Washington, Seattle
This 5-day hands-on workshop is aimed at exploring, creating and
promoting effective computation and analysis workflows for large and
complex oceanographic data. The focus will be on data provided by the
National Science Foundation's Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).
Comparisons to other large-scale ocean observing assets, such as Argo,
IOOS, etc. are welcome and encouraged. Travel and lodging grants are available for non-local accepted participants. Participants are expected to attend the entire workshop.
To apply, please fill out the
application
by May 7, 2018. Accepted
applicants will be notified no later than May 21, 2018
OOI Deep Ocean Observing Workshop
Aug. 27-29, 2018, an Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Deep Ocean Observing Workshop will be held in Seattle, WA. This workshop will provide an interdisciplinary forum to develop deep ocean science questions and identify societal needs that could be addressed using the existing OOI infrastructure. The workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to gather detailed information about OOI infrastructure, data availability, and discuss existing and prospective Essential Ocean Variables that deep-water observatories can address. Expected workshop outcomes may include identification of new cabled and stand-alone instrumentation and platforms needed to address Deep Ocean Observing Strategy goals and opportunities to leverage other regional ocean observing assets (e.g., the US Integrated Ocean Observing System - Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems, Oceans Network Canada).
More info
IOOS Advisory Committee Meeting
The next meeting has been scheduled for Aug. 28-29, 2018 in Juneau, Alaska (note new location!). This will be the final meeting of the current committee. More information will be made available on the https://ioos.noaa.gov/community/u-s-ioos-advisory-committee/ website. The meeting is occurring concurrently with NOAA's Hydrographic Services Review Panel meeting and will allow for a joint session of the two groups, as well as engagement with senior NOAA and other federal leadership also in attendance.
September
Glider Data Management
International Conference on Glider Data Management - "Connecting glider data flows in Europe and beyond": 18-20 September 2018, Aquario du Genova, Italy. Since 3 years and the end of the EGO COST Action and the GROOM FP7 European project, a lot of improvements have been made on real time glider data management (new format, new tools, better management of the metadata, new platforms) but few issues still remain and the community struggles to reach a full European harmonization of the gliders data management and a full contribution to research, ocean monitoring and operational services. Moreover, delayed mode data management is becoming a priority for the glider community. Many operators and PIs are putting a lot of efforts in the qualification of their data sets after recovery. Several existing data management tools are freely available through toolboxes and scientific publications. Unfortunately, there is not yet a clear agreement on how these datasets can be shared in delayed mode nor a common strategy to handle these questions at the community level.
October
Call for Applications: Student Workshop on International Marine and Coastal Management
The 4th Student Workshop on International Marine and Coastal Management in the Gulf of Mexico (SWIMM 2018) is scheduled for Oct. 7-16, 2018 in northern central Cuba (Yaguajay, Caguanes National Park, and Cayo Santa Maria.
The program brings together graduate students from the United States, Mexico, and Cuba for week-long workshops involving peer-to-peer exchanges, shared learning, and intensive interactions with scientists, managers, and practitioners. The focus of SWIMM 2018 will be on northern central Cuba, an area that experienced the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Irma in August 2017. Students will participate in the development of a set of indicators and a visual report that provide a synoptic evaluation of the damage caused by the hurricane and the degree of ecological recovery.
Applications are invited from graduate students who are enrolled in Ph.D. or M.S. programs:
- in the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, or
- who are citizens of any of these three countries, but enrolled in a graduate program elsewhere.
Candidates should be engaged in a program of studies and/or research in areas of environmental management, environmental or ecological sciences, environmental anthropology or political and social sciences with a focus on environmental issues, adaptation to risk and disasters, coastal or marine sciences, oceanography, biology, ecology or marine zoology, and related disciplines.
The program will cover roundtrip airfare from the U.S. or Mexico to Cuba and transport, food, and lodging expenses related to the workshop while in Cuba.
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Share Your News with GCOOS
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Do you have a meeting, job or funding announcement? Please let us know so we can help spread the word. Email info, including all pertinent details and website links, to Laura Caldwell, GCOOS Staff Assistant, [email protected].
Are you starting or finishing a research project, reporting new findings, have a new publication or other big news to share with the GCOOS community? Please email our Public Relations and Content Coordinator, Nadine Slimak at Vetted Communications, [email protected].
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