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Greetings!
You might have heard by now that the White House released the President’s budget for Fiscal Year 2024 and that it included a crippling cut to the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), the nation’s ocean observing system, which includes 11 regional associations like GCOOS. The proposed funding for the Regional Associations within the U.S. IOOS office budget is $10 million — a reduction of more than 76% from the budgets enacted in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
While this is just the first round of budget proposals and negotiations that take place in the U.S., it’s critically important that funding for IOOS be restored.
The IOOS Association has drafted letters about the nation’s ocean observing system and is asking the public to sign on to them in a show of support to encourage Congress to restore funding in the Senate and House proposals.
- You can learn more about this issue and find links to sign on to the letter on our website here.
- The deadline to show support is Thursday, April 25.
As if to underscore the importance of regional ocean observing associations like GCOOS, Colorado State University has released its initial forecast for the 2024 Hurricane Season in the Atlantic Basin. With continued record-breaking temperatures in the world’s oceans and a La Niña predicted to develop later this summer, the Gulf coast could be looking at another intense storm season.
That means the observations GCOOS partners collect using uncrewed systems in the Gulf to gather data on ocean temperatures, salinity and Loop Current movements will be even more crucial this year. While operators are developing plans for autonomous vehicle operations now, I would urge you to sign on to the IOOS Association letters or send one of your own to your Gulf state Representatives and Senators if you haven’t already.
Until next month!
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GCOOS Spring Meeting Lineup | |
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We’re planning a great lineup for the GCOOS Spring Members Meeting. We're still formalizing the final agenda, but here's how it is shaping up:
- GCOOS Board Chair Kirsten Larsen will lead the meeting, then attendees will Learn about TAMU Galveston from GCOOS Board Member Dr. Antonietta Quigg, Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, and hear the latest updates from IOOS Director Carl Gouldman and GCOOS Executive Director Dr. Jorge Brenner, who will also provide a session on projects funded through the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Dr. Brian Dzwonkowski, Associate Professor, University of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea Lab, will moderate a session on marine heatwaves and long-term climate change thresholds.
- GCOOS Program Coordinator Grant Craig will moderate a session on biodiversity data opportunities with speakers Dr. Enrique Montes, University of Miami and NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory; Marissa Nutall, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary; Kelly Martin, NOAA and Drs. Jay Rooker & David Wells, TAMU Galveston.
- Dr. Xavier Flores, Observatorio Oceanográfico Regional Costero and Universidad Autónoma de Baja California will discuss the high-frequency radar network in Mexico and U.S. collaborations and Dr. Kim Yates will moderate a session for GCOOS Members to provide project updates.
- Other updates will include the Gulf Research Program’s UGOS 3 project and results of the 2024 GCOOS Board elections.
Meeting attendees will also have the opportunity to tour the Navigation Simulation Center and Sea Laboratory at TAMU’s Galveston campus and network during a combination cocktail hour-and poster session with TAMU oceanography students.
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Registration for the block room rate at the GCOOS Spring Members Meeting has now closed, but it’s not too late to register to attend the meeting itself or make your own hotel reservations.
The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 9 and 8:30 a.m. to noon May 10 at Texas A&M University Galveston's Waterfront Pavilion, Galveston, Texas.
We’ll be staying at The Tremont House, 2300 Ship Mechanic Row St., Galveston, Texas, 77550. 409.763.0300.
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What: GCOOS Spring Meeting
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When: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 9 and 8:30 a.m. to noon May 10
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Where: Texas A&M University Galveston's Waterfront Pavilion, Galveston
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Click here to register to attend the meeting. PLEASE NOTE: You will have to make your own hotel reservation.
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Howard Scholarship Recipients Volunteer at the Spoonbill Bowl | |
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GCOOS 2024 Fellows Cassie Stanish and Matthew Barrs, recipients of the GCOOS Howard Scholarship, volunteered during the Spoonbill Bowl, the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, in St. Petersburg, Florida, in March. The Florida Institute of Technology and University of Central Florida mechanical engineering students honored the legacy of GCOOS’s Matthew Howard, who spent his career sharing his enthusiasm for oceans and ocean technology.
Stanish and Barrs also had the opportunity to cheer on friends competing for Santa Rosa County, a team led by the Chair of the GCOOS Outreach and Education Council, Charlene Mauro, Science Specialist for the Santa Rosa County School District.
Following the competition, GCOOS Outreach and Education Manager Dr. Chris Simoniello shared the beauty and wildlife of Tampa Bay during an Eco Tour aboard Tampa Bay Watch’s vessel Discovery.
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GCOOS-SECOORA Webinar Series | |
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We had a great webinar earlier this month for the first in our Spring Webinar Series co-sponsored by GCOOS and SECOORA to build collaborations across the Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (MBON) and two ocean acidification networks, GCAN and SOCAN. The webinar introduced the series and set the foundation for building more collaborations among the ocean acidification and marine biodiversity communities.
Dr. Kim Yates, U.S. Geological Survey and GCOOS Board member, introduced the goals of the series. Gabrielle Canonico, Manager IOOS Marine Life Program and U.S. MBON, and Dr. Ana Palacio, NOAA AOML Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, provided overviews of the state of MBON and OAP science.
GCOOS’s Outreach and Education Manager Dr. Chris Simoniello and GCAN Coordinator Jennifer Vreeland-Dawson moderated discussions focused on opportunities to build synergy across the networks to advance science in support of resource management and the Blue Economy.
Don’t miss the next webinar in the series:
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Topic: Monitoring ocean animals using a variety of techniques
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Speakers: Drs. Luke Thompson, NOAA AOML, Neil Hammerschlag, Atlantic Shark Expeditions, and Jennifer Miksis-Olds, University of New Hampshire
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When: Noon ET Tuesday, April 30
- Registration
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Webinar Archive: Don’t forget, you can visit the GCOOS website to view recordings of past webinars and see what’s coming up during this Spring series
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Did you know that NOAA’s Mussel Watch Program conducts contamination surveys in the Gulf of Mexico? The most recent survey — an assessment that uses Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) — collected samples from 67 of the program’s historic monitoring sites and 35 new sites. The survey also included testing for new chemical pollutants.
The expanded monitoring aims to fill critical data gaps for regional natural resource managers striving to make informed decisions about land-based sources of pollution.
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NEW: MODU Data on GCOOS Data Portal | |
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GCOOS has been receiving and processing data from Shell’s Stena Evolution Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) since April 4. The MODU is drilling offshore (28.3634 -87.9236) of Mississippi at a depth of 7,564 feet. The Teledyne RDI 45kHz Pinnacle ADCP provides ocean current data from 54 m down and is configured to report data for 65 bins. Data from this new station is available on:
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Hurricane Season Forecast | |
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Colorado State University researchers have released their early predictions for the 2024 Hurricane Season in the Atlantic Basin. The forecast calls for an “extremely active” season with 23 named storms, including 11 hurricanes. Five of the storms are predicted to be major category 3, 4 or 5 hurricanes. The season is exhibiting characteristics similar to 1878, 1926, 1998, 2010 and 2020. “Our analog seasons were all very active Atlantic hurricane seasons,” said Dr. Phil Klotzbach, senior research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at CSU and lead author of the report. “This highlights the somewhat lower levels of uncertainty that exist with this outlook relative to our typical early April outlook.”
A primary factor playing into the prediction of such an active season is the record warm tropical and eastern subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures.
At the same time, forecasters are also predicting that the El Niño will transition to neutral conditions but have a 62% chance of moving into La Niña by June-August. La Niña affects global temperature and precipitation patterns and during summer and early fall, can reduce wind shear and make it easier for hurricanes to strengthen.
NOAA is expected to issue its seasonal hurricane forecast in May and CSU will issue updates on June 11, July 9 and Aug. 6.
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The National Glider Initiative helps to support forecasting during hurricane season through a joint endeavor supported by IOOS and GCOOS working with partners throughout the Gulf.
The data collected is essential for agencies like the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center because it significantly enhances the precision of hurricane intensification forecasts, says Dr. Uchenna Nwankwo, GCOOS Oceanographer and Assistant Professor in the Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG) at Texas A&M University.
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Learn more about GERG glider operations in this story from TAMU
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Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute have received a $1.3 million grant from the Florida Department of Emergency Management for a project assessing the feasibility of in-water harvesting of Sargassum, a floating brown seaweed, in Florida. Currently, in-water harvesting isn’t permitted due to its designation as essential fish habitat (EFH) and critical habitat for sea turtles. Designation as EFH means it is considered a “substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding or growth to maturity.”
The FAU Harbor Branch project, “Mitigating Sargassum Inundation Impacts to Nearshore Waters and Beaches in Florida,” will examine both environmental and ecological impacts of Sargassum inundations in Florida.
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The next webinar in the Underwater Glider Users Group (UG2) series will focus on industry in action — with specific speakers and topics to be designated.
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When: 2-3:30 p.m. ET May 2
- Webinar link
Glider Workshop: Planning is also beginning for the 2024 Glider Workshop, tentatively scheduled to take place the week of Sept. 9 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. UG2 is seeking input on topics and other details.
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Click here to fill out the expression of interest form, which will also help organizers plan the agenda and confirm the meeting date.
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New UG2 Website: UG2 has launched a new website for the glider community as a resource for scientific collaboration, information and resource sharing!
The site includes the latest glider community news, along with resources, upcoming events and more.
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The next webinar in the UGOS webinar series led by early career researchers Dr. Luna Hiron (Florida State University), Dr. Sakib Mahmud (Texas A&M University) and Dr. Aryan Safaie (University of Rhode Island) is scheduled for Monday, April 29.
Speakers will be Dr. Zhankun Wang, Associate Research Professor in the Northern Gulf Institute and Department of Geosciences at Mississippi State University, who will discuss “Upper-Oceanic Warming in the Gulf of Mexico between 1950 and 2020” and Dr. Jacob Steinberg, Research Scientist at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, whose talk is titled “Influence of Deep‐Ocean Warming on Coastal Sea‐Level Decadal Trends in the Gulf of Mexico.”
The Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems (UGOS) initiative is designed to advance understanding and prediction of Loop Current dynamics to reduce risks to offshore energy exploration and production, improve hurricane intensity forecasting, support fisheries management and deal with other challenges such as sea-level rise. The webinar series is focused on UGOS-funded work and related research.
Additional information: Email webinar series organizers Luna Hiron lhiron@fsu.edu, Sakib Mahmud sakib@tamu.edu or Aryan Safaie aryansafaie@uri.edu.
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New Podcast Explores Ocean Observing | |
The latest episode of “Deep Dive,” sponsored by Marine Technology news explores ocean observing with Kristen Yarancik, IOOS Association Executive Director, Debra Hernandez, Executive Director of SECOORA, and Sheyna Wisdom, Executive Director of AOOS. Host Rhonda Moniz introduced IOOS and its 11 regional associations and the integral role they play in ocean data collection. | |
Gulf States Receive $353 million in Lease Revenues | |
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The Department of the Interior is distributing more than $353.6 million in fiscal-year 2023 energy revenues to four Gulf of Mexico oil and gas producing states – Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Funds support coastal restoration, conservation and hurricane preparedness.
The 2006 Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) created this revenue-sharing model for oil- and gas-producing Gulf states to receive a portion of the revenue generated from offshore leases in the Gulf of Mexico. The Act also directs a percentage of revenue to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). In addition to conservation, restoration and preparedness, the annually-dispersed funds support onshore infrastructure projects and activities to implement marine and coastal resilience management plans.
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Radiowave Oceanographers Working Group Meeting | |
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Registration is now open for the 13th Radiowave Oceanographers Working Group Meeting (ROWG-13) being sponsored by GCOOS and held May 21–23 at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hardy Hall in Long Beach, Mississippi. High frequency radar operators worldwide are invited to attend the meeting, which will focus on the installation, operation and maintenance of oceanographic and liminographic HFR sensors. GCOOS Oceanographer Uchenna Nwankwo is a co-organizer of the event.
- Register, learn more, submit meeting ideas and get the hotel block rate information here.
- Cost: Registration and meeting attendance is free. You are responsible for travel, meals and lodging.
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We all know what the effects of red tides in the Gulf of Mexico look like — dead fish, empty beaches and suffering businesses. But what do they sound like? In an interesting twist on the intersection of public outreach and scientific data, University of South Florida Assistant Professor of Anthropology Dr. Heather O'Leary recently worked with USF’s School of Music to turn data from the paper she co-authored — “Non-linear impacts of harmful algae blooms on the coastal tourism economy about red tides” published in the Journal of Environmental Management — into music.
The story by Neda Ulaby was recently featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
The study's lead author was Sergio Alvarez, University of Central Florida, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, and additional co-authors were Christina E. Brown, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Marc Garcia Diaz, UCF Rosen College, and Daniel Solís, Florida A&M University, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences.
- Click the video below to watch USF’s Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble perform the piece they developed based on the red tide data.
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Mark your calendar for the next NHABON Webinar: 3-4 p.m. ET June 26. The webinar will focus on the UN Ocean Decade and HABs.
- Stay tuned for registration.
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Missed a webinar? Click here
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Healthy Ecosystems & Living Resources | |
Global Reef Bleaching Event Confirmed | |
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Scientists have confirmed that a global bleaching event is under way on the world’s coral reefs. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years. Bleaching-level heat stress, as remotely monitored and predicted by NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch (CRW), has been — and continues to be — extensive across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. CRW's heat-stress monitoring is based on sea surface temperature data, spanning 1985 to the present, from a blend of NOAA and partner satellites.
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), which NOAA co-chairs, and its international members are broadly sharing and applying resilience-based management actions and lessons learned from the 2023 marine heatwaves in Florida and the Caribbean. ICRI and its members are helping to advance coral interventions and restoration in the face of climate change by funding scientific research on best management practices and implementing its Plan of Action.
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Celebrating 10 Years of MBON | |
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This year, GCOOS is proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), a program that we have collaborated on to help build national capacity for biodiversity observations since its inception.
MBON is the U.S. contribution to realizing goals set in the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity, a multilateral treaty, that has worked toward conserving biological diversity, ensuring sustainable use of its components and making sure the sharing of benefits derived from living resources are fair and equitable.
Follow our social media channels throughout May as we celebrate the accomplishments of the MBON community on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
And, don’t forget: May 22 is the United Nations International Day for Biodiversity!
| In March, MBON held a national cross-team meeting in New Orleans with a side tour of the Jean Lafitte Swamp National Historical Park and Preserve. | |
How Clean is the Mississippi? | |
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The Upper Mississippi River Basin Association (UMBRA) released its 2023 "How Clean is the River?" report earlier this year. With the aim of understanding water quality trends in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, this report includes water quality data and analysis from 1989 to 2018.
The report finds that water quality between 1989 and 2018 generally improved, but there remain pollutants of concern with varying trends. Decreases in legacy heavy metals, sediment, and phosphorus show that public and private investments in managing water quality are beneficial and that the approaches taken have been effective. Chloride, and contemporary or emerging pollutants of concern, however, are rising and require a five-state approach to develop effective solutions.
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Texas Sea Grant
Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Conference
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Planning is under way for the Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Conference, a virtual conference focused on providing information and resources to coastal community leaders — including decision makers, elected officials, city and county staff, natural resource managers, academics, the private sector —on the latest technological advances for coastal resilience and adaptation. Dr. Jorge Brenner, GCOOS Executive Director, is a co-organizer of this event.
- The conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Sept. 18-19
- Conference sessions will explore technological applications in four thematic tracks:
- Coastal Energy Transition
- Marine Debris
- Nature-Based Solutions
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Early Hazard Warning Systems
Abstract submissions for research/application areas within Texas are welcome before May 15. Click here for full conference details and abstract submission details.
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From heatwaves on land and in the ocean to wildfires and flooding, 2023 was a record-breaking year for climate and weather events, affecting countless people across the nation.
Learn how NOAA’s scientific research is making a difference in people’s lives and our nation’s economy in the newly released 2023 NOAA Science Report.
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Did you know that the National Weather Service’s Water Aware program sponsors educational programs designed to create a water-ready public? WaterAware serves as the new NWS hydrology outreach program for ages K-adult with outreach materials spanning the temporal scales of water resource issues — from flash flooding, flood inundation and dam breaks to drought, snowmelt runoff and water supply.
WaterAware includes on-demand NWS hydrology outreach representatives who can be scheduled for in-person or virtual educational sessions. The program also offers a variety of high-quality hydrology and water resources materials and activities that are tailored to each age group all the way up to adults.
- Use the QR code or click here to request a session
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- IOOS: Program Analyst, Physical Scientist, IT Specialist
- Board on Gulf Education and Engagement: Program Officer
- Mote Marine Laboratory
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The University of Southern Mississippi: Associate Marine Instrumentation Specialist
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The University of Miami (RSMAS): Tenure or Tenure-Track Professor
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GOOS Biology: Data Manager
Postdoctoral Positions:
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National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences, NRC Research Programs
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Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute: Postdoctoral Fellowship
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National Research Council: Research Associateship Programs Postdoctoral and Senior Research Award
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Mississippi State University: Postdoctoral Associate
Fellowships:
- Susan L. Williams National Coral Reef Management Fellowship
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National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration - Coastal Management Fellowship
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National Academies of Science, Engineering and Mathematics: Early Career Fellowships
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Department of Defense: Visualization of Coastal Data, Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Fellow
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- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine - Workforce Development for the Energy Transition
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine - Gulf Research Program
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine – Early Career Research Fellowship
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Long Term Trends in the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Sea Grant
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - NOAA Planet Stewards
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - FY 2024 National Aquaculture Initiative Initiative
- US Department of Agriculture - Special Research Grants Program Aquaculture Research
- Gulf of Mexico Alliance
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15-17: MTS Oceans in Action, Mississippi Coast Convention Center, Biloxi, Mississippi | |
GCOOS is the Gulf of Mexico regional component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and the only certified system dedicated solely to the Gulf of Mexico. Our mission is to provide on-demand information about the Gulf’s coastal and open ocean waters that is accurate, reliable and benefits people, ecosystems and the economy. | |
Dr. Jorge Brenner, Executive Director • Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick, Senior Advisor • Dr. Uchenna Nwankwo, Oceanographer • Dr. Chris Simoniello, Outreach & Education Manager • Felimon Gayanilo, Systems Architect, Co-Data Manager • Bob Currier, Product Developer, Co-Data Manager • Tuomo Saari, Scientific Computing Specialist • Jennifer Vreeland-Dawson, Program Coordinator • Megan Howson, Marine Mammal Biologist and Data Scientist • Grant Craig, Project Manager and HABscope Volunteer Coordinator • Nadine Slimak, Public Relations & Content Marketing, Vetted Communications, LLC • Laura Caldwell, Program Assistant | |
In Memoriam: Matt Howard, 1952-2018
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