A Brief History of the GCOOS-RA

Many organizations and individuals are concerned with sustained observations and/or products and services based on such observations from the estuaries and Exclusive Economic Zone of the Gulf of Mexico. Beginning in 2003, a group of these entities signed a resolution agreeing to form a Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) beginning with the integration of existing observing system elements and the sharing of non-commercial and non-proprietary data and products. General agreement was been reached on a GCOOS mission statement or vision and the fact that this regional system is a part of the U.S. sustained and Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the GCOOS Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) became effective on 25 January 2005. Qualified individuals are encouraged to become Parties by signing the MOA either on behalf of their organizations or as an individual. This Regional Association provides formal governance of GCOOS. In June of 2005 the initial Board of Directors of the GCOOS-RA was elected. Members of the Board represent the private sector, government, academia, and education and outreach Parties to the MOA.

An ongoing series of meetings and workshops are being held as part of the development of this Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System. Key meetings held to date have dealt with: an integrated data system for the Gulf of Mexico (2000); managers of operational coastal observing systems in the Gulf of Mexico (2003); the private sectors' perspective of and roles in the ocean observing system (2004); consideration of GCOOS's role in detecting, monitoring and predicting harmful algal blooms in the Gulf (2004); a meeting to consider next research activities in the Gulf to support socioeconomic needs in response to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy preliminary report (2004); a meeting planning for the GCOOS Education and Outreach Council (2004); requirements of oil, gas, and related industries (2005); general stakeholders' adoption of a Governance structure for the GCOOS Regional Association and consideration of a draft business plan (2005); development of relations with entities in Mexico (2006 and 2008); requirements of planners/responders for storm surge and inundation (2007); and development of a Harmful Algal Bloom Integrated Observing System for the Gulf of Mexico (2007). Reports of these meetings are available. Information regarding additional meetings now planned as well as other items of relevance may be viewed on the GCOOS News Board.

In 2003 a successful proposal was submitted to NOAA for a modest three-year effort to develop the GCOOS-RA. This grant resulted in the establishment of a GCOOS Office. The office is now staffed by a Regional Coordinator, a Data Management Coordinator, an Education and Outreach Coordinator, and a Research Associate/Web Mistress.

The GCOOS-RA governance structure is defined in the MOA. The figure shows a schematic of that structure. Stakeholders are the fundamental units the GCOOS-RA seeks to engage in the development of the Gulf of Mexico coastal ocean observing system. Under the governance structure given in the MOA, stakeholder involvement is formalized through regular meetings of the Parties, Board of Directors, Stakeholder Council, and Educational and Outreach Council. Technical recommendations and decisions are made by the Committees for Operating Systems, Data Management and Communication, and Products and Services, whose members also represent the stakeholder community. The Membership Committee organizes the election of the GCOOS Board of Directors by the voting Parties to the MOA. The Operations Center is under development; it is envisioned to be a centralized office that will monitor and report the availability of all near real-time data streams and regularly-produced products offered by provider members of the GCOOS-RA. The GCOOS Office provides staff and logistics support to this structure which was in place in 2006.

A large number of Gulf of Mexico observations, products, and services are now produced on an ongoing basis. The identification of ongoing activities and products which should be considered as the initial building blocks for GCOOS is being refined on a continuing basis. Efforts in developing GCOOS must now focus on: further developing requirements of users of data and products; integrating observing system elements through improved data and product sharing, improving model sharing and validation, education and outreach activities, and developing operational structures.