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The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a multidisciplinary system designed to enhance our ability to collect, deliver, and use ocean information. The goal is to provide continuous data on our open oceans, coastal waters, and Great Lakes in the formats, rates, and scales required by scientists, managers, businesses, governments, and the public to support research and the decisions we need to make about our oceans and estuaries.
NOAA is leading the interagency and regional efforts to build the U.S. IOOS and has been participating in the development of the U.S. IOOS since the late 1990s when it first began. NOAA envisions a fully integrated ocean observing system that enables NOAA and its partners to provide services to the entire nation.
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Ocean Observing Systems are the foundation upon which we need to apply ecosystem-based management of our oceans in an effort to turn the tide on the complicated challenges facing our oceans, rivers, and Great Lakes. The goals of an Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) aim to:
- Improve the safety and efficiency of marine operations
- More effectively mitigate the effects of natural hazards
- Improve predictions of climate change and its effects on coastal populations
- Improve national security
- Reduce public health risks
- More effectively protect and restore healthy coastal marine ecosystems
- Enable the sustained use of marine resources
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NFRA or the National Federation of Regional Associations for Coastal and Ocean Observing is a non-profit organization formed by the Regional Associations that support IOOS. NFRA strengthens the integration and coordination of the regional systems and educates the public about ocean observing and its importance to the nation.
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Ultimately, IOOS data is used to make important decisions that affect coastal communities and our nation as a whole. These decisions include the location of the safest and most efficient shipping routes for the products we need, beach and shellfish closures, fisheries catch limits, and evacuations.
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