Regional Associations
Explore the eleven U.S. IOOS Regional Associations that monitor and protect our nation’s coastal waters.
Regional U.S. IOOS partners are essential to building and supporting U.S. IOOS. They provide increased observations, distinctive knowledge, and critical technological abilities, and apply these towards the development of products to meet regional and local needs.
Regional Associations
U.S. IOOS is comprised of eleven regional associations (RAs), which guide development of and stakeholder input to regional observing activities. The RAs serve the nation’s coastal communities, including the Great Lakes, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands and territories.
Select a regional association on the interactive map above.
Alaska – AOOS
The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) is the U.S. IOOS regional association for Alaska.
Caribbean – CARICOOS
The Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CARICOOS) is the regional association for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Central and Northern California – CeNCOOS
CeNCOOS is our regional observing association for the California/Oregon border south to Point Conception.
Gulf of America – GCOOS
The Gulf of America Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) is the U.S. IOOS regional association for the Gulf of America.
Great Lakes – GLOS
The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) is the U.S. IOOS regional association for the Great Lakes.
Mid-Atlantic – MARACOOS
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Association for Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) spans the coastal states from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras.
Northeast – NERACOOS
NERACOOS spans coastal waters from the Canadian Maritime Provinces to the New York Bight.
Pacific Islands – PacIOOS
PacIOOS is our regional observing association in the Pacific region, from the Hawaiian islands to Micronesia.
Pacific Northwest – NANOOS
NANOOS is the Regional Association in the Pacific Northwest for the States of Washington and Oregon.
Southeast – SECOORA
The Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) is the U.S. IOOS regional association for the Southeast U.S.
Southern California – SCCOOS
SCCOOS is our Regional Association that provides coverage in California from Point Conception south to the Mexico Border.
Explore Ocean Observing Data
Access real-time coastal data from our regional associations to support your research, planning, or recreational activities.