Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Data and Information, IOOS News, National, Observing Systems

NOAA, Smithsonian join forces to advance ocean biodiversity and resilience

January 23, 2024

Image: Coral reef at Swains Island in American Samoa, showing an assemblage of plating Montipora coral and branching cauliflower coral Pocillopora meandrina. Credit: James Morioka, NOAA. (Image credit: NOAA)

Coral reef at Swains Island in American Samoa, showing an assemblage of plating Montipora coral and branching cauliflower coral Pocillopora meandrina. Credit: James Morioka, NOAA. (Image credit: NOAA)

NOAA and the Smithsonian Institution announced a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) today at the Ocean Biodiversity Summit in Washington, D.C., that advances collaborative efforts to understand and conserve the biodiversity of the world’s ocean ecosystems. Hosted by NOAA and the Smithsonian, the Summit brought together leaders from across the country to discuss solutions to protect and sustain the nation’s ocean and coastal resources.