Dear IOOS Community,
Last week, the IOOS Association, directors and staff from the eleven IOOS Regional Associations, and IOOS Program Office staff all came together here in Washington, DC for our annual spring meeting. National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator, Nicole LeBoeuf, kicked off the two day meeting with remarks, and I also provided an update on IOOS Office activities to begin day one. The agenda included discussions on strategic communications, updates on implementation of IOOS National and Pan-Regional efforts, a deep dive on Service Delivery & Communications project needs and next steps, overviews from each of the RAs on ecosystem change activities, and an update on Water level, Waves, and Webcam (WWW) coordination.
We also had the opportunity to celebrate 25 years of U.S. IOOS last week. This milestone event highlighted IOOS’s achievements, its impact on society, and its vision for the future of this vital national program. As part of the celebration, the IOOS Association was proud to recognize Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) with the inaugural IOOS Association Congressional Award for Bipartisan Leadership in Ocean Observing. Their leadership, vision, and steadfast support have been instrumental in advancing ocean observation initiatives and ensuring the success of IOOS.
I am also pleased to note that on March 24, the Bipartisan 2025 IOOS Reauthorization Bill to Strengthen Ocean Monitoring was introduced in the House by Representatives Mike Ezell (R-MS-04), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), Debbie Dingell (R-MI-06), Amata Radewagen (R-AS), and Danny Davis (D-IL-07) to reauthorize the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) for the next five fiscal years, maintaining its authorized funding level at $56 million annually. The bill ensures continued support for critical ocean monitoring efforts that benefit maritime industries, fisheries, and communities.
Thanks,
Carl