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News Items - December 13, 2006
NCCOS Chemical Contaminant and Remote Sensing Data to Support the Heinz Center’s State of the Nation’s Ecosystems Report
Upon invitation, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) scientists recently briefed staff from the Heinz Center about a range of NCCOS data products, for use in development of the second State of the Nation’s Ecosystems report, scheduled for publication in 2007. The first State of the Nation’s Ecosystems was published in 2002, and was designed to provide policymakers and the general public with a succinct yet comprehensive evaluation of the condition of the nation’s ecosystems. The NCCOS scientists provided a summary of the Mussel Watch coastal contaminant monitoring program, including a customized national and regional analysis of PCB, DDT, and mercury data from 1986 to present. In addition, senior scientific staffs from both organizations discussed a suite of climatological analyses of sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll concentration slated to be included in the report, as well as topics of harmful algal blooms and eutrophication. The next Heinz Center report will present NCCOS data in a chapter on the coasts and oceans, under headings on physical conditions, biological components and human uses, and the two groups plan to reconvene in the near future to discuss how ongoing NCCOS activities can be used to inform this report. For more information, contact John Christensen at (301) 713-3028 ext. 153 or John.Christensen@noaa.gov.
Regional Research Efforts Provide Transition Pathway to Operational Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasting for New England Coastal Managers. On December 6th, 2006, the 3rd in a series of workshops sponsored by the ECOHAB (Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms) program of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), brought together key members of the scientific, federal and management community to develop an implementation plan for transitioning tools and predictive models of toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs) to an operational management capability. This transition plan is based on more than a decade of investment in regional ecosystem research focused on Alexandrium fundyense, the highly toxic algae capable of causing widespread economic, living resource, and human health impacts in the Gulf of Maine. The planned forecasting system will build upon the experiences gained in the development of the Gulf of Mexico HAB forecasting system now operational in NOAA. These efforts are mandated by the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act and the President’s Ocean Action Plan. For more information, please contact Quay Dortch (CSCOR) at (301) 713-3338 or Quay.Dortch@noaa.gov or Richard Stumpf (CCMA) at (301) 713-3028 or Richard.stumpf@noaa.gov.
NOAA and U.S. Coast Guard Sea Partners Explore Opportunities for Increasing Effectiveness of Coastal and Ocean Public Outreach Efforts. National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Sea Grant College Program, the National Ocean Service’s Communications and Education Division and NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program representatives recently met with staff from the U.S. Coast Guard Sea Partners Campaign to explore opportunities for increasing the effectiveness of coastal and ocean public outreach efforts. The Sea Partners staff has previously worked with NOAA on several issues, such as marine debris and coral conservation, and the campaign coordinator would like to build upon those activities to strengthen and expand the Sea Partners-NOAA partnership. Meeting participants shared information about their program activities and outreach efforts, and discussed ways to best get the word out to the public about the importance of coastal and marine resources and reducing impacts to the resources. Possibilities for working together include sharing speaking and training opportunities, scientific review of Sea Partners outreach and educational materials, helping each other with material distribution, and facilitating further connections in both agencies for working together. A number of concrete suggestions were made during the meeting, and it is anticipated that this will lead to new collaborative outreach and education activities. For more information, please contact Lilli Ferguson at (301) 713-3028 ext 230 or Lilli.Ferguson@noaa.gov.