2. Drivers
and Trends for SOCD Research
2.2 Policy
With the Oceans Act of 2000, Congress and the
President established the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy to establish
findings and develop recommendations for a new and comprehensive national
ocean policy. The Ocean Commission's final report, An Ocean Blueprint
for the 21st Century, provides the Commission's recommendations to
Congress on what is needed to begin a new coordinated National Ocean
Policy framework to improve decision making, cutting edge ocean data and
science translated into high-quality information for managers, and life-
long ocean related education to create well-informed citizens with a
strong stewardship ethic. Recommendations relevant to SOCD address
research, applications, monitoring, and operational products for the
issues of: Marine Protective Areas (6-3), the NOAA Organic Act (7-1),
habitat (11-3), sediment (12-5, 12-7), maritime transportation (13-6),
water quality (14), a national monitoring network (15-1, 15-2, 15-3.),
marine debris (18-1), fisheries vessel monitoring and bycatch (19-19, 19-
23), endangered species (20-4), aquaculture (22-3), Oceans and Human
Health (23-3, 23-4, 23-5), the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
(26-6, 26-7, 26-8, 26-9, 26-10), infrastructure (27-1), and international
partnerships and efforts (29-7, 29-8). The Commission's findings and
recommendations resulted in the President's U.S. Ocean Action Plan.
The U.S. Ocean Action
Plan was developed by the Bush Administration in response to the
Ocean Commission 21 st Century Blueprint. Key principles outlined in the
Action Plan involving SOCD input and participation includes but is not
limited to:
- Develop an Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy;
- Build a Global Earth Observation Network, including an Integrated
Ocean Observation System, link it with Global Marine Assessment;
- Participate in the Aquarius mission to acquire sea surface salinity data from space;
- Create a National Water Quality Monitoring Network;
- Advance ocean stewardship;
- Support an integrated approach to oceans management;
- Extend coastal zone management;
- Improve marine managed areas;
- Conserve and restore coastal habitat;
- Promote coral reef conservation and education through implementing
coral reef local action strategies, form new international partnerships
to enhance management of coral reefs;
- Enhance conservation of marine mammals, sharks, and sea turtles;
- Provide data for the implementation of new legislation on oceans and
humans, health, harmful algal blooms (HABs), and hypoxia; and establish
a forecasting system for HABs;
- Reduce coastal water pollution;
- Advance offshore aquaculture;
- Share U.S. ocean science abroad through partnerships and capacity building;
- Promote life-long ocean education by expanding the Sea Grant Program internationally.
NOAA's FY 2006 - FY 2011 strategic plan, "New Priorities for the 21 st
Century - NOAA's Strategic Plan", identifies five cross-cutting
strategies:
- Developing, Valuing, and Sustaining a World-Class Workforce
- Integrating Global Environmental Observations and Data Management
- Ensuring Sound, State-of-the-Art Research
- Promoting Environmental Literacy
- Exercising International Leadership
NOAA's strategy for integrating global environmental observations and data
management most directly influences this SOCD Science and Technology Road Map.
The NOAA Strategic Plan states that Earth observations are intrinsic to NOAA's
mission, affecting fundamental research and discovery, to long-range operational
forecasting, to short-term warnings of immediate hazards, to day-to-day
regulatory decisions. It also states that an integrated Earth observation and
data management system will enhance NOAA's capabilities to meet mission goals
and enable NOAA's resources to be applied more efficiently and effectively by
reducing duplication, improving coverage, and providing networks to disseminate
information when and where it is needed around the world. The NOAA Strategic
Plan notes that through NOAA's participation and leadership in national and
international global data collection and reporting efforts, such as the Global
Earth Observing Systems of Systems (GEOSS) and other important observing groups
and efforts, NOAA can further integrate NOAA's observing systems, data, and
quality control with efforts of other nations to guarantee the best quality
and coverage of Earth observing data.
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