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As one of the 11 regions of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), AOOS was asked to complete a 10-year build out plan for ensuring initial, barebones capabilities to address priority ocean observing needs. The build out plan will help fulfill an annual regional gaps analysis as well as provide important information for the National Ocean Policy priority #9: “Strengthen and integrate Federal and non-Federal ocean observing systems, sensors, data collection platforms, data management, and mapping capabilities into a national system and integrate that system into international observation efforts.”
The AOOS build out plan was drafted in response to the needs of Alaskan stakeholders and partners. Three thematic workshops hosted by AOOS in 2010 provided the basis of the plan. The plan represents an “idealized” system at the end of ten years. It is not a description of present capabilities, nor is it based on a specific funding limit. The AOOS Board conceptually approved the plan on Sept 23rd. It will be further refined with stakeholder and scientist input in the next six months.
The final product will be a national synthesis of the 11 regional build out plans and gap analyses. The synthesis will reflect the regional differences in building a national system that fulfills national objectives in the diverse regions of the country.