About

The Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) was created by The Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 and will oversee efforts to develop the National Integrated Coastal & Ocean Observing System. Led by three federal Co-Chairs and supported by agency representatives and support staff, the Committee will carry out various provisions of the Act for implementing procedural, technical, and scientific requirements to ensure full execution of the System. Interagency collaboration is essential to achieve ocean science and technology priorities and, in particular, for planning and coordination of the System. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the support staff.

Alert: Please visit the Certification Standards webpage to view and submit comments on the proposed process outlined in the Federal Register Notice.

An illustration of the components of the Global Ocean Observing System. The national system is modeled on a similar framework.

Under a new charter, the IOOC will assume and expand the role of the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Observations (IWGOO), which was originally established by the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) in coherence with the Ocean Action Plan. This regularly updated webpage serves to inform stakeholders and the public about new and ongoing IOOC activities as well as catalog all previous IWGOO activities.

Providing administrative assistance to several federal agencies, the IOOC support office is conveniently and centrally located at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership in downtown Washington DC.

The IOOC’s legislative priorities include:

1. Prepare annual and long term plans;
2. Prepare an annual coordinated, comprehensive budget;
3. Establish required observation data variables;
4. Establish protocols for Data Management and Communications;
5. Develop contract certification standards and compliance procedures for all non-Federal assets;
6. Identify gaps in observation coverage;
7. Establish competitive matching grant or other programs;
8. Recommend revisions to the System Plan;
9. Ensure collaboration among federal agencies;
10. Program guidelines for certifying and integrating non-federal assets;
11. Formulate annual process for identifying observation gaps;
12. Receive annual reports from the IOOS Program Office;
13. Develop a policy that defines the process for making decisions about roles;
14. and, Develop an independent cost estimate.

In addition, the IOOC is making a concerted effort to engage stakeholders and private industries that receive benefits of the Integrated Ocean Observing System. More information about industry outreach can be found here.

IOOC News

For the latest updates please visit our Committee News section.

Commonly Requested Documents

• Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009
• Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force
• Executive Order : Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes
• Interim Report of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force
• Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning
• Integrated Ocean Observing System: Strategic Plan
• Embracing the Full Spectrum of IOOS Environmental Information for MDA – Summit Proceedings

Important Affiliations

National Entities

• Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
• The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (OPTF)
• NSTC Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST)
• Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel (ORRAP)
• Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT)

Regional Entities

• National Federation of Regional Associations (NFRA)
• Alaskan Ocean Observing System (AOOS)
• Central & Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS)
• Caribbean Regional Association (CaRA)
• Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS)
• Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS)
• Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (MACOORA)
• Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS)
• Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS)
• Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS)
• Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS)
• Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA)

Global Entities

• Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
• Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)
• Alliance for Earth Observations (AEO)
• Marine Technology Society (MTS)