Pacific Northwest Workshop

Thursday, February 2-3, 2012

Microsoft Research – Redmond, Washington

WORKSHOP AGENDA | SECOND DAY ACTIVITIES | LOCATION

A workshop bringing together users and providers of marine information to explore how monitoring and forecasting the ocean, coast and estuaries can best deliver safety, economic and environmental benefits to industries, government and citizens of the Pacific Northwest.

Ensuring coastal safety requires an understanding of hazards such as tsunamis, flooding, erosion and harmful algal blooms.  Understanding the coastal ocean and estuaries provides direct economic benefits to maritime operations, ports and harbors, fisheries, aquaculture and the recreation and tourism industries. Even far inland, the ocean drives weather and climate affecting all businesses and citizens.

By better understanding the connection between the ocean and weather we can improve predictions of when and where severe weather will strike.  Reducing uncertainties in knowledge of future weather and climate significantly improves strategies for management of infrastructure and the reduction of business risks.

Managing the sustainable use of marine resources and the quality of the marine environment requires continuous monitoring of threats such as accidental spills, low oxygen and ocean acidification.

A sustained Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which NANOOS represents in the Pacific Northwest, that connects information at a global, national, regional, state and local scale is an essential means of delivering these benefits.

Bringing together beneficiaries and providers of marine information the workshop will explore existing and emerging user needs for data, information and forecasts; provide an opportunity to match user needs with observing system capability and will help to inform future plans for improved delivery of benefits.

If you have any questions please contact Nick Rome at nrome@oceanleadership.org or 202-787-1645