Synergies in Operational Oceanography: The Intrinsic Need for Sustained Ocean Observations

Abstract

Operational oceanography can be described as the provision of routine oceanographic information needed for decision-making purposes. It is dependent upon sustained research and development through the end-to-end framework of an operational service, from observation collection to delivery mechanisms. The core components of operational oceanographic systems are a multi-platform observation network, a data management system, a data assimilative prediction system, and a dissemination/accessibility system. These are interdependent, necessitating communication and exchange between them, and together provide the mechanism through which a clear picture of ocean conditions, in the past, present, and future, can be seen. Ocean observations play a critical role in all aspects of operational oceanography, not only for assimilation but as part of the research cycle, and

Marine monitoring in Europe: is it adequate to address environmental threats and pressures?

“…Suggestions given for improving monitoring programmes are supported by many studies on the development of existing and new technologies. Davidson et al (2019) provide an overview of the need for operational oceanographic systems, which include a multi-platform observation network, as well as systems for data management, data assimilation and prediction, and data dissemination and accessibility. Key components of such systems include an integrated approach (She et al, 2019), partnerships and shared approaches for monitoring, assessment and data (Bax et al, 2019;Canonico et al, 2019;Míguez et al, 2019;Schmidt et al, 2019;Stammer et al, 2019;Tanhua et al, 2019;Weller et al, 2019), instrumented moorings (fixed platforms; Bailey et al, 2019), and new methodologies for monitoring, including in situ biochemical, biological, and molecular sensors (reviewed by Wang et al, 2019).…”

“…Across the globe, marine monitoring networks are becoming increasingly important for the collection, dissemination, and sharing of data for improved scientific understanding, assessment of the health of marine ecosystems, and forecasting the likely impacts of environmental change and human activities (e.g. Schofield et al, 2002Schofield et al, , 2003Proctor and Howarth, 2008;Duarte et al, 2018;Bailey et al, 2019;Bax et al, 2019;Buck et al, 2019;Canonico et al, 2019;Davidson et al, 2019;Grand et al, 2019;Smith et al, 2019a, b). In Europe, for example, projects and infrastructures such as JERICO 3 , DEVOTES 4 , COPERNICUS 5 , EMODnet 6 , EMSO ERIC 7 , and AtlantOS 8 have played a significant role in the coordination and advancement of monitoring in coastal and offshore waters, from operational marine services to delivering data products to end users.…”

Polar Ocean Observations: A Critical Gap in the Observing System and Its Effect on Environmental Predictions From Hours to a Season

“…Over the last 10 years, there has been a significant maturing of ocean prediction systems, led by efforts such as GODAE OceanView (GOV; Bell et al, 2015; Davidson et al, 2019) and the European Union Copernicus Marine Environmental Monitoring Service (CMEMS; Le Traon et al, 2017). Numerous operational global and regional ocean analysis and forecast systems are now in place providing services for a range of applications including search and rescue, short- and long-range atmospheric and coupled prediction systems, aquaculture, energy sector activities and environmental management including environmental emergency response.…”

Bridging From Monitoring to Solutions-Based Thinking: Lessons From CalCOFI for Understanding and Adapting to Marine Climate Change Impacts

“…Consequently, the data-rich environment provides an excellent opportunity to explore how oceanographic monitoring programs can support ecosystem management strategies that are adaptive to climate change. Ideally, more comprehensive oceanographic monitoring should lead to more climate-resilient management (Skern-Mauritzen et al, 2016;Davidson et al, 2019), however, there are unique challenges in linking physical and biological oceanographic data to management needs (Field and Francis, 2006). These include, for example, difficulties in linking meaningful climate indices to fisheries trends to inform management decisions (Myers, 1998;Smith et al, 2007;Pitcher et al, 2009), and in creating data products that support the needs of a diverse community of stakeholders (Rayner et al, 2019).…”