The Development of a Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS)

Andrew Stewart,Fred Whoriskey,Fred Whoriskey,Richard Kelly,Cristina Tollefsen,Benoît Pirenne,Alexa Reedman,Karen Donaldson,Anne-Sophie Ste-Marie,Douglas Wallace,Mike Smit,Andréane Bastien,Brad Deyoung,Bill Carter,Ariane Plourde,Eric Peterson,Ray Brunsting,Brad Covey

doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00431

Abstract

Ocean observation is fundamental to Canada’s ocean science community. The federal government, academia, small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and other research partners, collect and synthesize physical, chemical and biological observations for research purposes, to model ocean changes, to support resource management decision-making, and to establish baseline data for long-term monitoring. Aside from building comprehensive ocean observatories (Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) et al. 2010), there is no easy mechanism to integrate the large amounts of data from the various sources or to explore interrelationships among variables, and no coordination and collaboration mechanism for the ocean community as a whole to generate an efficient system (Ocean Science and Technology Partnership (OSTP), for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) 2011). Consequently, we observe fragmented and isolated data that is only discoverable by a limited range of end users. Canada’s ocean science community (Wallace et al. 2014), led and supported by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), is developing a Canadian Integrated Ocean Observation System (CIOOS) that brings together and leverages existing Canadian and international ocean observation data into a federated data system. This system (Wilson et al. 2016) will improve coordination and collaboration among diverse data producers, improve access to information for decision making, and enable discovery and access to data to support a wide variety of applied and theoretical research efforts to better understand, monitor, and manage activities in Canada’s oceans. Canada is implementing a CIOOS test-phase, which will eventually lead to the development of a robust and integrated observing system, improving connections between end users and providers of ocean observations. The improved coordination of regional and national efforts within CIOOS will contribute to global ocean observing, maximizing the overall benefit of integrated observing.

Highlights

The world’s oceans are a critical component of the Earth system
Effective ocean management depends on observations of the ocean, which are generated by existing national or regional ocean observing systems and networks
Such data are increasingly relevant to a broad array of stakeholders, with a recent report suggesting that the industry sector engaged with ocean observation had revenues of over $7 billion in the United States alone, driven in part by their national ocean observing system (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA], 2016)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The world’s oceans are a critical component of the Earth system. Sound knowledge and understanding of the ocean is essential to mitigate human impacts on the global environment and to promote the ocean’s sustainable use. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in partnership with the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR), is spearheading the development of a Canadian Integrated Ocean Observation System (CIOOS) that brings together and leverages existing Canadian and international ocean observation data into a national data system. This national System (Wilson et al, 2016) will improve coordination and collaboration among data producers, ensure data and metadata interoperability, improve access to existing information, and enable discovery and reuse of data. Recognizing, respecting and including the values, expertise and traditional knowledge and Indigenous sciences of Indigenous peoples are essential to CIOOS

STRATEGY AND APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIOOS

HOW CIOOS WILL BENEFIT CANADIANS

LOOKING FORWARD