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GOOS-161

GSSC-X Report

Author(s): Secretariat

Final Report of the 10th session of the GOOS Scientific Steering Committee (GSSC-X, 13-16 March 2007, Seoul, Korea)
Doc Type Report
Status Published
Notes The 10th session of the GOOS Scientific Steering Committee, meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 13-16 March 2007. The meeting was preceded by a successful scientific workshop on coastal observations, regional models, and data management and assimilation, organized by the local hosts. The complementary roles of I-GOOS, JCOMM, GSSC, and the GOOS Regional Alliances were discussed. The meeting focused on two main areas: coastal implementation, and advocacy and outreach, including the role of industry in GOOS. An important distinction was made between GOOS Regional Alliances (regional policy and coordinating bodies) and the Regional Ocean Observing Systems (ROOSs, the observing systems themselves). It was recommended that the advice of the GSSC/JCOMM/GRA inter-sessional task team be taken, as endorsed by, and modified after, the GRA Forum. This includes immediately forming a sub-committee of the GSSC, the Panel for Integrated Coastal Observations (PICO) and later transforming it into a joint panel with GTOS. Progress in establishing (jointly with GEO) the first biological pilot project on ocean chlorophyll (ChlorOGIN) was welcomed, and several other potential pilot projects were mentioned (e.g. Harmful algal blooms, land-based sources of pollution, multi-hazard early warning systems, wind-wave-current interactions, the Ocean Tracking Network) and it is recommended that each GRA should demonstrate its activity by undertaking at least one pilot study of its own choice and priority. I-GOOS should formally recognize the GOOS Regional Council to co-coordinate GRAs and ROOSs and to represent GRA interests to I-GOOS. JCOMM should coordinate integration of common variables in coastal observations as the data streams become operational. The new PICO panel should liaise with the GEO Coastal Community of Practice in developing pilot studies. It was recommended that I-GOOS and IOC facilitate the acquisition of a standard set of routine underway measurements (such as SST, ADCP current measurements) by research vessels in coastal waters for storage in international databases. I-GOOS should try to obtain national commitments to ensure that GRAs have the necessary support to function. I-GOOS should encourage partnerships between GRAs and regional programs such as Large Marine Ecosystem projects and Regional Seas Conventions. Although the Global Module of GOOS was over 50% complete, its future operation was not secure in all areas and there remain large uncertainties in measurements, especially those at depth. The role of industry as both providers and users of information in GOOS was discussed. The group made several recommendations for action with regard to advocacy and outreach, including the need for professional marketing, and professional posters and material for presentation at large marine meetings and fora. Advocacy should be achieved through understanding the benefits of GOOS, placing a value on those benefits, and clearly conveying these benefits to stakeholders, including policy makers, funding bodies, industry, NGOs, the media and the public. The limited funds should be used to leverage more funding to better understand and quantify the benefits of GOOS to society and engage the wider community in supporting GOOS. The meeting concluded by assigning tasks and actions for the inter-sessional period.
Created at 13:32, 30 Apr 2007 by Boram Lee
Last updated at 13:11, 11 Apr 2008 by Simonetta Secco

GSSC-X Report

File: pdf / 232.4 KB
Language: English
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