Meeting stakeholder Ocean data needs in the Eastern Caribbean

Abstract

Historically, the US Caribbean coastal region has been under-observed. Operational sources of basic information such as waves and currents have never been available; reliable coastal wind data collection has never met the spatial resolution demanded by the realities of high profile tropical islands. NOAA, through its IOOS Program Office, has recently taken the initiative to support and guide the development of a Caribbean Regional Association for Ocean Observing (CaRA), and a Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System (CarlCOOS) capable of providing for stakeholder needs for marine information in the region. Given the existing data void it was not surprising to find that while developing the regional need assessment part of the CaRA structuring, data products on coastal winds, waves, currents, coastal inundation and water quality were found to be the prioritary stakeholder needs. These are comprehensively tied to the IOOS program goals; to improve safety at sea, assure continued attainment of economic benefits from the ocean, and protecting our ocean environment. While recognizing that the near absence of pre-existing coastal observational assets in the region has allowed CaRA to chart its own unburdened course, the development of a cost-effective observation system effective across the diverse spatial and temporal scales of processes pertinent to regional stakeholders poses a major planning challenge. To meet identified needs while minimizing infrastructure deployment and maintenance, CaRA/CarlCOOS and associated experts have designed a system combining 'in situ" and remotely sensed observations with a strong numerical modeling component. For example, we have initially endeavored to provide in situ ocean observations at the outer shelves of the two ocean regimes characteristic of our area: Atlantic and Caribbean which will provide validation for current and wave models. Such models initially provide wide-area coverage to be filled in with targeted finer-scale observations and model products as the system matures. CaRA/CarlCOOS is being implemented collaboratively through the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (UPRM) and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) with assistance from federal and state agencies. CaRA, an alliance of private and public entities and individuals encompassing maritime commerce, recreational concerns, commercial fishermen, safety responders, environmental managers and the general public, oversees planning and implementation of the system and evaluates its products and services. CaRA/CarlCOOS is committed to the adoption and to the implementation of IOOS DMAC standards throughout our model and data services.