Integrated Observing Across the Northwest Atlantic

Northwest Atlantic current systems originating off Greenland extend south to the Canadian Maritimes and Northeastern United States, creating oceanographic, ecological, and economic connections that compel integrated ocean observing across the region. For more than a decade, NERACOOS has led development of a robust and responsive ocean observing system for the Northeastern U.S. as part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), components of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). That experience, backed by key partnerships that reach into northern latitudes, positions us to build new partnerships toward integration of ocean observing at scale in the Northwest Atlantic. Strategic deployment of observing tools should be tailored to local conditions, with oceanographic models, satellite remote sensing, and data products unifying the system at scale. Indigenous people must be core partners, both as contributors of traditional knowledge and priority communities for capacity development. The diversity and complexity of human, environmental, and data systems calls for application of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to extract key insights from disparate information sources. Longevity will be promoted by involvement of the private sector to build buy-in, and training of young practitioners to sustain the system into the future.