Integrated Ocean Observations III: Across Disciplines and Networks

Summary and Expectations

The goal of this breakout session, constituting the third part of the larger thematic block on “Integrated Ocean Observations”, is to provide recommendations to the ocean community on how to fully integrate biological observations into a truly multidisciplinary observing system, from the coast across open ocean, and from the surface to the deep. The session will present a set of priority goals and milestones for the 2019-2029 decade as well as recommendations for the implementation of a multidisciplinary observing system focused on partnerships, communication, best practices, data quality and access, capacity development, and sustainability. The audience will discuss ideas on how each of the goals and milestones may be achieved and reach consensus on priority recommendations for an improved understanding and prediction capacity of life in the ocean.

Expected Outcomes/Recommendations

• Increase regional & global coordination throughout the next decade, focusing on partnerships & improved communication; observational capacity including improved data sharing; an expanded funding base for sustained observations.
• Report progress towards the desired global ocean observing system through biennial reporting to the United Nations using EOVs as a reporting framework.
• Ensure that observing networks contributing to the global ocean observing system provide updated metadata on progress towards full maturity under the FOO, as well as their data to the relevant open and FAIR regional and global databases.