What does ocean observing mean and how does it work?
You can find out by attending an upcoming Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) two-day workshop in Majuro January 21-22. Hands-on activities and presentations will answer those questions.
Participants will learn how to access coastal and ocean data, explore instruments that are used for ocean observing, and identify potential future projects. Coastal and ocean information is important to keep everyone safe in an atoll nation — both on land and in/on the water, and to inform agencies and organizations in their decision-making.
Moriana Phillip, General Manager of the Environmental Protection Authority, serves on the PacIOOS Governing Council and advocated for a series of workshops.
“It will be great to raise awareness and learn more about the possibilities of what can be done with ocean observing instrumentation and data,” she said. “We are also interested to learn what it takes to collect high quality data with different types of instruments and work with our partners to share knowledge.”
PacIOOS owns and operates a yellow wave buoy located about half a mile offshore of Delap Point, providing real-time information on the latest wave conditions.
The PacIOOS wave run-up forecasts for Majuro and Kwajalein provide a “heads-up” of potential flooding up to six days in advance. PacIOOS is based at the University of Hawai‘i.
For more information about the upcoming workshop or ocean observations, tools and services available in the RMI contact Max Sudnovsky ([email protected]), PacIOOS liaison and University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program, Coastal Management Extension Agent based at the College of the Marshall Islands.
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