The ability to mitigate adverse interactions with marine mammals and other protected marine species is dependent on direct access to high-quality data sets, ecological models and expert knowledge. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System - Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations (OBIS-SEAMAP) program was designed specifically to make such information available to the research, education and management communities. Over the past four years OBIS-SEAMAP has successfully developed a multi-function information system to provide critical data to scientists, managers and educators under the NOPP program.
The PIs request renewal funding for OBIS-SEAMAP to continue to provide information system services and to expand both the scope and depth of our program to better meet the increasingly complex demands facing the ocean science and management communities. They plan to focus new efforts on developing a more technically advanced and fully interoperable marine animal information management system within the context of the emerging integrated ocean observing system. The OBIS-SEAMAP system will continue to be a leading prototype for the development of new technologies and data delivery systems for CoML and the International Ocean Observing System (IOOS).
Broader Impacts
The project provides both the analytical tools and an information dissemination system to support fundamental research and applied protected species management initiatives. All data, tools and services developed under this program will be rapidly disseminated in an open environment through a data portal. The PIs will develop novel web services approaches to allow for dynamic linkage of information from the information system into other applications in a seamless manner. They are actively designing the products and outcomes of this project to fulfill important societal and research needs.
