The Ocean Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting ocean environments, will work with the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to address a range of issues affecting the waters. NOAA said Tuesday it agreed to help the nonprofit study how ocean acidification and climate change affect coasts and oceans.
“When it comes to advancing science, conservation and our understanding of the largely unknown ocean, NOAA is committed to building diverse and productive collaborations like the one with The Ocean Foundation,” said retired Navy RDML Tim Gallaudet, Ph.D., assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy NOAA administrator.
The partnership also aims to boost coastal resiliency against these effects, protect monuments and other forms of heritage in marine environments and economically develop U.S. marine aquaculture.
“These partnerships help accelerate NOAA’s mission to predict changes in climate, weather, the ocean and coasts, share that knowledge with communities, strengthen the Blue Economy, and conserve and manage healthy coastal and marine ecosystems and resources,” Gallaudet added.
NOAA and The Ocean Foundation will also jointly support the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, a group of coastal sites that serve as sanctuaries and research grounds for estuarine systems. Estuaries are habitats where fresh and salt water have mixed.
“Our partnership with NOAA will allow both partners to continue our long-established international scientific relationships and research collaborations," said Mark Spalding, president of The Ocean Foundation.
