In support of NOAA’s Ecosystem Goal, OMES is developing suites of indicators of changing ecosystem conditions based on a framework of 5 modules of strategic indicator measurements of: (i) productivity, (ii) fish and fisheries, (iii) pollution and ecosystem health, (iv) socioeconomics, and (v) governance of Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). OMES introduces, tests, and evaluates the operationalization of these modules. Selected suites of LME indicators are evaluated and introduced into the Global Environment Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) and the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) in national and international LME projects.

Components of the productivity module originate with analyses of ecological linkages to spatial and temporal patterns of change in the seasonal, annual, and decadal productivity cycle within the NE shelf ecosystem. New technologies are being developed and applied for assessing the changing states of marine ecosystems using satellite imaging, and underway in situ sensors. The satellite imaging is also applied to studies of fish stock movements in relation to oceanographic changes. Studies are conducted in collaboration with other Line Offices in NOAA and with academic, public and private institutions. Outputs are provided to scientific, industrial, and public interests in cooperation with academic institutions through the Cooperative Marine Education and Research (CMER) program. CMER directors are located at the University of Rhode Island, the University of Massachusetts, Rutgers University, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Hampton University. CMER staff conduct research on ocean fronts in relation to plankton productivity, fish abundance, and ecosystem forecasting for species inhabiting the Northern Shelf LME. Scientific and technical support is also provided to long-standing U.S. bilateral living marine resources (LMR) agreements with Poland and Norway.