The Office conducts
scientific studies of marine ecosystems in support of
the marine resource stewardship responsibilities of NOAA/NMFS.
Studies are focused on improved understanding of the productivity
and sustainability of the living resources and the environment
of the Northeast Shelf ecosystem. The results of these
and other related studies are used to provide scientific
and technological assistance to developing countries that
are planning and implementing ecosystem-based assessment
and management practices.
In support of NOAAs 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.