The caribbean coastal ocean observing system INC. (caricoos) provides real-time coastal and ocean data, helping to monitor, understand, and prepare for environmental threats, ensuring the protection…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System, Inc. (CARICOOS) a $2,029,590 Cooperative Agreement under the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program (CFDA 11.012) effective June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2028. CARICOOS will deliver enhanced coastal and ocean observing infrastructure and services across two primary topic areas. Under Topic 1, the organization will upgrade and maintain critical oceanographic monitoring assets, including high-frequency radar systems, autonomous underwater vehicles for mesophotic reef monitoring, oceanographic data buoys, weather station instrumentation, and ocean acidification assessment capabilities through research cruises. Under Topic 2, CARICOOS will develop decision-support tools and community resilience initiatives, including maritime operations dashboards, nearshore current modeling and educational resources for beach safety, coral reef health assessments, and capacity-building training for underserved Caribbean communities to enhance resilience to coastal hazards. These activities address infrastructure damage from recent extreme weather events and aging sensor systems while supporting environmental monitoring, resource management, and stakeholder decision-making across the Caribbean region.

The caribbean coastal ocean observing system INC. (caricoos) provides real-time coastal and ocean data, helping to monitor, understand, and prepare for environmental threats, ensuring the protection and sustainability of the region's natural and economic resources. Enhancing its observing systems is vital for providing accurate data to stakeholders who rely on them for decision-making, resource management, and environmental protection. However, the devastation from recent extreme weather events and the aging of observation sensors has strained the observing assets network, needing frequent repairs and replacements. Under topic 1, caricoos will: enhance HFR systems; add glider to fleet; support staff to optimize and maintain caricoos oceanographic buoy services; refurbish oceanographic data buoys; use auvs to monitor mesophotic reefs; install rain gauges on weather stations; and conduct cruises with seawater flow-through system for ocean acidification assessments. Under topic 2, caricoos will: support ocean heat waves initiative; construct dashboards to support maritime operations; perform nearshore current modeling to support beachgoer awareness and RIP/nearshore current educational signage; providing capacity-building training to enhance resilience of frontline underserved communities to coastal hazards; produce interactive online videos to enhance awareness and understanding of coastal weather and sea state information; enhance costavispr tool; and support assessment of shallow and mesophotic coral reef health.