Design and Implementation of a Regional Association for the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System

The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) is being developed as one of the regional coastal ocean observing systems under the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, which is a contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System. GCOOS will be a sustained ocean observing system that provides data, information, and products on marine and estuarine systems to a wide range of users. A GCOOS Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) has been established to develop the GCOOS. The activities of the GCOOS-RA to establish and evolve the GCOOS are described