[West Coast Ocean Data Network] West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health Launches Ocean Data Portal

[west_coast_data_network at listsmart.osl.state.or.us]

[image: Inline image 1]
<http://westcoastoceans.org/>

*West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health launches new website to
increase access and discovery of critical ocean and coastal data for the
West Coast*

Jan. 21st 2014

The West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health is pleased to announce
the launch of the West Coast Ocean Data Portal
(*http://portal.westcoastoceans.org/
<http://portal.westcoastoceans.org/>*). The Portal will help coastal
managers, researchers, and the general public to access and discover data
relevant to West Coast ocean resource management, policy development, and
marine planning. The Portal represents a catalog of curated ocean and
coastal data resources from Washington, Oregon, and California with a focus
on providing information at a West Coast scale. The system leverages the
work of existing efforts, including State Coastal Atlases and Federal data
catalogs, by connecting the community of data providers in a single Portal.

“The launch of this website is an important step forward for the West Coast
Governors Alliance on Ocean Health. Having tools to access ocean and
coastal data will help us address high priority regional ocean issues like
marine debris, sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and marine planning. It
is truly a collaboration among our State, Federal, Tribal, University and
NGO partners to more effectively share data critical to ocean health
decision making,” said Gabriela Goldfarb, Natural Resources Policy Advisor
in the Oregon Governor's Office.

Launching the Ocean Data Portal is an essential first step to better
connect people with the necessary data to inform issues unique to the West
Coast region. Development of the Portal was funded through a NOAA Regional
Ocean Partnership grant which has greatly enhanced the ability of the three
States, Federal government, Tribes, and the three West Coast Regional
Associations of Ocean Observing Systems (IOOS) to collaborate on regional
ocean health issues.

The development of the Portal is guided by a Network of ocean data managers
and users. This West Coast Ocean Data Network is made up of representatives
from state and federal agencies, tribal governments, universities, and NGOs
and serves as a forum to connect people around data, outreach, and
information technology issues. Participation in the Network is open to
anyone interested in sharing ocean data, to learn more visit
http://portal.westcoastoceans.org/Connect/<http://portal.westcoastoceans.org/connect/>
.

You can visit the West Coast Ocean Data Portal at
*http://portal.westcoastoceans.org
<http://portal.westcoastoceans.org/>*.

If you wish to learn more or contribute your data to the Portal, please
contact Todd Hallenbeck (*Todd.r.hallenbeck at Westcoastoceans.org
<Todd.r.hallenbeck at Westcoastoceans.org>*).

[image: Inline image 2] <http://portal.westcoastoceans.org/>
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