Our Oceans and Our Health: An Opportunity to Promote

Ocean Literacy

Why Do People Care About Oceans and Coasts?

•Seafood, Recreation and Transportation•Aesthetics & Property Values•Drinking Water•Marine Natural Products and Pharmaceuticals •Ecosystem Services

The Main Questions

Is the seafood safe to eat, are the waters safe to swim and boat in… or to drink? What can we do make sure people are safe?

How will the oceans affect my health and well-being?

HABS and Marine Toxins

Pollutants and ContaminantsPathogens

Threats

Oceans and Human Health Act, 2004

Directed NOAA as our nation’s lead ocean agency

– To create and develop NOAA’s Oceans and Human Health Initiative

– To cooperate with National Sea Grant to disseminate information developed under the OHHI on both a regional and national scale

– To cooperate and coordinate with an interagency OHH effort comprised of the NSF, NIEHS and other Federal agencies and departments via Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science & Technology (JSOST) and its Interagency Working Group for HABs, Hypoxia and Human Health (IWG-4H)

Understanding the Linkages

NOAA’s OHHI will bring understanding and assessment of the oceans full circle since it evaluates and communicates both the impact of humans on the oceans, as well as the impact of the oceans on human health.

The OHHI supports NOAA’s mission goals - to protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management; to understand climate variability and change to enhance society’s ability to plan and respond; and to serve society’s needs for

weather and water information.

To better understand and predict how the condition of oceans, coasts and Great Lakes waters positively or negatively affect human

health and to provide environmental information to resource and public health managers,

decision makers and the public to maximize health benefits and reduce or eliminate

health risks

Goal of the OHHI

OHHI’s Approach to Outreach and Education

OHHI Centers of Excellence: NWFSC

(NOAA Fisheries), GLERL (NOAA

Research), HML (NOAA Ocean Service)

OHHI Scholars and Traineeships

OHHI GrantsExternal Research

GrantsInternal Capacity

Development

OHHI National Advisory Panel

OHHI Cornerstones work together to:

coordinate research, coordinate research, outreach, education and outreach, education and data managementdata management across NOAA and to strengthen capacity through external

partnerships and interdisciplinary traininginterdisciplinary training.

OHHI Audiences

Outreach to constituents• NOAA and DOC• Congress• Scientific Community• Resource Managers• Public Health Managers• Beach Managers• Shellfishers, fishers• Utility workers

Public• Civic groups• Coastal residents and visitors

Outreach to regional and local governments

•Community planners•Sea Grant •Education providers •Regulators•Policy makers

Education •Graduate students•Undergraduate•Teachers•Students

NOAA Great Lakes Center of Excellence

HML Center of Excellence

NOAA West Coast NOAA West Coast Center of Center of ExcellenceExcellence

Michigan State University

USGS

NOAA Lake Michigan Field Station

USGS Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station

EPA Athens

NOAA NOS Beaufort Laboratory

Florida Institute of Oceanography

University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee external

University of Tennessee external

SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, OCRM

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

National Institute of Standards and Technology

College of Charleston

Medical University of South Carolina

NOAA National Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research

Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory

University of South Carolina

University of University of WashingtonWashington

Institute of Institute of Systems BiologySystems Biology

Alaska Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science CenterScience Center

Oregon State Oregon State UniversityUniversity

The The Marine Marine Mammal Mammal CenterCenter

University of University of California, DavisCalifornia, Davis

National Ocean Research Priorities Plan

MAJOR THEMESEnhancing Human Health

Improving Ecosystem HealthOcean’s Role in Climate and Variability

Mitigating the Effects of Natural HazardsImproving Quality of Life

Sustaining Natural ResourcesPromoting Marine Operations

CROSS CUTSBasic Knowledge

Research Support through Ocean Observations and Infrastructure

Expanded Ocean Education

OHH is prevalent throughout major themes and cross cuts

Working Cooperatively to Develop Early Warning Systems

OHHI strives to provide:

•Tools, incl. biological and chemical sensors

•Monitoring and assessment capabilities

•Environmental health information

OHHI technologies will support:

Early warning systems and forecasts for existing and emerging ocean and coastal health risks

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

DAY

CASES

LabConfirmation

Outbreak Detection and Response

Response

Detection/Reporting

First Case

Adapted from J. Davis, Climate Adaptation Workshop, Nov. 2003

Opportunity for control

DAY

CASES

First Case

Detection/Reporting

Lab Confirmation

Response

Opportunity for control

Effective Health Early Warning

- 120

Ocean and Coastal

Observations and Monitoring

Information

Adapted from J. Davis, Climate Adaptation Workshop, Nov. 2003

Biosensor Tool and Methods Development

Employ strategies to reach appropriate audiences throughout the cycle

To Be Effective, Outreach and Education Must

Provide public information

Engage diverse scientific disciplines

Support scientist traineeships and scholars & produce teacher educational programs

Involve stakeholders

Engage diverse scientific disciplines

Support scientist traineeships and scholars

Produce teacher educational programs Scientific

meetings and literature

ARMADA Program field experiences for

teachers

National Ocean Sciences Bowl content and assistance

Seminars at multidisciplinary

institutions

Engaging Scientists from Environmental and Biomedical Fields and

Producing Future Scientists

REU student

Great Lakes Needs Assessment Workshops

2005 Molluscan Shellfish Safety

Workshop, Interstate Shellfish

Sanitation Conference

Seminar Series

Strategies for Identifying

stakeholders and needs

Advisory Panels

Interagency Memorandums of

Agreement

Scientific Workshops

Involve Stakeholders

Provide Public Information

Examples of OHHI Outreach and Education Partners

National Regional

Other NOAA Programs, incl. Sea Grant

Sea Grant

(SC, WA, GL)Aquaria (SC, Seattle)

SEPMN (NOAA)

Low Country Earth Force

NSF/NIEHS Centers of Excellence

COSEE

(SE, Great Lakes, NW)Universities

People for Puget Sound

Other Agencies (e.g., CDC, EPA, FDA, MMC, NASA, USGS)

IOOS Regional Associations

Communities in Schools

City of Detroit Health Department

Both national and regional

Conclusions

WORKING TOWARDS HEALTHY OCEANS, HEALTHY PEOPLE AND

HEALTHY ECONOMIES

People demonstrate an understanding of the relationships

between their actions, ocean conditions, human health, and

well-being.

Thank You!