NOAA's National Ocean Service

An official website of the United States government.
Here's how you know we're official.

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure websites use HTTPS

A small lock or https:// means you’ve safely connected to a .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Inflation Reduction Act: climate-ready coasts and communities

The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic, federal government-wide investment that furthers NOAA’s efforts to build a Climate-Ready Nation. As part of this investment, NOAA will work with a variety of partners in coastal and Great Lakes communities to develop and support durable, local capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, while growing economies, protecting fisheries, addressing environmental justice, and developing a climate-ready workforce.

inflation reduction act

Nicole Leboeuf, assistant administrator, NOAA’s Office of Response & Restoration

NCCOS 25 Year Anniversary

Nicole LeBoeuf, assistant administrator of NOAA’s National Ocean Service, reflects on the milestone anniversary of NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and their mission to sustain coastal communities and economies through cutting-edge science and science-based solutions.

coastal ocean science

Coastal habitats such as this salt marsh in the Gulf provide us with countless benefits, from nursery grounds for fish to protection from storms. (NOAA Fisheries)

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: climate-ready coasts

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a transformational opportunity to make an impact against the climate crisis across the country through multiple funding opportunities. As part of this law, $1.467 billion is being invested to help coastal communities build the future they want to see. Investing in high-impact natural infrastructure projects that build coastal resilience, create jobs, store carbon, and restore habitat.

bipartisan infrastructure law

Fishing nets on shallow coral reefs around islands and atolls.

Podcast: Marine Debris - Talking Trash

Marine debris is a large and global problem. Plastics, metals, rubber, fishing gear, and other lost and discarded items enter our ocean, Great Lakes, waterways, and coastal areas every day. This challenging problem can cause negative impacts to wildlife, the environment, and the economy. In this episode, we chat with our expert, Sophie Maginnes, communication specialist with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program.

A Currents Real-time Buoy (or CURBY buoy) deployed near Westport, Oregon, and Puget Island, Washington. (Credit: NOAA CO-OPS)

NOAA launches new Salish Seas and Columbia River operational forecast system

NOAA's new Salish Sea and Columbia River Operational Forecast System (SSCOFS) expands geographic coverage beyond the existing model, offering comprehensive guidance to users in the Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, the Strait of Georgia, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Columbia River up to Bonneville Dam.

Rachael Dempsey, NOS Deputy Assistant Administrator for Navigation, Observations, and Positioning (Image credit: NOAA)

Investment in Our National Ocean Observing System

In this video message Rachael Dempsey, NOS Deputy Assistant Administrator for Navigation, Observations, and Positioning, shares news on a historic investment in our national ocean observing system to enhance our nation's coastal resilience.

Aranzazu Lascurain (second from right), Southeast and Caribbean regional lead for NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, or OCM, and partners plant young mangroves in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico in January 2024. OCM provided funding to partners to rebuild the mangroves in Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve after they were decimated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. (Image credit: BoriCorps)

Helping protect Caribbean region’s coastal zones an exciting adventure

Aranzazu Lascurain, the Southeast and Caribbean regional lead for the Office for Coastal Management (OCM), is helping to implement the Coastal Zone Management Act within the region. Her position frequently takes her to the Caribbean, where she networks and shares information about funding opportunities and technical assistance — all to support the office’s mission of enhancing U.S. coastal resilience.

Scenic view overlooking Ruby Beach in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo: Nick Zachar/NOAA).

Podcast: Sanctuary Spotlight: Olympic Coast

In this episode, we travel to Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Boasting rugged coastlines and encompassing over 3,000 square miles, this special place is home to a rich abundance of marine mammals, seabirds, fish, and invertebrate communities. We explore this area’s origins, maritime culture, and historical legacy, as well as ways you can dive into all our sanctuaries.

A depiction of the Advanced Circulation Model used for NOAA's Coastal Ocean Reanalysis. The gray box shows the focus region of the assessment — the U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and Carribean Sea. Credit: Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.

NOAA study validates sea level data for future flood risk outlooks

A team of NOAA and university sea level rise experts have verified 40 years of data to accurately assess flood-risk changes on the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Their findings have been published in the latest edition of Frontiers In Marine Science.

Around the Ocean Service

Innovating coastal resilience: popular marsh model now converted to Python
coastal science
NOAA buoy supports disaster response, scientific research, safe navigation
tides and currents
NOAA supports response to oil tanker fire in Red Sea
response and restoration
Strengthening coastal resilience and aquaculture with Gullah/Geechee communities in the southeast
coastal science
Publication describes how to effectively communicate risks of nor’easters
coastal science
The NOAA Marine Debris Program announces the Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project Nationwide Survey funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
response and restoration

Official websites use .gov

Secure websites use HTTPS

Moving Mountains

tides and currents

nautical charts

career profiles

NOS 2024-2028 Strategic Plan

harmful algal blooms

sea level
rise