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 Contaminants Pathogens 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 Grants External Research Grants Internal Capacity Development OHHI National Advisory Panel OHHI Cornerstones work together to: coordinate research, outreach, education and data management interdisciplinary training coordinate research, outreach, education and data management across NOAA and to strengthen capacity through external partnerships and interdisciplinary 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 Center of Excellence 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 Washington Institute of Systems Biology Alaska Fisheries Science Center Oregon State University The Marine Mammal Center University of California, Davis

National Ocean Research Priorities Plan MAJOR THEMES Enhancing Human Health Improving Ecosystem Health Ocean’s Role in Climate and Variability Mitigating the Effects of Natural Hazards Improving Quality of Life Sustaining Natural Resources Promoting Marine Operations CROSS CUTS Basic 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

DAY CASES Lab Confirmation Outbreak Detection and Response Response Detection/ Reporting First Case Adapted from J. Davis, Climate Adaptation Workshop, Nov Opportunity for control

DAY CASES First CaseDetection/ Reporting Lab Confirmation Response Opportunity for control Effective Health Early Warning Ocean and Coastal Observations and Monitoring Information Adapted from J. Davis, Climate Adaptation Workshop, Nov 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 NationalRegional 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!