CaRA "Caribbean Regional Association for Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing"
Sustained and integrated observation of the coastal ocean is an international initiative that will provide substantial benefits to the economy, to security and environmental conservation. In the United States , coastal observing systems are being channeled through "regional associations" of users and data suppliers.
Funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, has allowed the organization of the Caribbean Regional Association for Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing. CaRA is developing the Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing System for the Caribbean (CarICOOS) covering Puerto Rico, the American Virgin Islands and the Island of Navassa west of Haiti.
CaRA has now achieved the following crucial milestones:
- Terms of reference for the Regional Association
- Formal establishment of the Regional Association
- Formal establishment of the CaRA Stakeholders Council
- Establishment of CaRA offices at Magueyes Island field station of the University of Puerto Rico , Mayagüez
- Communication to data suppliers and potential users of the benefits of an integrated observing system
- Publication and maintenance of the CaRA (http://cara.uprm.edu/) and CarICOOS (http://www.caricoos.org/) web pages
Funding for initial deployment of automated measurement systems for wind, waves, currents and water quality and for associated numerical modeling efforts has been granted by NOAA. These systems and models will constitute the cornerstone of the observing system.