What is the Census of Marine Life?
The Census of Marine Life (CoML) is the first international program dedicated to studying the biology of the ocean. CoML is a growing global network of researchers in more than 80 nations engaged in a 10-year scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the ocean. CoML uses field research, historical data, and models of trends and projections to understand and forecast marine biodiversity. Ocean Leadership houses the International Secretariat and U.S. National Committee Secretariat. CoML scientists are exploring the oceans, discovering information critical to understanding our oceans and making it publicly available as a tool for managing, conserving, and decision making concerning living marine resources for future generations. Sixteen international projects address marine biodiversity research from three principal perspectives seen in the diagram below and all feed data into a central location.
