What is the role of the National Ocean Service in dead zone research?
ROB MAGNIEN: Kate, there are a number of laboratories in NOAA, across the federal government, and in academic institutions working on dead zone research projects. My office, the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research in the National Ocean Service administers the only national-level hypoxia programs and provides competitive funding for the brightest minds to attack the most urgent gaps in knowledge required to manage this problem. Hypoxia is really emblematic of some of our most difficult coastal problems that require large-scale sustained research to achieve the understanding needed to drive management actions. For example, over approximately 15 years, my office has invested over $27 million for research into the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. Fortunately, that investment has paid off by providing the fundamental science underpinning for a management action plan first issued in 2001 and then revised in 2008. HOST: Thanks Rob. It’s great to hear that such a program exists to help manage
