Our Mission
We study the ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea and U.S. Arctic to improve understanding of ecosystem dynamics and we apply that understanding to the management of living marine resources. EcoFOCI scientists integrate field, laboratory and modeling studies to determine how varying biological and physical factors influence large marine ecosystems within Alaskan waters.
EcoFOCI is a joint research program between the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (NOAA/ NMFS/ AFSC) and the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (NOAA/ OAR/ PMEL).
What's Happening
NOAA's Oscar Dyson conducting a research cruise in the Arctic Ocean. Credit: Carl Rhodes
Understanding how Alaska's vast marine ecosystems are changing requires long, consistent records — something scientists have rarely had access to in one place. Now, NOAA and CICOES scientists have released a public dataset that compiles nearly five decades of ocean observations into a single, accessible product.
Designed to support climate research, ecosystem modeling, and machine-learning applications, the Alaska Compendium of Ocean Profile Data, or ACOD, offers a single point of access to 47 years of hydrographic and... more
Featured Publications
The Washington/Oregon shelf, embedded in the Northern California Current System, is a productive habitat with important commercial fisheries. One of the most valuable species is Dungeness crab, which resides on the subsurface shelf and is sensitive to near‐bottom ocean properties such as... more
OceanObs’19 was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, in September 2019. The conference presented a unique forum to share new ideas and concepts in marine data management and to emphasize the opportunities presented by a rapidly changing technology landscape. The OceanObs’19 conference was designed to bring... more