In July and August, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) sponsored the 2009 Ocean for Life program, which gathers high school students from Western and Middle Eastern nations to promote cultural understanding through ocean science....

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Coral bleaching is associated with a variety of stresses, especially increased ocean temperatures. This causes the coral to expel symbiotic micro-algae living in their tissues - algae that provide corals with food....

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A community that is more informed and prepared will have a greater opportunity to rebound quickly from weather and climate-related events, including adapting to sea level rise. The ability to rebound more quickly can reduce negative human health, environmental, and economic impacts....

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MEET: Neil Weston, Physicist with the National Geodetic Survey....

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An environmental sensitivity index (ESI) map compiles information for coastal shoreline sensitivity, biological resources, and human resources. This information is used to create cleanup strategies before an accident occurs so that authorities are prepared to take action in the event of such a spill. Advance planning reduces the harmful consequences of oil spills and cleanup....

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Less oxygen dissolved in the water is often referred to as a “dead zone” because most marine life either dies, or, if they are mobile such as fish, leave the area. Habitats that would normally be teeming with life become, essentially, biological deserts....

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Local bridge and highway improvements are not the only transportation projects to benefit from stimulus funds. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the Office of Coast Survey is allocating $40 million for mapping the sea floor, collecting data in critical coastal areas, and updating nautical charts....

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MEET: David Elliot, Navigation Manager-Southeast Region with the Office of Coast Survey....

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Ranging in size from less than 2.6 square kilometers to 356,880 square kilometers (one square mile to 137,792 square miles), each sanctuary site is a unique place needing special protections. Marine sanctuaries are natural classrooms, cherished recreational spots, and valuable commercial industries....

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NOAA ships and scientists, along with multiple partner organizations, have returned to Kachemak Bay, Alaska, for the second field season of hydrographic data collection. The goal of the project, called ‘Hydropalooza,’ is to develop the most detailed sea floor and coastline maps ever generated for this area....

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