THE FORUM

The Australian Forum for Operational Oceanography (FOO)

The FOO is intended to be a forum for:

  • discussions relating to operational oceanography, including requirements of stakeholders, industry and interested parties;
  • for scientific and technical discussions of common interest to practitioners working in relevant areas or drawing on products from operational oceanography service providers.

The ultimate goal of FOO is to improve the safety and efficiency of marine industries through better decision-making via operational oceanography.

This requires better industry processes and trained staff. It requires better operational oceanographic services from government, and industry. It requires a solid foundation of world class research and development.

This is the value chain for operational oceanography in Australia.

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Context of the Forum

In developed countries around the world, Government agencies, R&D providers and marine industries are realising the potential advantages of creating a systematic focus on operational ocean observing, short-range prediction, and delivery of services - covering marine and coastal environments, and physical and biogeochemical properties.

This has come to be described as operational oceanography.

As an island nation deriving massive social, economic and environmental benefits from its coasts and oceans, Australia has good reason to be keenly interested in these developments.

A team of scientists and managers from across industry, government and academia have therefore come together and formed a steering committee to bring an Australian Forum for Operational Oceanography (FOO) into existence.

The Forum Pillars

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Forum Objectives

The Forum represents a mechanism and opportunity for consolidating Australia’s national coordination of efforts for the benefit of all participating parties.

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The Forum will provide a mechanism for clear and coherent articulation of user needs and priorities from any sectors and jurisdictions who have an interest in operational oceanography.


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The Forum will keep the operational oceanography community informed of developments and best practices in the field. The aim is to strengthen links with the diverse community of intermediate service provides (metocean consultants, environmental consultants) and to agree and achieve international best practice across the sectors.
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The Forum will facilitate awareness and utilisation of existing operational oceanography systems, focusing in particular on those developed in Australia. This has the ultimate goal of achieving greater positive impact and implements a robust feedback loop to guide further improvements to systems and services.
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The Forum will initiate the interactions and partnerships between groups in Australia that are essential to improve both exploitation of capabilities in operational oceanography, and transitioning of systems research to operations. This includes the sharing and alignment of future plans and planned developments in operational oceanography among participants in the forum.

The Forums

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The FOO Website is supported by the Integrated Marine Observing System

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