Gulf Coast communities now have a new way to access coastal and ocean information about the Gulf of Mexico thanks to a new website developed by the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS).

GCOOS is the heart of data collection for ocean and coastal waters in the Gulf of Mexico — collecting thousands of data points from sensors and ensuring that the information is reliable, timely and accurate before disseminating it to the ocean sectors that rely on it. Those sectors include residents, researchers and resource managers in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

GCOOS is also the only NOAA-certified observing system whose sole focus is on the Gulf of Mexico.

The new GCOOS.org website offers a better showcase for the products and services the organization has developed for Gulf of Mexico communities and is responsive across all platforms, including desktops and smartphones. It also includes a new data portal and a search feature for our operational products — like those that track hurricane activity, autonomous underwater vehicles (also known as gliders) and respiratory impacts of red tide — as well as the many archived data sets we host.

GCOOS has also unveiled a new, modern logo that embodies its ocean observing mission in the Gulf of Mexico with the addition of an ocean buoy and an updated color scheme.

GCOOS.org was developed in partnership with Vetted Communications LLC, which specializes in content-driven public relations and marketing for the marine research and science sectors, and Joker Media, a small digital agency based in Tampa, Florida, that focuses on website design, development, search engine optimization and social media marketing.

“Whether on desktop or smartphone, we hope our visitors will find our new site easier to navigate, our products more accessible and our downloadable data more handy than ever,” said GCOOS Executive Director Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick.

Along with the new website and logo, GCOOS also revamped its monthly enewsletter to better reflect the key focus areas outlined in its Strategic Plan — marine operations, coastal hazards, healthy ecosystems & living resources, human health & safety and long-term change — and took on a new Twitter persona: @GCOOS1.

About GCOOS

The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association is a 501(c)3 organization responsible for developing a network of business leaders, marine scientists, resource managers, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholder groups that combine their data to provide timely information about our oceans -- similar to the information gathered by the National Weather Service to develop weather forecasts. Our members and data providers come from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

It is the only NOAA-certified observing organization focused solely on the Gulf of Mexico.

GCOOS is the Gulf of Mexico regional component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). We are the heart of data collection for the ocean and coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico -- collecting thousands of data points from sensors and ensuring the data are reliable, timely, accurate and available to all who need it.