NOS/NOAA's International Cooperation Efforts

NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) participates in many programs, activities and partnerships that involve the greater international �coastal science and management community.� Although collaboration with international colleagues occurs in several NOS programs, the NOS International Program Office (IPO) leads most of these efforts. IPO was established to serve as the focal point for NOS-wide international activities and to coordinate with national and foreign government agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and others. In the international arena, NOS focuses on integrated coastal management; the management of marine protected areas (MPAs); mitigation of impacts from climate change; safe, efficient, and environmentally sound maritime navigation; the reduction of impacts from natural disasters; and capacity-building. NOS participates in numerous international conferences. This year, it will attend the International Coral Reef Symposium (Okinawa, Japan, June 2004) and the Small Islands Developing States (Mauritius, August 2004).