Progress in implementation of the Pilot Research Moored Array in the Tropical Pacific (PIRATA) was reviewed at PIRATA-6 in Miami, Florida on 2-3 May 1999. Deployment of

the moored buoy array began in late 1997, and by early May 1999 nine sites were occupied and successfully transmitting data in real-time. Implementation is on schedule and nearly complete.

The full array of 12 moorings will be in place for one year before the field phase is scheduled to end in early 2001.

The first phase of PIRATA implementation coincided with a warm event in the tropical Atlantic, which contributed to one of the five worst droughts this century in NE Brazil. The buoy array captured the development of the upper ocean thermal anomalies, and the seasonal evolution of oceanic and atmospheric variability onwhich they were superimposed. Real-time PIRATA data available on the GTS were used in operational oceanic and atmospheric analyses and forecasts during this period. Preliminary diagnosis of the data also supports hypotheses concerning ocean-atmosphere coupling in the region.

PIRATA was originally conceived as a pilot study with a 3-year field phase in support of CLIVAR, GCOS, and GOOS objectives. It is becoming clear that a complete array for one year will provide insufficient time to evaluate whether PIRATA should be part of a permanent climate observing system. On the other hand, it is also clear that PIRATA data are already providing

valuable new information for climate studies of relavance to the Americas and Africa.

Therefore, based on the initial successes of the program, the PIRATA Steering Group recommends a transitional phase towards the development of a sustained climate observing system for an additional five years, to early 2006. This extension will allow for a full demonstration of the utility of PIRATA data, and a smoother transition to operational status, if warranted.

In addition, recognizing that this extension will require a sustained level of support in terms of funding, shiptime, and equipment, the PIRATA Steering Group recommends that a PIRATA Resource Board, with terms of reference, be established to ensure that adequate resources will be available for the duration of the program. This Resource Board would initially consist of representatives from the institutions in Brazil, France and the United States that presently provide support for the array.

Finally, in recognition of the widespread interest in developing a sustained observing system in the tropical Atlantic for climate studies, as evident from the international participation at the Climate Observing System for the Tropical Atlantic (COSTA) workshop that followed the PIRATA-6 in Miami, the PIRATA Steering Group resolves to coordinate with ongoing and planned observational efforts in the region. Furthermore, building upon recommendations put forward at the COSTA workshop, the Steering Group encourages consideration of scientifically sound pilot expansion projects that build upon the original PIRATA array. Moreover, the Steering Group invites collaborations with other nations and institutions interested in implementing a sustained climate observing system in the tropical Atlantic.