Argentina-US Ocean Science Meeting Opens Doors for Collaboration

Drs. Gustavo Goni and Silvia Garzoli of AOML, together with 18 other scientists from the US, participated in the Argentina-US Ocean Science Meeting in Mar del Plata, Argentina during the week of August 22nd. Dr. Goni was the co-organizer of the meeting on the US side, while Dr. Garzoli led a science panel on ocean observations.

Local hosts included the US Embassy in Buenos Aires, the Argentine Ministry of Science, and the Argentine Fisheries Institute. Together with these hosts, NOAA was the other organizer. The US Ambassador in Argentina, the Argentine Minister of Science, and the directors of the Argentine National Science Foundation, Space Agency, and Fisheries Institute attended the first day, while Judith Garber of the US State Department's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs participated remotely. The meeting focused on enhancing partnerships for the two nations in the ocean sciences following a recent understanding signed by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Argentine President Mauricio Macri. Participants discussed how to jointly study and monitor key environmental parameters in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Potential projects include the use of additional ship time in support of current NOAA observational efforts in the South Atlantic, partnering with the Argentine Space Agency in the validation of the upcoming satellite ocean color mission, enhancement of observations from ships of opportunity, use of new technology such as autonomous underwater vehicles, monitoring ocean conditions for fisheries stock assessments and for determining potential marine protected areas, and capacity building. An action plan containing the main recommendations from the meeting is being drafted.