Media Contact
Kristen Yarincik, Executive Director, IOOS Association
kristen@ioosassociation.org
Washington, DC, June 24, 2026 — America’s recreational fishing and seafood industries support $319 billion in economic activity and 2.1 million jobs nationwide. Together, they strengthen coastal economies, sustain working waterfronts, support small businesses, and help feed communities across the country. Yet operating in dynamic coastal environments requires access to reliable tools, resources, and real-time ocean information that help America’s seafood producers make informed decisions every day.
Funded primarily by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is America’s vital ocean intelligence network. IOOS delivers real-time data on regional scales through a public-private partnership and 11 federally certified regional associations nationwide. These regional associations deploy, maintain, and monitor nearly 1,300 buoys, gliders, high-frequency radar systems, and other sensors that feed into regional and national data sets available to fishers, aquaculture operators, coastal managers, vessel operators, and communities free of charge.
Keeping these instruments in the water – and making the data available to the seafood industry and other maritime economy sectors – is made possible through sustained bipartisan support in Congress. In recognition of that leadership, the IOOS Association presented the Congressional Award for Bipartisan Leadership in Ocean Observing to U.S. Representatives Mike Ezell (R-MS-04) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), who co-led the reauthorization of the Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing System Act (H.R.2294). This legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in March.
“I am honored to receive this recognition from the IOOS Association alongside Congresswoman Bonamici. Reliable ocean data is critical to supporting our fishermen, seafood producers, vessel operators, and coastal communities who depend on healthy and productive waters. In Mississippi, our seafood industry is a cornerstone of our economy and way of life, and tools like the Integrated Ocean Observing System help ensure those who make their living on the water have access to the information they need to operate safely and efficiently,” said Congressman Ezell. “I was proud to help lead the reauthorization of this important program and I will continue working to strengthen the resources that support America’s maritime industries and coastal economies.”
“IOOS delivers critical data that improves lives, livelihoods, and ocean health,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Mariners, ports, coastal residents, and fisheries in the Pacific NW rely on this lifesaving system for real-time information to keep them safe and strengthen the economy. I’m grateful to receive this recognition from the IOOS Association and will continue fighting for this effective, science-driven program.”
The awards were presented during a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill on June 24, 2026, focused on the role of ocean intelligence in America’s seafood industry. The event brought together congressional leaders, ocean observing experts, seafood industry representatives, and partners from across the IOOS community.
Speakers included Jason Rider, Director, Shellfish Bureau, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources; Curt Brown, Founder, Bold Coast Seafood (Maine); and Margaret Pilaro, Executive Director, Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. Together, they shared how real-time ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes data support practical decisions across the seafood sector, from understanding changing ocean conditions to improving safety, planning harvests, monitoring water quality, and strengthening the long-term resilience of U.S. fisheries and aquaculture.
“Thank you to Representatives Ezell and Bonamici for their steadfast leadership in ensuring that our nation’s vital coastal and Great Lakes observing infrastructure remains strong and sustainable,” said Kristen Yarincik, Executive Director of the IOOS Association. “The Integrated Ocean Observing System provides real-time data and information that support public safety, maritime commerce, seafood production, and coastal resilience. Continued investment in this infrastructure ensures that communities across the country have the tools they need to make informed decisions and adapt to changing environmental conditions.”
As the seafood industry works to meet growing demand, adapt to changing conditions, and remain globally competitive, ocean intelligence has become essential infrastructure for America’s seafood economy. Through IOOS, federal investment in ocean observing continues to deliver trusted data that supports fisheries and aquaculture, working waterfronts, coastal economies, public safety, and the communities that depend on a healthy and productive ocean.
About the IOOS Association
The IOOS Association unites 11 regional associations to deliver critical ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes data. Through sustained and expanded observations, IOOS regional associations support maritime safety, economic development, environmental stewardship, and public health.