AUTHOR=Franz Guilherme , Garcia Carlos A. E. , Pereira Janini , de Freitas Assad Luiz Paulo , Rollnic Marcelo , Garbossa Luis Hamilton P. , da Cunha Letícia Cotrim , Lentini Carlos A. D. , Nobre Paulo , Turra Alexander , Trotte-Duhá Janice R. , Cirano Mauro , Estefen Segen F. , Lima José Antonio M. , Paiva Afonso M. , Noernberg Mauricio A. , Tanajura Clemente A. S. , Moutinho José Luiz , Campuzano Francisco , Pereira Ella S. , Lima André Cunha , Mendonça Luís F. F. , Nocko Helder , Machado Leandro , Alvarenga João B. R. , Martins Renato P. , Böck Carina Stefoni , Toste Raquel , Landau Luiz , Miranda Tiago , dos Santos Francisco , Pellegrini Júlio , Juliano Manuela , Neves Ramiro , Polejack Andrei TITLE=Coastal Ocean Observing and Modeling Systems in Brazil: Initiatives and Future Perspectives JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science VOLUME=8 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.681619 DOI=10.3389/fmars.2021.681619 ISSN=2296-7745 ABSTRACT=

Coastal ocean observing and modeling systems (coastal observatories), connected with regional and global ocean systems, improve the quality of information and forecasts for effective management of safe and sustainable maritime activities. The public availability of systematic and long-term information of the ocean is an engine for the Blue Economy, boosting economic growth, employment, and innovation. An overview of some Brazilian initiatives is presented in this paper, involving universities, private companies, federal and state agencies, covering institutions from south to north of Brazil. Although these initiatives focus mainly on ocean physics, integrated efforts can extend the scope to include biogeochemistry and marine biodiversity, helping to address interdisciplinary problems. Existing initiatives can be connected, and new ones fostered, to fill in the gaps of temporal and spatial coverage of ocean monitoring in the vast oceanic area under Brazilian jurisdiction (nationally referred to as the Blue Amazon, in reference to the similar richness of the Amazon Forest). The alignment among national and regional initiatives, as well as with international programs, can be promoted if coordinated by a national-level organization, maximizing the return of public investment and socioeconomic benefits. In light of international examples, possible future institutional arrangements are discussed, leveraging from existing national public policies and international cooperation that Brazil is taking part. The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is a timely opportunity to encourage an institutional arrangement to support and articulate an integrated network of coastal observatories in Brazil.