Apart from its ROOS organisations, many of EuroGOOS’ operations are facilitated by its Working Groups, bodies which survey and gather information on constituent activities of operational oceanography and provide advice and plans on how best to manage organisational development in these areas.
In its early days EuroGOOS was supported by two working groups, the Scientific Advisory Working Group (SAWG), and the Technology Plan Working Group (TPWG).[i] The primary objectives of the SAWG were the assessment of the performance of existing operational oceanography systems and working towards the incorporation of important biogeochemical and climatic ocean variables which had not been fully integrated into oceanography at that point.[ii] The primary objectives of the TPWG included “identifying technology which is fully operational, under development now or needed in the foreseeable future” in relation to the purposes of EuroGOOS.[iii] Both of these groups were extremely active in the early days of EuroGOOS and were instrumental in preparing a pathway into successful operation and development for the organisation.[iv]
Over time new Working Groups were formed to address various concerns:
The Data Management, Exchange, and Quality Working Group (Data MEQ WG) was established in 2006 to develop an overarching concept for data management and consolidation within EuroGOOS.[v]
At one point EuroGOOS established a Coastal Modelling Working Group (COSMO), however this has been superseded by the EuroGOOS Coastal Working Group which seeks to examine the coastal “value chain” in totality.[vi]
The first terms of reference for an Ocean Literacy Working Group dedicated to promoting an understanding of the ocean’s importance and pervasive influence on the world were submitted in 2019. This Working Group is reflective of EuroGOOS’ emerging focus on redoubling efforts in communication showcased in recent policy documents.[vii]
The establishment of a Biological Observation Working Group (BIOWG) was proposed in 2021 to reinforce biological monitoring in the EuroGOOS.[viii] This is consistent with an overall upward trend in operational oceanographic capabilities in biological monitoring from the time EuroGOOS’ inception, a period when observation was primarily rooted in physical and climatic phenomena. Dr. Henning Wehde, EuroGOOS’ current chair, has noted that the organisation will likely continue to develop along these lines in the next few years, furthering the “exchange” and “connection” between physical oceanography and biology.[ix]
[i] Bosman, J., Flemming, N. C., Holden, N., Taylor, K. (1998). The EuroGOOS Marine Technology Survey, Southampton Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK. https://eurogoos.eu/download/the-eurogoos-marine-technology-survey-1998/?wpdmdl=9947&refresh=64a69939d0e8c1688639801 pp. 2-4.
[ii] Prandle, D., Flemming, N. C., (Ed.) (1998). The Science Base of EuroGOOS, Southampton Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK. https://eurogoos.eu/download/the-science-base-of-eurogoos-1998/?wpdmdl=9942&refresh=64da419925bda1692025241 p. 2.
[iii] The EuroGOOS Marine Technology Survey, pp. 2-4.
[iv] Buch, Erik. Interview.
[v] (2022). Data Management, Exchange, and Quality Working Group (DataMEQ WG) Terms of Reference. https://eurogoos.eu/download/eurogoos-datameq-wg-terms-of-reference/?wpdmdl=12680&refresh=64da4257302e01692025431 p. 1-2
[vi] (2018). EuroGOOS Coastal Working Group Terms of Reference. https://eurogoos.eu/download/coastal-working-group-terms-of-reference-feb-2018/?wpdmdl=12286&refresh=64da4298652d31692025496 p. 2
[vii] (2021). Terms of Reference for EuroGOOS Ocean Literacy Working Group. https://eurogoos.eu/download/eurogoos-wg-ol-tor-september-2021/?wpdmdl=11682&refresh=64da42f56f8de1692025589 pp. 1-2
[viii] (2021). Biological Observation Working Group (BIOWG) Terms of Reference. https://eurogoos.eu/download/eurogoos-biowg-terms-of-reference/?wpdmdl=12353&refresh=64da4557ced4e1692026199 p. 2
[ix] Wehde, Henning. Interview.
