Tracking long-term change along the U.S.’s major coastlines
Ocean Acidification Research Cruises
Our cruises bring together ocean acidification researchers from across the region to supply coastwide the highest-quality information on ocean conditions.
Our Coastal Ocean Acidification Research Cruises
We support ocean acidification research cruises to provide highes-quality information on ocean conditions.
NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program supports coastal and ocean acidification research cruises along the U.S.’s major coastlines. These essential cruises supply coastwide climate-quality information on ocean conditions. More recent cruises collect and connect biology and ecology to the biogeochemistry of these marine ecosystems.
The information from these research cruises, which generally occur on a 4-year cycle for each coastline, help us track long-term ocean change and evaluate our monitoring network of buoys, gliders, and other tools. They serve as an anchor for research in the region not only by collecting these data, but by bringing together ocean acidification researchers from across the region and beyond.
What We're Measuring
Ocean Acidification Cruise Resources
See our resource repositories for each ocean acidification research cruise including cruise photos and video.
Ocean Acidification Cruise Repositories
OAP-sponsored cruise data can be found in the OCADS data portal. Search for the cruise name (e.g. “GOMECC” or “EcoMon”) in the “additional terms” box to find full, quality controlled data sets from each mission.
Ocean Acidification Cruise Science Priority Guidance
The OA Cruise Science Priority Guidance for fiscal years 2026-2029 outlines a standardized framework for OAP survey cruises to ensure consistent high-quality data collection across the East Coast (ECOA), West Coast (WCOA), and Gulf regions (GOMECC).
Cruises by Region
East Coast
The East Coast Acidification Cruise (ECOA) cover fishing grounds for the nation’s most valuable fisheries, potential siting for wind energy projects, and other important navigational and ecological areas.
West Coast
The West Coast Ocean Acidification Cruise (WCOA) surveys the carbon system along the U.S. west coast from British Columbia, Canada to San Diego, California.
Southeast Atlantic & Gulf
The Gulf and Ocean Monitoring of Ecosystems and Carbon Cruise (GOMECC) surveys the carbon system along the coastal waters of the Gulf of America (formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico).
Caribbean
The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) cruises monitor the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Alaska & Arctic
The Gulf of Alaska OA Cruise (GAKOA) and Bering Arctic Subarctic Integrated Survey (BASIS) research cruises are collaborative NOAA missions focused on collecting high-quality ocean carbon data across critical Alaskan and Bering Sea fisheries.
Pacific Islands
The Rainier Integrates Charting, Hydrography, and Reef Demographics (RICHARD) missions and regular National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) research cruises assess and map coral reef habitat in the Pacific Islands.
