SCCOOS has deployed a recently developed Spray2 underwater glider (pictured right with principal scientist Dan Rudnick) with a pH sensor for an extended mission on line 90 of the California Underwater Glider Network. The Spray2 underwater glider is licensed to MRV Systems, and is a bit larger going from a 110 lb autonomous vehicle to 154 lbs - providing more space for instruments!

The addition of a reliable pH sensor grew out of  a collaboration between Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), combining cutting edge technology in autonomous underwater vehicles and biogeochemical sensors.  The objective of the mission is to occupy the inshore half of line 90 (yellow line in lower left picture) for a period of at least three months.  Gliders repeatedly dive from the surface to 500m depth on prescribed paths for up to 100 days at a time, allowing for a comprehensive view of physical and chemical oceanic conditions (visualized in graph upper left).

Read this spotlight if you want to take a deeper dive and learn more about the people managing the California Underwater Glider Network  and the insight these data gives us.

upper left - Fall meeting attendees. upper right - meeting was held next to Great Lakes Maritime Academy vessels and USCG marine service vessels. lower left - SCCOOS Director, Clarissa Anderson, participates in discussion. lower right - (L to R) Sheyna Wisdom (AOOS), Melissa Iwamoto (PacIOOS), Clarissa Anderson (SCCOOS), Jan Newton (NANOOS), Gerhard Kuska (MARACOOS) and Danielle Muller (SCCOOS) enjoy a walkabout at Old Mission State Park.

In September SCCOOS joined our Ocean Observing family in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan for our annual Fall meeting - one of two programmatic meetings held each year. The Spring meeting is always held in DC so that each region can include visits with key legislators. The Fall meeting is always hosted by one of the 11 Regional Associations to foster a better understanding of regional programs and networks. These meetings are critical for relationship-building, sharing new developments, and updating each other on current events. The Great Lakes Water Institute at Northwestern Michigan College and GLOS rolled out the red carpet for us with a beautiful meeting on Little Traverse Bay and kept our interest piqued with fun field trips.

Moving clockwise - SCCOOS Director, Clarissa Anderson, presents at StartBlue's Kick-off week last September. SCCOOS Data Scientist, Nathalí Cordero Quirós informs the public on Ocean Observations at the San Diego Maritime Museum. Clarissa presents to Industrial Environmental Association (IEA) San Diego chapter. Clarissa presents on a BlueTech Month panel for Ocean Enterprise Reimagined: Building Operational Advantage—Data, Autonomy & Situational Awareness. StartBlue's cohort, advisor, and network partners enjoy the sunset at the IEA reception. New SIO Director, Meenakshi Wadhwa, features California's IFCB network. Can you see SCCOOS Project Scientist, Kasia Kenitz diving alongside it? StartBlue's Ocean Enterprise Accelerator cohort and program team's group pic. Attendees close out BlueTech Month with a reception hosted by Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

SCCOOS counts itself lucky to have a vibrant Blue Economy ecosystem in Southern California steeped in collaboration and innovation. Few areas contain so much capability in such a small stretch of coastline. Whether SCCOOS is hosting a booth, presenting about ocean observing at events, participating in networking receptions - our goal is the same, to create awareness and community. Ensuring that ocean observing research and resources are accessed and understood by a broad audience to support coastal resilience, maritime security, and economic growth. 

From last September when StartBlue Ocean Enterprise Accelerator announced their latest cohort, to last week when the intensive 4-month program completed with each cohort pitching to a room of investors, academic researchers, military, and their peers - this experience has had the ocean observing fingerprints all over it. Funded by NOAA/IOOS, advised by Clarissa Anderson (amongst others), and supported by Danielle Muller (amongst others) on the StartBlue program team. 

As we transition from the Blue Economy as an ideology to an opportunity - SCCOOS is looking to  help bridge the gap between scientific capability and commercial business.  The Regional Association of IOOS's access to subject matter expertise, open source quality controlled data, and a network that stretches from international to local has all the qualities needed for strong partnerships. SCCOOS looks forward to what we can accomplish together, and is only made better by our boundless Blue Economy. 

Check out the latest edition of the CA HAB bulletin. It is a comprehensive summary of model outputs, real-time observations, and public health advisories to keep you informed about HAB activity along the California coast. An interesting thing to note in this latest edition: Marine mammal strandings continued to drop, with only seven suspect Domoic Acid (DA) sea lion strandings reported for the entire California coast (five in SoCal) since July 2025. These more recent DA strandings are suspected to be chronically impacted sea lions with permanent brain damage as a result of past bloom events. 

It is probably hard to imagine how much subject matter expertise and event response actually goes into the HAB bulletin and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.  The California ‘OOSes’ want to wholeheartedly thank every one of you. 

Curious how likely the fish you caught off the coast of Southern California is contaminated with DDT? There is an app for that! Its goal is to educate the public and give users the autonomy to understand the risk and make informed decisions on their seafood consumption. The interactive element of this application allows users to access predicted concentrations of total DDT in seafood catch based on their location and the species of their catch. Many thanks to the graduate students from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara, Scripps Institute of Oceanography and California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigation (CalCOFI) for their efforts.

A new children's book and packs of trading cards are Gail Schneider and David Matlin's creative answer to exploring how our aquatic friends can be affected by DDT pollution. Both serve as a fun and informative way to engage younger audiences and deepen their understanding of environmental issues. Free to schools, aquariums, museums, scientists, and policymakers - donations can be made to fund additional printings. Each $25 donation helps cover the cost of printing and keeps this valuable resource accessible. Click to support the project.

If understanding the DDT contamination in Southern California is of interest to you, then mark your calendar. January 20, 2026 will be our next DDT Community Meeting. Our hybrid meeting will be held on the USC campus in downtown Los Angeles. We will announce the details as they become available through our email list and on social media, stay tuned. 

SCCOOS program staff and broader network of scientists and committee members spend countless hours creating content for online outreach campaigns and participating in activities with the intent of increasing awareness of ocean observations. Please consider signing up for our email list. Our bi-monthly On The Horizon plugs you into current opportunities and resources. Our PI Spotlights show the people that make up our team, how ocean observing is done, and the societal benefits they provide.

Below is a highlight of what we have been up to for the past few months.  

Interesting Reading

Resources

Opportunities