Science and Technology IT Support
CSS provides data management, IT systems, and IT services to NOAA's Office of Science and Technology, designed to maintain and improve the quality and credibility of NOAA Fisheries' scientific activities. We develop and integrate information management systems central to the NOAA mission of protecting living marine resources. We provide IT services across agency programs that help sustain the management and flow of scientific data, including, but not limited to, network administration, database development and administration, Web application development, business analysis, technical writing, and IT security.
Samples of our work at NOAA include:
- Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), a data collection and analysis initiative to help ensure the long-term sustainability of America's fisheries and the health of the oceans. MRIP provides a comprehensive and detailed picture of the number of trips being taken by recreational anglers, the amount and species of fish they catch, where and when those fish are caught, and the economic impact of recreational fishing on local, regional and national economies.
- Fisheries Scientific Computing System (FSCS), designed to automate collection of fish specimen information, resides on vessels from small charter craft to large research vessels, and to acquire data from digital instrumentation, storing that data in an Oracle database. We collaborate with five regions and assist NOAA in establishing data schemas to provide usable information to all audiences. We perform onboard testing and implement alpha- and beta-changes on the fly at sea.
- Species Information System (SIS), used as a tool for users to enter, retrieve and manipulate stock assessment data and status determination data, and to produce reports for analysis and evaluation. This system directly supports the Office of Sustainable Fisheries' Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries and the Office of Science and Technology's Our Living Oceans series.
