Summary
The Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA) between Canada, the European Union and the United States was launched by the signatories of the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation in May 2013. The AORA intend to advance the shared vision of an Atlantic Ocean that is healthy, resilient, safe, productive, understood and treasured so as to promote the well-being, prosperity and security of the present and future generations.
Achievements
The AORA-CSA worked to provide a major catalysis of the trans-Atlantic transects, stimulating a gathering momentum amongst Galway Statement signatories as well as the AORA- CSA consortium as a prelude towards a coordinated Atlantic Seabed Mapping campaign. Inititally, the AORA-CSA catalysed the first trans-Atlantic seabed mapping survey undertaken by the RV Celtic Explorer. Additionally the AORA-CSA supported four more surveys by working with the Research Vessel owners and teams to secure the transits and publicise the transits for the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group. The AORA-CSA filmed the first transit and developed a short video () on the Atlantic Seabed Mapping Initiative for the AORA. The AORA-CSA coordinated a media presence, press releases, a blog and ensured a major communications and outreach success for the ASMIWG to create an awareness of the goals of the ASMIWG.
Impact in international / European cooperation
Using the latest technology, we are making ground-breaking discoveries, including previously uncharted undersea volcanoes and mountains. Analysing big ocean data will help us to understand, predict, protect and build a sustainable blue economy. Marine research provides the knowledge and tools to build a sustainable blue economy and a healthy ocean for generations to come. To ensure a healthy ocean for us now and for future generations, we all need to be better informed about how the ocean affects us and how what we do affects the oceans.
