OpenOceans Global is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to resolving ocean-related issues by aligning communities around action-oriented projects. The organization works with communities of interest to gather information, data, funding and options that can be jointly implemented for mutual benefit. OpenOceans Global works on regional ocean-related issues, but has a long-term goal of building an international ocean community to aggregate the world's ocean data and creatively present it online using geographical information system (GIS) and other emerging visualization technologies. OpenOceans Global's definition of "ocean" includes the confluence of the sea with the world's watersheds and the ocean's interactions with the atmosphere.

Please see this fact sheet "Together We Can Understand the Ocean" to learn
more about OpenOceans Global.

This website was conceived as a place where comments could be made on a PowerPoint presentation for California and the World Oceans ‘06. The intent was to obtain a wide range of comments while striving for accuracy in describing the obstacles to creating a common view of the ocean and the use of geographical information system (GIS) technology to overcome those obstacles.

While the site was originally conceived as a forum to obtain comments on the presentation, it also presents an opportunity for discussions about how to improve collaborations on ocean investigations, public understanding, and policy decisions.

The name OpenOceans Global comes from the concept of an open discussion about the ocean and how the strategies pioneered by the open source software movement could be used to develop software to help people better understand the ocean.

Carl Nettleton moderates this web site. The biography provided to California and the World Oceans ‘06 can be found elsewhere on this site.