Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observation System (SEACOOS) Information Management: Evolution of a Distributed Community System

The aim of this paper is to describe the major development steps of the Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observation System (SEACOOS) information management (IM) system, primary factors influencing the development and decisionmaking process, and some of the most significant applications that may be of use to other observing and IM programs. Sections are devoted to First Principles and Steps, System Components, Standards Development, Database Organization and Development, Map Development, Interoperability, and Lessons Learned.