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The Science Program is working to build a community of researchers, resource managers, and other resource users to support the sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. To support applied ecosystem science and incentivize these communities to work together, the program invests in co-production.
To learn more about the Science Program’s efforts to support co-production, read this feature story.
Co-production is the collaboration of researchers, resource managers, and other resource users across the four steps of a research project that will inform a specific natural resource management decision. Those four steps are 1) scoping, 2) design, 3) research and development, and 4) transfer and application of findings and products.
Scroll down to find project examples and tools for each step of the co-production process. If you have a question or a resource to share, contact the Science Program at noaarestorescience@noaa.gov.
Please note that co-production is seldom a linear process. The project team is likely to revisit each of the steps outlined here throughout the course of the project.
Co-production of science projects revolves around a natural resource management decision. A well-developed understanding of a management need can motivate and focus a group’s efforts, guide the design of a project’s technical and collaborative approach, and demonstrate a project’s potential value — in a nutshell — to potential funders. A problem statement is a critical starting point for pursuing a co-production idea, and it is likely to undergo numerous adjustments as you learn more about the management needs, uncertainties around the decision, context, and key players.
In 2023, 10 projects were funded by the NOAA RESTORE Science Progam’s Actionable Science competition to conduct previously planned research in the Gulf. Though each project conducted a collaborative planning process prior to receiving this funding, that process varied greatly from team to team. Planning activities include holding workshops to convene interested parties, conducting preliminary research to identify research gaps, and building relationships among team members to support better communication throughout the project.
Watch the videos below to hear from each team on their scoping and design process.
Once you have worked with your team to scope and design your project, the research process can begin. Though the scope, scale, and needs of each team varies, it can be helpful to learn more about how each team maintained their co-production process throughout.
Click on the stories below to learn more about the research and development phase of each project.
The Gulf Fishery Independent Survey of Habitat and Ecosystem Resources (G-FISHER) project is collecting video surveys to create the Gulf’s most comprehensive database of reef fish and their habitats.
Watch video
Marine mammals are still being impacted by Deepwater Horizon as well as other threats. Scientists and managers are working to conserve them.
Watch video
In the Gulf of Mexico, tiny particles of plastic fall from surface and settle in sediments on the ocean floor, up to 5,000 feet deep. Small fish and crustaceans dine on these microplastics, and in a surprising twist: the deeper they live, the more plastic these tiny animals eat.
Watch video
Sharing findings and products with end users and others interested in the research project is an essential part of the co-production process. Engaging end users in the early stages of scoping and design can help to form an effective plan to share project results later on.
Check out the stories and tools below to learn more about the transfer and application step of the co-production process.
This project team has come together to understand how periods of low or high salinity, changes in the amount of oxygen in the water, acidic conditions, and extreme temperatures stress species living in Mobile Bay.
Watch video
Gag grouper are an iconic species on Florida’s Gulf Coast. They are both predator and prey and, because of their unique life cycle, they are subject to shifting ocean currents and other ecosystem processes. This project focused on integrating information on ecosystem processes and predator-prey interactions into fisheries assessments and management in the Gulf of Mexico.
The project is working to build a decision-support tool designed to help resource managers in Collier County better engage in coastal planning around the effects of sea level rise. The tool has been used by managers from a range of sectors, including natural resources, urban infrastructure, and cultural and archeological resources.
Throughout each step of the co-production process, it is important to remain attentive to the dynamics of the project team and be sure all players have an opportunity to communicate their needs and ideas. Monitoring the co-production process can be a time-consuming effort with many steps, and it can be helpful to dedicate one or more members of the team to lead and monitor the co-production process.
Click on the co-production monitoring toolkit below for resources, ideas, and tools to support your co-production effort.
