Ocean Observatory of Asturias

The Observatorio Marino de Asturias (OMA) is a strategic aggregation of research groups within the Univ. Oviedo and of several infrastructures related the observation and monitoring of the marine ecosystem off the Central Cantabrian Coast. Although it has been recently formed as such, its components have been conducting sampling and monitoring of plankton, benthos, physics, chemistry, and genetics since the early 80's, with abundant production of reports, top-rated publications and thesis and active involvement in research projects at national and international level.

Currently, the research groups are MEB (Marine Ecology and Biogeochemistry), Natural Marine Anthropocene Resources (NMAR), Analytic Spectrometry (AE) and Signal Theory and Communications (STC), but the aim is to aggregate other groups and expand the Observatory. The consortium is involved in the International Master in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and in the Doctorate Program in Biogeosciences. With the OMA, the research groups aim at: Increasing collaboration among groups, Increasing the visibility and dissemination of its activities, develop linkages with the administration and stakeholders, increase the involvement of society into monitoring activities through "Citizen Science" and developing new observation technologies.