NOAA Office of Program Planning and Integration

The Line offices represent the operating branches of NOAA and are responsible for managing the delivery of products and services to meet the needs of the agency’s customers and stakeholders. NOAA’s LOs are accountable for aligning their efforts with respect to particular strategic goals and objectives. These offices are described below.

The NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS) promotes the conservation, management, and sustainable use of living marine resources for commercial and recreational uses. NMFS provides services and products to support NOAA’s fisheries management, international fisheries management, constituent services, protected resources and habitat conservation, enforcement, and scientific and technical aspects of the agency’s living marine resources programs.

Return to Top

The NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE (NOS) integrates ocean services, coastal ocean, and coastal zone management programs. NOS provides services and products to garner increased use and opportunities within oceans and estuaries to meet the Nation’s needs; support the development, appropriate use, and management of the oceans and their resources; promote improvements in marine and coastal commerce; and improve the safety of marine operations and coastal activities.

Return to Top

The OFFICE OF OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH (OAR) plans, organizes, manages, and conducts research and development to meet the agency’s strategic goals and objectives. OAR conducts laboratory and extramural research projects relevant to NOAA’s environmental information and resource management programs that provide sound technological and scientific information or capabilities on which to base improvements in NOAA’s services, products, and policies.

Return to Top

The NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) is responsible for an integrated weather services program to monitor and predict the state of the atmospheric and hydrologic environment. NWS delivers climatic, hydrologic, and meteorological services to government, industry, and the general public, including weather warnings and predictions, as well as the exchange of products and forecasts with international organizations.

Return to Top

The NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA, AND INFORMATION SERVICE (NESDIS) is responsible for NOAA’s environmental satellite, data, and information management programs providing the data, information, and services needed to support environmental studies and predictions, resource assessments, data archiving and dissemination, and satellite sensor and technology development. NESDIS develops and operates civilian satellite systems to observe land, ocean, atmospheric, and solar conditions required by governments, commerce, and the general public, and to support commercial space services.

Return to Top

The OFFICE OF PROGRAM PLANNING AND INTEGRATION (PPI) provides advice and counsel to the NOAA Administrator on achieving the agency’s strategic goals through policy development, planning, and monitoring of agency policies and plans. PPI also manages NOAA’s corporate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) program.

Return to Top

NOAA is proposing a new Climate Service to meet the Nation’s growing climate needs. More information about the proposed Line Office and NOAA’s climate science and services is available at www.noaa.gov/climate.html and www.climate.gov.