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The Trusts

A Shared Vision

Collectively, we recognize the importance of investing in ocean and coastal research and monitoring to address emerging ocean and coastal issues, inform state policies and management, provide scientific-based information to policymakers, and raise awareness, appreciation, understanding, and support of ocean and coastal research and monitoring.

California Ocean Science Trust logo

The California Ocean Science Trust California Ocean Science Trust (California OST) is a nimble nonprofit organization that serves a unique role in strengthening the application of cutting edge and policy-relevant science in ocean and coastal decision-making. Recognizing the deep expertise in California’s universities, research institutions and scientific community, California OST was created by legislation nearly 25 years ago to serve as an independent and trusted voice, deliberately housed within an independent non-governmental organization. California OST delivers on this mandate by drawing resources to solutions-oriented science, supporting graduate education to foster the science-policy workforce of tomorrow, and delivering pragmatic, salient science advice to the state’s policymakers, regulators, and managers. California OST’s Executive Director serves as science advisor to the cabinet-level California Ocean Protection Council, which works to advance ocean and coastal policy across all state agencies and departments with ocean jurisdiction.

The Oregon Ocean Science Trust was established in 2013 by the Oregon Legislature to secure and distributes funding to promote ocean and coastal knowledge, research, and monitoring to ensure the sustainable use of Oregon’s resources, enhance coastal resilience, and support long-term ocean health for all Oregonians. Oregon OST promotes peer-reviewed competitive research and monitoring that leads to increased knowledge and understanding of Oregon’s ocean and coastal resources; promotes innovative, collaborate, community-oriented, multi-institutional approaches to research and monitoring related to Oregon’s ocean and coastal resources; enhances the state's capacity for peer-reviewed, scientific ocean and coastal research; and operates a competitive grant program to conduct research related to Oregon’s ocean and coastal resources.

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Carbon dioxide and the ocean

Carbon dioxide and the ocean

Remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV)

Remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV)

Physical oceanography measurements

Physical oceanography measurements

Wave action

Wave action

Kelp

Kelp

Dungeness crab

Dungeness crab

Scientist collecting a sediment core to assess carbon sequestration rates in the sediment of a tidal

Scientist collecting a sediment core to assess carbon sequestration rates in the sediment of a tidal

Wave energy converters

Wave energy converters

© 2025 Oregon and California Ocean Science Trusts

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