National Role

NOC has a distinctive role in the UK's marine science landscape. Because of its scale and organisation, it is able to:

• Create a critical mass of research capability, effort and expertise to provide enhanced research productivity, visibility and exploitability.
• Foster coordinated and cooperative multidisciplinary approaches to ocean science.
• Enable and deliver a long-term research vision and strategy.
• Enable long-term survey, monitoring and data management activities underpinned by research.
• Provide a full-time research-centred environment.
• Open up scientific career paths and opportunities which may not be available within university or faculty structures.
• Develop and provide facilities and services.
• Invest in capital equipment and the skills of support staff.

NOC scientists support the National Partnership for Ocean Prediction (NPOP), a collaborative scientific programme between NOC, the Met Office, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science.

NOC is a member of the Natural Hazards Partnership, which brings together expertise from across NERC-UKRI to provide scientific advice to the UK Government's Cabinet Office on preparation, response and review of natural hazards including flooding, geological hazards, volcanic ash, weather and wildfires.

NOC has a wealth of independent scientific and technological expertise that can be used to inform decisions, public policy and ocean governance.

NOC does not advocate particular policies or actions and remains politically impartial. We undertake scientific research and provide independent scientific advice. We also advise on how to improve understanding of the ocean through improved systematic, global observations and international scientific collaboration.

One of the ways we do this is by providing input to government and parliamentary consultations on issues where we are able to highlight relevant marine science-based evidence.

NOC regularly responds to public consultations, including Government consultations and parliamentary inquiries, such as select committee inquiries. As well as responding individually, we produce coordinated responses from the marine science community, working mainly through our NOCA partners, but sometimes in collaboration with devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as with our colleagues in Europe.

We provide responses in areas connected to our work, including marine spatial prioritisation and licensing, marine renewable energy, climate, deep seafloor minerals, ocean policy and ocean governance.