Since 1990, the idea for developing a national ocean observing system has been developing among the federal agencies with ocean responsibilities, now coordinated through the National Ocean Partnership Partnership Program (NOPP). In 2000, the National Ocean Research Leadership Council (NORLC), the governing body of the NOPP, established the interagency Ocean.US office to implement the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).

In response to the Pew Oceans and the U.S. Ocean Commission reports, President Bush signed an executive order on December 17, 2004 establishing a Secretarial-level Committee on Ocean Policy within the Executive Office of the President. This sets into motion the important process of developing and implementing a new national ocean policy, including the development of an operational, integrated and sustained ocean observing system.