This paper reports on the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) planning meeting held by the SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group, 5-7th of July in St Petersburg. The main aim of the meeting was to present some specific plans for different aspects of the SOOS and to agree on key recommendations and actions to move the process forward. The object of a SOOS is to develop the means to observe key changes in oceanography and marine meteorology through time, to relate these to the biota and to underlying processes, and to use that knowledge and understanding as the basis for forecasting future change. SOOS is interested in working with CCAMLR, especially in determining mutual benefits to be realized between SOOS and C-EMP.
