About Indicators
An indicator is a measurable quantity that helps us understand the health status of an ecosystem, much as human health is gauged by indicators such as blood pressure, temperature, or pulse rate that are routinely monitored over time. NOAA collects, analyzes, models and produces extensive data, information, and decision-support products related to the state of marine, coastal, and aquatic ecosystems, their biota, and the human communities that depend upon them.