THE MARINE BIODIVERSITY OBSERVATION NETWORK (MBON) IS A THEMATIC BON ESTABLISHED UNDER THE GROUP ON EARTH OBSERVATIONS BIODIVERSITY OBSERVATION NETWORK (GEO BON). THE MBON IS ALSO THE HIGHEST PRIORITY PROGRAM IDENTIFIED BY THE GEO AMERIGEOSS INITIATIVE UNDER ITS ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY SOCIETAL BENEFIT AREA. THE VISION OF THE MBON IS A NETWORK OF REGIONAL OBSERVATION SYSTEMS THAT COLLABORATE AND SHARE INFORMATION AND THAT WORK JOINTLY TO UNDERSTAND MARINE BIODIVERSITY ITS GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION AND HOW IT CHANGES THROUGH TIME. THE GOAL OF THE MBON IS TO PROVIDE THE KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO PROMOTE ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION SUSTAINABILITY AND GOOD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MBON CONNECTS AND PROVIDES SUPPORT TO EXISTING NATIONAL AND REGIONAL MARINE OBSERVATION PROGRAMS AND PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK FOR A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE. THE FRAMEWORK IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NATIONAL AND REGIONAL PROGRAMS AND THE GLOBAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM (GOOS/IOC-UNESCO) THE OCEAN BIOGEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (OBIS/IOCUNESCO) AND GEO BON. THE POLE-TO-POLE MBON OF THE AMERICAS (P2P MBON) IS A FIRST STEP TOWARD ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE NETWORK THAT SUPPORTS GROUPS IN THE AMERICAN CONTINENT. THE PROPOSED WORK SEEKS TO IMPLEMENT A DEMONSTRATION P2P MBON TO ADDRESS UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 14 (SDG 14: LIFE BELOW WATER ). THIS WORK WILL CONTRIBUTE SPECIFICALLY TO ESTABLISH A SERIES OF FOUNDATIONAL ACTIVITIES UNDER AMERIGEOSS. P2P MBON SEEKS TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY MONITORING. THE GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE ARE WATERS AROUND THE AMERICAS FROM THE ARCTIC TO ANTARCTICA IN THE PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC OCEANS. THE PROJECT BUILDS ON AND LINKS PAST AND CURRENT RESEARCH AND MONITORING INITIATIVES. THESE INCLUDE THE SUB-COMMISSION FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND ADJACENT REGIONS OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION GLOBAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM (IOCARIBE-GOOS) THE SOUTHEAST PACIFIC DATA AND INFORMATION NETWORK IN SUPPORT OF INTEGRATED COASTAL AREA MANAGEMENT (SPINCAM) THE CARIBBEAN COASTAL MARINE PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM (CARICOMP) THE SOUTH AMERICAN RESEARCH GROUP ON COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS (SARCE) AND THREE US MBON DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS (NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL AND ALASKA). LINKING THESE EFFORTS WILL HELP ENGAGE OTHER ACTIVITIES AND BUILD A BROADER COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE. THE OBJECTIVE WILL FOCUS ON THREE CORE ACTIVITIES: LINK USERS INTO THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TO ENSURE PRODUCTS ARE RESPONSIVE TO SOCIETAL NEEDS WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON SDG 14