We appreciate your detailed review and the opportunity to clarify the intent of this paper. Your comments help us refine our definitions and strengthen key aspects of the contribution.

First, we would like to clarify the context in which this paper was written. It is part of a broader three-step analysis conducted under the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC), which examines ocean prediction from multiple angles and field expertise. The first step was dedicated to mapping the landscape of ocean prediction from all angles, therefore this contribution provides a current overview of capacity development (CD) and ocean literacy (OL) in the context of ocean prediction. The second step will focus on identifying gaps, and the third step will address recommendations and the way forward. Because this is only step one, discussions on effectiveness, gaps, and solutions were intentionally left for future work. We understand the need to clarify this context directly from the introduction and will make corresponding editions.

For example, we will adjust the introduction from: "This contribution addresses the notions of 'ocean literacy' and 'capacity development' within the ocean forecasting field."

To: "This paper is part of a three-step process aiming at analysing ocean forecasting from multiple dimensions. The present study focuses specifically on mapping the landscape ocean prediction (step 1) within ocean literacy and capacity development perspectives, on their role in strengthening operational ocean forecasting systems. Comprehensive assessments of the existing gaps and formulation of recommendations to improve effectiveness will be addressed in the next publications.”

You further note that "capacity development does not focus on knowledge gaps. It focuses on capacity gaps." This is a key distinction, and we will revise our definition accordingly. We initially framed CD primarily in terms of skill-building, but we acknowledge that physical infrastructure, financial resources, and partnerships are just as critical. In Section 3, we will explicitly state: "Capacity development in ocean prediction must address more than just knowledge dissemination; it requires strengthening physical infrastructure, data accessibility, funding mechanisms, and collaborative networks. These structural components are often more critical barriers to progress than scientific knowledge alone." 

On ocean literacy, you highlight that "knowledge transfer does not yield ocean-aware decision making as much as behaviour-change and social marketing focused approaches." This is an important point. While knowledge is foundational, OL initiatives must drive behavioural and societal change, intergenerational engagement, and decision-making frameworks. In Section 2, we will incorporate: "Ocean literacy extends beyond knowledge dissemination; it must also enable behaviour change, shape decision-making frameworks, and foster intergenerational engagement. Social marketing approaches and experiential learning have been recognized as key drivers of ocean-aware behaviours."

We also appreciate your emphasis on co-design, and we acknowledge that our original paper did not sufficiently highlight its importance. Since submitting the paper, we conducted the OceanPrediction DCC Capacity Development Survey, which collected insights from a diverse range of stakeholders worldwide. We will integrate key findings from this survey findings to strengthen this discussion.

Furthermore, we fully recognize the importance of broader representation in authorship and presented Figure 3 to actually illustrate current limitations. While we actively sought participation from colleagues from other regions, time constraints unfortunately limited broader contributions in this first paper. Future ones, addressing gaps analysis and the way forward, will involve the CD and OL experts from the OceanPrediction DCC regional teams, ensuring stronger global representation.

We greatly appreciate your feedback, as they highlight key areas for refinement, particularly in how we frame this paper about capacity development and ocean literacy in the field of ocean prediction.

We would like first to clarify the scope of this paper. This paper is part of a three-step analysis under the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC), which examines ocean prediction from multiple angles and field expertise. The first step was dedicated to mapping the landscape of ocean prediction from all angles, therefore this contribution provides a current overview of capacity development (CD) and ocean literacy (OL) in the context of ocean prediction. The second step will further analyse existing gaps and limitations, and the third step will provide recommendations and propose solutions, which we fully recognise and agree the importance of. We will revise the introduction to clarify this structure.

While we acknowledge that CD is more than just training and skill-building, our intent was not to redefine CD as a whole but rather to explore its application within the operational context of ocean prediction. To clarify this, we will revise the introduction to further state that CD in ocean prediction is not limited to training but also access to ocean data, infrastructure development, and long-term sustainability mechanisms, aiming to build long-term scientific capacity.

Your point that "ocean literacy should not just bring awareness or ‘know-why’ of human impacts on our ocean but support more informed decision-making" is well-taken and fully valid. We will update our OL definition in the abstract and Section 2 to reflect its role in fostering behavioural and societal change, enabling intergenerational knowledge transfer, and supporting evidence-based decision-making.

Regarding the UN Ocean Decade white papers (Challenges 9 & 10), these were not available at the time of submission, but we appreciate the suggestion to incorporate them now. We will particularly mention the need for equitable access to data, training, and funding (Challenge 9) and the importance of behavioural transformation in ocean literacy (Challenge 10) which were not emphasized enough.

We appreciate your insightful comments and the opportunity to clarify our approach.

This paper is part of a three-step analysis under the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC), which examines ocean prediction from multiple angles and field expertise. The first step was dedicated to mapping the landscape of ocean prediction from all angles, therefore this contribution provides a current overview of capacity development and ocean literacy in the context of ocean prediction. The second step will further analyse existing gaps and limitations, and the third step will provide recommendations. This explains why the paper does not yet discuss effectiveness or solutions—these aspects will be covered in later work. We will revise the introduction to clarify this structure.

Your review raises important points about ocean data accessibility as a core issue in capacity development. We agree that a major limitation in many regions is not just a lack of training, but limited access to ocean data. The revised paper will explicitly highlight this challenge in Section 3 explaining that fragmented and inequitable access to ocean data, lack of infrastructure and data-sharing frameworks, are key priority areas for future CD efforts.

We will refine the definition of OL to better align with its broader societal role, incorporating behavioural change, intergenerational engagement, and decision-making support.

You also suggest discussing the effectiveness of different OL and CD approaches. While this paper is primarily a mapping exercise, we will incorporate brief references to existing evaluations. For instance, since submitting the paper, we conducted the OceanPrediction DCC Capacity Development Survey, which collected insights from a diverse range of stakeholders worldwide. We will integrate key findings from this survey findings to strengthen this discussion.

Finally, we acknowledge your concern that the paper focuses heavily on UNESCO-led efforts. This was an intentional choice due to the UN Ocean Decade’s role in global OL and CD efforts, and to the paper’s being proposed within the OceanPrediction DCC framework, addressing the specific field of ocean prediction. We will clarify in the introduction that this short paper is not intended as, could not pretend to be, an exhaustive review of all initiatives of capacity development and ocean literacy taking place worldwide.