Felimon Gayanilo received the 2011 EPA Gulf Guardian award in the partnership category  for his leading role in the development of the data portal for the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association (GCOOS-RA).   The portal was deemed a key component of the centralized data management system, benefiting a broad community.

The  purpose of the portal is to aggregate near real-time oceanographic data streams from sources distributed around the Gulf of Mexico. The GCOOS Data Portal provides an interactive map displaying the status of ocean observing stations and  information about the environment around the Gulf of Mexico.  It also features hurricane tracking, earthquake monitoring, vessel tracking, and a navigational chart.

The GCOOS project is funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).