A geonetwork-based catalogue for marine data management

Ocean observations are acquired from a great variety of platforms at different spatial and temporal scales. Additionally, a great number of physical, chemical, geological and biological variables need to be measured to characterise and understand ocean dynamics and the ocean ecosystem. Developing robust infrastructures that facilitate the search and access to diverse oceanographic data becomes essential to be able to use ocean observations for increasing our knowledge of ocean dynamics and of the ocean ecosystem and for producing information, services and products to support the great diversity of marine stakeholders.In this communication, we will present recent developments of data infrastructures and data services at the the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) in the framework of different national and international funded projects (DEMON, Oceans+, iFADO, DATAMARE...). IEO was founded in 1914 and focuses its activity on oceanography and marine research for different marine stakeholders and to provide scientific advice to the government to support the implementation of marine related policies. IEO is part of the National Oceanographic Data Centres (NODC) network, which adhere to FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) to ensure standardized data management and global exchange of ocean data. In this contribution we will focus on our recent developments of standard catalogues using open-source tools like GeoNetwork and we will show how this approach has enabled IEO to organise and present a vast catalogue of oceanographic data and of data services that disseminate marine data sets following FAIR principles. Proper hierarchization ensure that users (individuals or data hubs) can navigate the IEO catalogue effectively, taking advantage of the search capabilities to access data for research and applications. Different examples of access to multidisciplinary data sets obtained with different ocean observing platforms will be provided. In addition, we will show how the ocean data stored at IEO can be catalogued to support the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).Finally, we will present the integrated marine data platform being developed by the EU funded Galician Marine Sciences Program by different academic and research actors in Galicia (CESGA, CSIC, MeteoGalicia, INTECMAR, CETMAR and universities of Santiago and Coruña) with the objective of demonstrating the improvement in the management of marine data using supercomputing technologies (High Performance Computing, HPC). We will show practical examples of how access and processing of multidisciplinary marine data sets can be performed in the infrastructure in a powerful, standardized, fast and simple way.

The European Marine Strategy: Contribution and challenges from a Portuguese perspective

We have analyzed the development of “Broad-Scale Seabed Habitat Maps” (BSHM) and their potential use in a European context with regard to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) implementation, MPA designation and network assessment as well as other applications of BSHMs. The analyses are anchored in BSHMs developed by a series of interlinked EU projects (e.g. UKSeaMap, BALANCE, MESH, Mesh Atlantic, EUSeaMap 2012, and EUSeaMap 2016) and all maps are based on environmental data. Some EU Member States have used BSHMs as part of their MSFD Initial Assessments published in 2012. However, we conclude that BSHMs are a prerequisite for another key MSFD activity, i.e. mapping of potentially cumulative effects of multiple human stressors. Further, BSHMs seem to play a growing role with regard to evidence-based assessments of MPAs. With the upcoming second round of MSFD Initial Assessments due in 2018, including assessment of potentially cumulative pressures, there seems to be an increasing need for more BSHMs nationally, regionally and on a European scale.\n

Cost-benefit analysis in the context of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive: The case of Germany

Impediments to achieving integrated marine management across borders: The case of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Recent advances in electronics and data processing have given oceanographic vessels the capability of obtaining, in one cruise, as much information as was collected during the four-year deployment of HMS Challenger. This data explosion has resulted in the creation of computerized archives for oceanographic data and an inability on the part of the individual researcher to keep abreast of developments in the field through literature sources as has been the practice in the past. This study was undertaken to sample 1000 users of marine pollution data and determine their attitudes and biases regarding the success or failure of present archiving activities. In addition, the questionnaire asked the respondents to express their preference for an "ideal" interactive system through which they could access data contained within National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) files. Of the 1000 questionnaires mailed, 225 were returned. Answers to the questions posed in the sampling instrument were coded into numerical form and subjected to Chi-squared analysis in order to ascertain whether or not a given agency, position, or familiarity with computer systems had an influence on how the user regarded the value of the present system used by NODC. The results showed that more respondents still preferred hard copy sources (peer review publications, etc.) for their data. However, regardless of the attitudes revealed by the questionnaires, 90% of those responding agreed with the need for such archiving activities and 95% saw their interaction with such computerized data bases increasing over the next decade. The ideal computer system, as revealed by the respondent preferences, consisted of an interactive terminal with graphics capabilities which could access NODC data banks directly, via a buffer file. Based upon these results, recommendations were made to NODC regarding ways in which their operations might be made more compatible with the needs of the oceanographic research community.

Key to the appropriate use of data is the knowledge of data quality. This knowledge is critical for products and decision-support tools that utilize real-time data, and it is also essential for the longer term application of data as well. Guidance by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for appraising observational data for archive states that factors favoring long-term or permanent retention include the uniqueness, completeness, and quality of observational data and the quality and completeness of metadata [1]. The National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), the designated archive center for oceanographic data in the U.S., requires that data submitted be documented to enable secondary use and ensure data posterity. Such metadata should include not only geospatial characteristics and time periods of observations, but also the collection methods, instrumentation used, units of measure, acceptable values, error tolerance, processing history, quality assessments and explanations of quality flags, data aggregation methods, and other pertinent information [2]. Providing this information in a consistent manner can be a challenge. However, an approach to capturing and conveying this metadata using community-developed practices for ocean observing system data and metadata is well underway. This paper presents methods of capturing data and provenance of data quality using the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) framework. It describes the types of metadata content captured and demonstrates the utility and significance of defining and registering terms to enable semantic, as well as syntactic, interoperability. The SWE framework provides an avenue for conveying quality flags and methods used to make assurances about the integrity of oceanographic data for real-time consumption and for potential submittal to permanent archives such as NODC.

Underwater noise has been measured and assessed in Croatia from the early seventies of the last century. Brodarski institute, in that time the technical institute of the ex Yugoslav Navy, has undertaken measurements of various vessel underwater noise as well as underwater ambient noise mainly on two specific locations of interest. Equipment was acquired, techniques and procedures developed and standardized and knowledge and expertise gathered. The measurements and assessment mainly of the vessel underwater noise were continued throughout the eighties. After two decades of virtual standstill, in the wake of requirements for underwater noise monitoring for Descriptor 11 of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), a series of pilot underwater noise measurements were carried out. The measurement equipment, techniques and procedures as well as the outline of results are presented. The underwater ambient noise monitoring program for the next period has been established and defined and is also presented in the paper.

Biological invasions are considered one of the main threats for biodiversity. In the last decades, more than 60 macroalgae have been introduced in the Mediterranean Sea, causing serious problems in coastal areas. Nevertheless, the impacts of alien macroalgae in deep subtidal systems have been poorly studied, especially in the coralligenous habitats of the eastern coast of Sicily (Italy). Therefore, within the framework of the programme “Progetto Operativo di Monitoraggio (P.O.M.)” of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the aim of the present study was to gain knowledge on the alien macroalgae present in coralligenous habitats of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Isole Ciclopi, along the Ionian coast of Sicily. By Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) videos and destructive samples analysed in the laboratory, five alien species were identified: Caulerpa cylindracea, Antithamnion amphigeneum, Asparagopsis armata, Bonnemaisonia hamifera, and Lophocladia lallemandii. Since A. amphigeneum was previously reported only in the western Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea, the present report represents the first record of this species in the eastern Mediterranean. The ROV surveys showed that the alien species do not have a high coverage and do not appear to be invasive in the coralligenous area of the MPA. Since ocean temperatures are predicted to increase as climate change continues and alien species are favoured by warming of the Mediterranean Sea, the risk of biotic homogenisation caused by the spread of alien species is realistic. Therefore, further studies are needed to assess the incidence and invasiveness of alien species in phytobenthic assemblages of coralligenous in the MPA.

Continuous underwater noise has been monitored in the Slovenian sea near the lighthouse foundation at Debeli Rtič since February 2015, according to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Anthropogenic noise sources (e.g. seawater densities, dredging activities and cleaning of the seafloor) and meteorological noise sources (e.g. wind speed and precipitation) were analysed in relation to the measured underwater noise levels using several graphical and statistical methods. The results of this study showed that average equivalent continuous underwater noise levels were, by 11 dB (L eq,63 Hz) and 5 dB (L eq,125 Hz), higher in the intervals when dredging activities took place than in the intervals when these activities were absent. Variation in underwater noise levels was partly related to the variation of the ship densities, which could be explained by the relatively small acoustic propagation in the shallow seawater. Precipitation level did not indicate any significant association with the variations in continuous underwater noise levels, though some larger deviations in the wind speed were found to be associated with the larger fluctuations in continuous underwater noise levels.

The contamination of marine environments by chemical pollutants poses a significant threat to both ecosystem health and human food safety, affecting marine One Health by disrupting the interconnected well-being of organisms, ecosystems, and humans. A diverse array of contaminants including metals, persistent organic pollutants, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, among others, can accumulate in fish and seafood, raising concerns over dietary exposure. While regulations like the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) establish limits for certain contaminants, many emerging pollutants remain unregulated, and their long-term impacts are poorly understood. This review compiles global data from 2018 to 2024 on the occurrence of both regulated and unregulated contaminants in fishery products across different FAO zones. It provides an overview of contamination levels in various species, regional trends, and potential human health risks. Our findings highlight the widespread presence of plastic additive chemicals (e.g., phthalates, bisphenols), legacy contaminants (e.g., PCBs, pesticides, mercury), and advancement in PFAS monitoring, though still underreported in several regions together with other emerging contaminants including personal care products and industrial chemicals. Arsenic frequently appeared at higher concentrations than other regulated metals. Contaminant profiles varied by tissue type and species group. These findings emphasize the need for harmonized environmental regulations and expanded monitoring efforts. Future research should focus on cumulative exposure risks, mixture toxicity assessments, and the development of standardized methodologies for broader range of contaminants. Strengthening these practices is critical to safeguarding marine biodiversity and ensuring seafood safety for global consumers.

Since June 2004, two ocean data archivists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) have participated as on-board data managers for two cruises sponsored by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration (OE). These two offices are part of the OE Integrated Product Team (IPT), which is developing an end-to-end OE data management system. Two components of this system are 1) gathering information during OE cruises about the on-board science activities and the collected data; and 2) archiving these data with their accompanying science and cruise information. The NODC archivists' participation on the OE cruises gave them a first-hand perspective and insight on these two ends of the data management spectrum. Based on these experiences, three recommendations for an end-to-end data management system are presented.

Scalar reorganisation of marine governance in Europe? The implementation of the marine strategy framework directive in Spain, Portugal and Germany

Sometimes you cannot make it on your own; drivers and scenarios for regional cooperation in implementing the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive

AQUARIUS is an ongoing Horizon Europe funded project. An impressive range of 57 research infrastructure services is made available by Transnational Access (TA) Calls to include research vessels, mobile marine observation platforms, fixed marine facilities, experimental research facilities, river & basin supersites, aircraft, drones, satellite services, and sophisticated data infrastructures.As a result of the TA projects, many new data sets in a large variety of data types are being collected by TA teams, using and combining multiple and different observation installations. A major aim of AQUARIUS is supporting the EU Mission to Restore our Ocean and waters by 2030, and other marine initiatives, including contributing to the European Digital Twin of the Ocean and the UN Decade for Ocean Sciences.There is a strong effort in AQUARIUS to get the maximum return of investment from the TA activities. An open data policy has been adopted, implemented with a dedicated Data Management approach, to ensure that all gathered metadata and data are managed in line with the FAIR principles. They should become part of the repositories managed and operated by leading European data management infrastructures, such as SeaDataNet, EurOBIS, ELIXIR-ENA, ICOS-Ocean, and Copernicus INSTAC, for quality assurance, long term stewardship, and wide access and use. These infrastructures in turn are feeding into EMODnet, Copernicus Marine, Blue-Cloud (EOSC), Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO) developments, and globally to e.g. GEOSS, and the UN-IOC Ocean Decade programme.To achieve a maximum result, the TA scientific teams are being supported by data centres, experienced in marine data management, and well connected to the European data management infrastructures. Most of them are National Oceanographic Data Centres (NODCs). They provide training and coach the TA teams during the AQUARIUS data management flow scheme. This includes steps from planning to training to deployment to publishing, and a number of instruments. One of those is the AQUARIUS TA Data Summary Log App which is used by PIs of TA projects to keep an overview and index of the data collection events. It produces a list for the data centres to know what data to expect from where and who and as a checklist for the next steps. The AQUARIUS TA Data Summary Log contains only metadata and no data. As follow-up, the TA teams and assigned data centres will work on elaborating the collected data to prevailing standards and inclusion in the European repositories. That progress is made visible through the AQUARIUS Dataflow Dashboard (ADD), integrated in the AQUARIUS website. It follows the progress from planning stage through to publishing of results for each awarded TA project. The ultimate goal is to give discovery and public access to research data sets as collected and processed and data products as generated by the TA research teams as part of the AQUARIUS TA projects.The presentation will provide more background information on the AQUARIUS project and will highlight more details about the data management approach.