A number of initiatives are ongoing in national and international forums to standardise the collection and storage of marine environmental data. This will improve the ability to transfer information between organisations and countries to allow more efficient use. Click on the initiatives below to find out more:

Standards for data collection and production

• UK National Marine Monitoring Programme QC Groups (NMMPQC)
• Mapping European Seabed Habitats (MESH)
• International Council for the Exploartion of the Sea (ICES)
• Integrated Coastal Hydrography coastalhydrography.com
• Biological Effects Quality Assurance in Monitoring Programmes (BEQUALM)
• Quality Assurance of Information for Marine Environmental Monitoring in Europe (QUASIMEME)

UK data and metadata initiatives for data interoperability

• UK Geospatial Metadata Interoperability Initiative (GEMINI)
• e-Government Metadata Standard (eGMS)
• Collaborative Offshore Wind Research into Environment (COWRIE)
• Digital National Framework (DNF)

International data and metadata initiatives for data interoperability and storage

• International Oceanographic Data Information and Exchange Committee (IODE)
• International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
• ISO 19115 and 19139
• Infrastructure for spatial information in Europe (INSPIRE)
• Partnership for observation of the Global Oceans (POGO)
• Marine Overlays on Topography for Annex 2 valuation and exploitation (MOTIIVE)

The National Marine Monitoring Programme (NMMP) was established to provide a coordinated approach to environmental monitoring in coastal and estuarine areas. The programme brings together the statutory marine monitoring agencies throughout the UK around the need to provide reliable and harmonised information for the UK coastal area. The main drivers for the NMMP are the UK's commitment to contribute to the Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme of the Oslo and Paris Commission OSPAR/JAMP, and the need to carry out monitoring programmes to meet the requirements of a range of EC Directives. A monitoring manual 'The Green Book' and a series of subgroups have been established to cover the Quality Assurance and Quality Control needs in specialist topic areas, including:

• Benthic biology (National Marine Biological Analytical Quality Assurance group, NMBAQC)
• Ecotoxicology (NMEAQC)
• Chemistry (NMCAQC)
• A further group which will consider QC/QA of physical oceanographic data is currently being established.

Mapping European Seabed Habitats MESH aims to produce seabed habitat maps for north-west Europe (see MESH study area) and develop international standards and protocols for seabed mapping studies. To help establish a consistent approach to future mapping programmes and facilitate data exchange and aggregation, MESH will develop a set of internationally agreed protocols and standards for seabed habitat mapping.

Integrated Coastal Hydrography aimed to produce an on-line database of hydrographic (bathymetric) metadata and a shared methodology for the definitive measurement of hydrographic (bathymetric) data in the sensitive shallow coastal waters around the UK coast. By achieving its aims the project provided a definitive specification for gathering bathymetric data in the shallow water areas. To view report click here.

The Biological Effects Quality Assurance in Monitoring Programmes (BEQUALM) project was initiated in 1998 as an EU funded research programme. This project aimed to develop appropriate quality standards for a wide range of biological effects techniques and devise a method for monitoring compliance of laboratories generating data from these techniques for national and international monitoring programmes

Quasimeme project was supported between 1993 and 1995 by the European Union (EU) and had the aim to develop a holistic quality assurance program for marine environmental monitoring information in Europe. As a result of this pioneering project a marine network and laboratory performance studies have been established for most of the determinants measured in the marine environmental programs for both monitoring and research purposes. After the end of the EU funding in 1995, the Quasimeme scheme continued on subscription basis. Now it is thus possible for any laboratory to participate.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has 3 working groups relevant to the collection and exchange of marine data:

• The ICES Working Group on Marine Data Management (WGMDM) provides a forum for the exchange of expertise and ideas for those involved in marine data management in ICES Member Countries, and the provision of advice to the ICES Secretariat. The WGMDM has developed a set of guidelines for the collection of a variety of different data types, including CTD, XBT and ADCP. Further reports of the working group can be found here.
• The ICES-IOC Study Group on the Development of Marine Data Exchange Systems using XML (SGXML)
  The main emphasis of SGXML has centred on three areas: metadata standards, parameter dictionaries, and point data (e.g. 1-dimensional data, i.e., data with one independent variable such as depth for profile data). Further information is available here. In addition, meeting reports and other outputs of the group are available on the marineXML website (http://www.marineXML.net/).
• The ICES Study Group on the Management of Integrated Data (SGMID) reviews developments within ICES and elsewhere and advises on the level of integration and aggregation of data in connection with management issues from an ecosystem perspective (including the use of GIS systems). The SGMID has reviewed the existing central databases at ICES and distributed databases within the ICES community, as well as data policies and experiences with the setup of integrated databases. Further information can be seen here.

The International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) committee was established by The Intergovermental Oceanographic Commision (IOC) in 1961. A brief report provided to MEDAG on the discussions at the 18th session of the IODE can be viewed here. The IODE meets once every 2 years and has the objectives of :

ISO19115 Geographic Information - Metadata, is an international standard which was published in May 2003 that sets out a number of metadata fields for describing spatial information datasets. ISO 19139 (Geographic Information - Metadata - XML schema implementation) is the standard that aims to define an XML encoding for the metadata elements defined in ISO 19115 and this is currently at ISO Committee Draft stage.

Infrastructure for spatial information in Europe (INSPIRE) is a proposed Directive of the European Parliament which lays down Rules for an infrastructure for spatial information in the EU to support environmental policies and impacting policies, based on infrastructures for spatial information established and operated by Member States. The elements of these infrastructures include metadata, spatial data sets and spatial data services; network services and technologies; agreements on sharing, access and use; co-ordination and monitoring mechanisms, processes and procedures.

Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO), is a forum created recently by directors and leaders of major oceanographic institutions around the world to promote global oceanography, particularly the implementation of an international and integrated global ocean observing system. POGO includes institutions performing ocean observations as well as representatives of existing international and regional programs and organizations. POGO is a partnership of institutions involved in oceanographic observations, scientific research, operational services, education and training. POGO has developed a set of good data management principles that institutions should aim to adhear to.

The UK GEMINI Discovery Metadata Standard is a defined element set for describing geo-spatial, discovery level metadata within the United Kingdom. It is derived and therefore compliant with ISO 19115 Geographic Information – Metadata and the UK eGovernment Metadata Standard (eGMS). GEMINI was originated by the Association for Geographic Information and the e-Government Unit of the Cabinet Office and the UK Data Archive and created from a rigorous process of national consultation, feedback and revision. The project was managed by a steering group representing central and local government, the private sector, academia and the geo-spatial industry. Further information can be found at the GIgateway and a report is available here.

e-Government Metadata Standard (eGMS) lists the elements, refinements and sncoding schemes to be used by government organisations when creating metadata for information resources or or designing search interfaces for information resources. The eGMS will ensure maximum consistency of metadata across public sector organisations. eGMS forms part of the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF). Use links for further information on e-government standards and eGMS.

Collaborative Offshore Wind Research Into Environment (COWRIE) is an fund provided by The Crown Estate that has been set up for the purpose of generic research to benefit the early stages of the offshore windfarm industry as a whole. COWRIE has developed aset of guidelines for data management.

The Digital National Framework (DNF) is an industry standard for integrating and sharing business and geographic information from multiple sources.