National Marine Environmental Data (MED) Coordinator
Introduction
This summary of the Annual Report covers the ninth full year of activities of the National Marine Environmental Data (MED) Coordinator and associated Action Group. The MED co-ordination activity is a partnership between Government departments and agencies with an interest in marine environmental data. It is currently co-funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Fisheries Research Services/Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (FRS/SEERAD), the Environment Agency (EA), the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and the Met Office. In addition, other organisations are also represented on MEDAG, including UKOOA, UK Marine Information Council, Nature Conservation bodies (JNCC, CCW), Natural History Museum, the Crown Estate and NGO groupings (via Marine Conservation Society).
The project operates in the form of a distributed network between the marine environmental data managers in the various agencies and user groups. The focus is provided by the MED Coordinator, who was assisted by a second full-time post for the second half of the year.
During the year the MED Coordinator has taken part in a number of meetings of the newly launched Marine Data and Information Partnership (MDIP), and has participated in discussions about the relationship between MEDAG and MDIP. MEDAG has already adjusted its mode of operation to increase the funder input to the programme by holding more funder-only meetings. These will be complemented by MED Forum meetings which aim to reach a broader range of organizations. These may be run jointly with MDIP. MEDAG has been reviewed during the latter half of the year; the outcome of the review will be reported to the January IACMST Plenary meeting, which may lead to further adjustments to the structure and priorities.
Progress against the 2005 Action List items is summarised below (the Work Plan and Milestones are in the main report). The main deliverables for the year are: new OceanNET MEDAG web-site, updated version of the UK MED Directory, UK marine monitoring measurements inventory updated, marine photographs and videos held and Marine Processes and Climate Report web-site launched and pdf associated finalized.
In order to further promote the UK Marine Environmental Data Network, the OceanNET web-site (www.oceannet.org) was set up to act as a portal to marine data and information. The web pages have undergone a major review, re-structuring and re-design during the year. In addition, a consultant was employed during the first half of the year to further promote the work of MEDAG both in the funding organizations and by producing articles and news items to journals and newsletters.
A workshop entitled ‘Coastal morphology, marine ecology, underwater geology and biology photographs and videos: their availability, uses and curation’ was held in November attracting about 50 participants from a wide range of organizations. A number of issues were raised which need to be addressed to make progress. These included categorizing the type of videos, photos and images, UK and international metadata, photographic and scientific standards need to be investigated further, and copyright issues also require further investigation.
One of the key requirements for providing an overview of marine environmental data is the production of data catalogues. During the year a major update of the Directory of Marine Environmental Data Sets and the UK Inventory of Marine Monitoring Measurements took place, whilst the UK Cruise Inventory continued to be updated on a regular basis. Links were re-established with the FCO, and supply of information relating to non-UK cruises in UK waters has recommenced. This information is available on the OceanNET web-site. Other inventories, including those for wave and sea level measurements continue to be developed and updated.
Work has commenced on developing web-GIS access to the directories and inventories and this will be continued in 2006.
During the year, the MED Network Team have responded to approximately 100 requests for marine data and information from a variety of sources including universities, government departments and agencies, and the commercial sector, this includes 20 referrals to the Marine Processes and Climate Report web-site.
Following on from last year’s discussions on the implications of the proposed infrastructure for spatial information in the EU (INSPIRE) Directive, MEDAG staff participated in an INSPIRE meeting for UK Experts.
The MEDAG Team, in close collaboration with a consultant commissioned by the GOOSAG, finalized the Marine Processes and Climate sector’s contribution to the Defra State of the Seas Report. The Marine Processes and Climate Report includes chapters on observing networks, Weather and Climate, Sea Level, Waves, Temperature, Salinity, Currents and Circulation, Suspended Sediments, and Changes to Coastline and Seabed. The text of the report is illustrated by a large number of figures and includes web links to a variety of animations. The web-pages were launched at the same time as the “State of the Seas” report.
At the request of GOOSAG, MEDAG have provided advice and agreed to take forward some issues relating to the Action Plan which is under development for the Marine Processes and Climate sector of marine environmental monitoring. MEDAG provided an information note on available visualization systems and information relating to the pros and cons of centralized data storage (e.g. a single repository) against a networked or distributed system.
MED staff participated in a number of national and international marine data and information management related meetings and workshops, including the IOC International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) committee meeting, which is currently chaired by the MED Coordinator. The MED Team also maintained contact with a number of relevant initiatives. Further details are in the main body of the report.
The work plan for 2006 in the main report shows the proposed activities. The top priorities are the Outer Core activities of: (i) updating and maintaining catalogues and directories of data, in particular the Inventories of Wave and Sea Level Data and the UK Cruise Inventory, and (ii) contributing UK data to global data sets, in particular to the World Data Center-Oceanography (Silver Spring), the ICES Data Centre and the Global Ocean Surface Underway Data (GOSUD) pilot project. As the DVD of moored current meter data was not produced in 2005, it will be a high priority in 2006.
Alongside these activities, communication and publicity activities will take place, including visits to funding organizations and regularly contributing articles/news items about the MED Network and OceanNET and its activities to both electronic and printed journals. Following the successful workshop on marine photographs and videos in 2005, a printed workshop report will be published.
Collaboration with the GOOS Action Group will continue, with the MED Team maintaining and developing the GOOS Action Group web-site – which is due for a major redesign in 2006 – and responding to actions required for the implementation of the GOOSAG Action Plan. Links will also be maintained with the EU-funded projects related to increasing the availability of marine environmental data (e.g. SeaDataNet and SIMORC). Additional future activities and projects may result from the outcome of the MEDAG Review, collaboration with MDIP and through discussions with funding partners and GOOSAG.
Anticipated deliverables for 2006 are: Web-searchable inventories of UK wave and sea level measurements, printed report from marine photographs and videos workshop, 40-50 cruises of temperature and salinity data delivered to global archives and product of moored current meter data product DVD.
Mark Charlesworth, Gaynor Evans, Lesley Rickards 16 January 2006