Skip to main content
Maritime Forum

Interim Assessment of European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet)

[img_assist|nid=1944|title=|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=640|height=167]

A contractor is analysing the ur-EMODnet portals. The interim report is here (pdf or docx).

Could you use the comment facility below to provide comments. You will need to login (Commission users can use ECAS). If you are a user but have forgotten password click here If you don't have an account click here to set one up

Biology

  • Provide information on what terms in metadata mean (e.g. ‘status’)
  • Review metadata and use IHO sea areas (or other) to standardise geographical areas
  • Review metadata to make temporal ranges more searchable
  • Review terminology – several common names for one species etc
  • Review thematic areas – macroalgae/algae etc
  • Make information on quality checking of data available on the website
  • The issue of precisely which data policy applies is somewhat complex
  • Include information on how quality-checking is undertaken

Chemistry

The site uses a shopping cart system for data files and downloading. This is possibly a system that could be adopted more widely.

  • One issue that may require further examination is to precise who the parties are to each individual licence agreement. This is not very clearly specified and might make it difficult for the consortium to apply the licence conditions in the future.
    • Break up long pages of text with headings or use section breaks and links at top (e.g. ‘EMODNET’ page)
    • One issue that may require further examination is to precise who the parties are to each individual licence agreement. This is not very clearly specified and might make it difficult for the consortium to apply the licence conditions in the future.
    • Make marine data more prominent on website (or directions on how to get to it) as many may not know that EMODNET refers to marine data
    • Provide link to DG MARE site pages with EMODNET for more information
    • Adding guidance/help on how to use the portal would be useful
    • Once data becomes available, include metadata in same portal as terrestrial geological data and make it clear how to search catalogue to just retrieve the marine datasets, also linkable from the portal homepage (with EMODNET banner) rather than just 1GE
    • The issue of the enforceability of the licence conditions should evaluated in terms of the precise procedure for their incorporation into the licence.
    • It would also be appropriate to re-visit the issue of the identify of the licensor.

Hydrography

  • Break up long pages of text with headings or use section breaks and links at top (e.g. ‘EMODNET’ page)
  • One issue that may require further examination is to precise who the parties are to each individual licence agreement. This is not very clearly specified and might make it difficult for the consortium to apply the licence conditions in the future.

Geology

  • Make marine data more prominent on website (or directions on how to get to it) as many may not know that EMODNET refers to marine data
  • Provide link to DG MARE site pages with EMODNET for more information
  • Adding guidance/help on how to use the portal would be useful
  • Once data becomes available, include metadata in same portal as terrestrial geological data and make it clear how to search catalogue to just retrieve the marine datasets, also linkable from the portal homepage (with EMODNET banner) rather than just 1GE
  • The issue of the enforceability of the licence conditions should evaluated in terms of the precise procedure for their incorporation into the licence.
  • It would also be appropriate to re-visit the issue of the identify of the licensor.

Physical habitats

  • Separate data catalogue?
  • Main page similar to other EMODNET portals?
  • Make key more ‘user friendly’?
  • There is an apparent contradiction between the application ‘terms and conditions’ and the ‘conditions of use’ which is potentially misleading