Minutes of the 4th EMODnet Steering Committee Meeting (1-2 July 2015, Ispra, Italy)

Date: from 9:00 on Wednesday 1 July until Thursday 13:00 on 2 July 2015Location: Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, I-21027 Ispra (VA), Italy

Meeting Chair: Iain Shepherd

Go to Meeting Agenda and Documents

List of Actions:

Participants: Thematic lots

Participants: Sea Basin Checkpoints

Other Participants

Draft Minutes

Day 1 – Wednesday 1 July 2015 – Morning 09:00-12:30

Agenda item 1: Welcome and adoption of agenda

The meeting agenda was adopted with a few minor adjustments; agenda items 2 and 3 were switched to accommodate for later arrivals.

Agenda item 3: Updates from DG MARE and the Secretariat

Gaël Morvan (French Hydrographic Office SHOM) provided an overview of the new EMODnet Coastal Mapping Project, outlining its goals and work plan. Discussions focussed on the type of vertical references that could be used to ensure a good connection between the seafloor and the land. The challenge is to deal with different (and different definitions) of datum in use. The transformations from one to another datum are not always known with sufficient accuracy and the hydrographic chart datums (which are approximate Lowest Astronomical Tide or LAT) creates differences between datasets across borders. One of the outcomes of the project will be a report on the consistency of the existing European vertical datums, a recommendation for a European standard datum and the description of local definitions of LAT, Mean Sea Level (MSL) and Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT), and their relation to the European Vertical Reference System (EVRS). It was also mentioned that several past and ongoing projects, in particular in the framework of the INTERREG programme, are highly relevant in this context. Gaël Morvan indicated that CPMR (Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions) was a partner of the Coastal Mapping project and they would bring regional expertise to the project.

Anja Detant (EASME) updated the SC about the running tenders for Coastal Mapping and EMODnet checkpoints, including the contracts already signed for the Baltic and the Artic, and the on-going process for the Black Sea and Atlantic. A joint kick-off meeting for the new checkpoint projects is planned for September 2015 hosted by Wallingford HR (North Sea checkpoint coordinator).

Iain Shepherd informed the meeting about the new call for tender on Data Ingestion (see here for more information) and clarified that enquiries regarding the details of the call could not be answered in closed meetings or informally, but should be processed via email instead as indicated on the tender documents. He informed the meeting that the new calls for tenders for phase III continuation of thematic lots will most probably be issued in January/February 2016. Concerning EMODnet governance, the previous MODEG group will be replaced by one or more external advisory bodies with independent experts, stakeholders and users. Details on the group’s composition, mandate and operation are yet to be decided. It was suggested that establishing contacts with clusters of companies or even clusters of clusters such as the European Network of Maritime Clusters (ENMC) could be an efficient way of incorporating the private sector in those groups.

Actions

1. Organise a joint EMODnet Checkpoints kick-off meeting in September 2015 hosted by HR Wallingford (HR Wallingford and Checkpoint coordinators, 30/09/2015)

Agenda item 2: Status update of actions from previous meeting and short EMODnet progress update

Jan-Bart Calewaert (EMODnet Secretariat) updated the SC on the status of the actions agreed at the 3^rd SC meeting (minutes of this meeting are available here). Outstanding actions not yet completed and not treated elsewhere in this report are addressed below.

3^rd SC Meeting Action 4: Organize an introductory meeting between EMODnet and MyOcean-Mercator (now Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service).

• The meeting was intended to develop a common understanding on how these initiatives relate to each other and discuss common challenges that need to be addressed, such as the developing of a Single Sign-On procedure. A meeting is to take place in September 2015 with key actors of the EMODnet Physics Portal, SeaDataNet, EuroGOOS and Copernicus Marine Service. Antonio Novellino (Physics Portal) will attend that meeting and report back to the Steering Committee afterwards. In addition, the EMODnet Secretariat will attend the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service Workshop Service Evolution and User Uptake to be held in Brussels, September 7-8, 2015.

3^rd SC Meeting Action 10: Reconsider options to navigate from thematic websites/portals to the Central Portal.

• The Secretariat requests that the Thematic Portals adopt the following cross-linking standard: The EMODnet logo in the banner on each website (for all EMODnet thematic, regional and other sites) should link to the EMODnet Central Portal after displaying a tooltip[1] or infotip “Go to EMODnet Central Portal”. Top or side menu “home” buttons should be used to hyperlink to the internal homepage of the subsequent thematic/regional sub-portal from within these sites.

3^rd SC Meeting Action 11: EMODnet reference statement and disclaimer to be updated and re-circulated for approval before implementation.

Because of the diverse uses of EMODnet data, products and services, the Secretariat proposed not to enforce a rigid reference statement but rather to display a generic message on each portal inviting users to acknowledge usage of EMODnet data and services. However, the SC suggested that a few reference statements should be provided as options for users to copy and paste into their publications or reports. There can be different statements depending on the use they make of the data, products or services. Antonio Novellino suggested to use the Data Policy License of Copernicus as an example, where there are three types of statements suggested. The Secretariat will explore these possibilities and send a proposal to the SC for approval and implementation.

3^rd SC Meeting Action 22: Provide feedback to the Secretariat on Meeting Document 4 illustrating EMODnet in the wider marine data landscape in Europe.

• No inputs have been received so far. The Secretariat will revise the document again and circulate a new proposal for consideration of the SC.

Actions

2. Organise meeting with Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service to discuss synergies and common challenges and provide an update by the next SC meeting (Antonio Novellino, 01/12/2015)

3. Thematic lots to implement tooltip/hyperlink-navigation from EMODnet logo/banner on thematic websites/portals to the Central Portal (All thematic lots, 30/09/2015)

4. Circulate proposal for an EMODnet reference statement and disclaimer (Secretariat, 31/08/2015)

5. Develop and circulate a new version of the document illustrating EMODnet in the marine data landscape (Secretariat, 31/08/2015)

Agenda item 4: EMODnet events and calendar 2015

Jan-Bart Calewaert provided an overview of the EMODnet activities scheduled in Oostende during the week 19-23 October 2015, including the last meeting of the Marine Observation and Data Expert Group (MODEG), an Open Conference and EMODnet Jamboree. Meeting Document 4.1 contains a more detailed description of these activities in terms of focus, format, timing and location.

• Final meeting of the Marine Observation and Data Expert Group (MODEG) – 19/10/2015

All coordinator of thematic and regional EMODnet projects are invited to participate in the final meeting of MODEG (Monday 19/10/2015). This meeting will take place at the InnovOcean site.

• EMODnet Open Conference – 20/10/2015

Jan-Bart Calewaert indicated that the preparation of the Open Conference is advancing well. The list of speakers for the first part of the Open Conference is nearly finalised. All thematic coordinators will give a joint presentation during the morning plenary session on 20 October. That same day, after lunch, participants will breakout in up to 8 groups to consider future challenges and collaboration as well as to develop a common EMODnet identity and mind-set.

The topics and format of the breakout groups are not decided yet and several options are being considered. An external professional workshop developers/moderator(s) has been approached to provide (or support) the plenary introduction and assist with the preparations, moderation and selection of tools for the breakout brainstorming. Jan-Bart Calewaert outlined the contacts already instigated with several companies and the initial evaluation of their proposals.

Some discussion followed with SC suggesting possible topics, including the role of the industry and how to better engage with the private sector and the need for a European Sea level Monitoring coordination body. The contribution EMODnet can and should make to international initiatives such GEO was also emphasized. These topics add to the list already provided by the Secretariat in Doc4.1 and will have to be refined in order to prepare the brainstorming.

Jan-Bart Calewaert also informed that participants will be able to display posters in order to maximise opportunities for interaction. The SC suggested that the call for submissions should be launched as soon as possible to increase opportunities for young participants to obtain funding to support their attendance to the Conference.

• EMODnet Jamboree - 21-23/10/2015

Thematic lots are expected to gather for their annual meetings during a two-day EMODnet Jamboree. The available meeting spaces at the InnovOcean premises are currently being distributed taking into account the specific needs of each thematic lot. In addition, up to four cross-thematic meetings will be held in the afternoon of day 21^st in De Grote Post venue. Two of them are already decided: Biology will be meeting Seabed Habitats, and Geology will meet Bathymetry. A third group meeting could deal with the so-called “frictions and restrictions” topic to discuss the difficulties to access data at the national level, understand the reasons for it and how to overcome them.

• Other events

Jan-Bart Calewaert reported on the European Maritime Day 2015 workshop titled “Marine data and information powering Blue Growth” which was successfully co-organised by the EMODnet Secretariat with 120 participants attending. More details about this event can be found in the Workshop report (Meeting Document 4.3).

Actions

6. Consolidate list of topics to be discussed during the EMODnet Open conference brainstorming sessions on the 20^th October 2015 (Secretariat and coordinators, 31/08/2015)

7. Launch call for submission of posters for the EMODnet Open Conference (Central Portal and Secretariat, 31/07/2015)

Day 1 – Wednesday 1 July 2015 - Afternoon 14:00-18:00

Agenda item 5: Update from the thematic lots on specific issues of concern

Coordinators of thematic portals presented the progress the main progress achieved as well as the future challenges.

Alessandro Pititto (EMODnet Human Activities) described the difficulties encountered when requesting data on fish catches in their database (work initially not included in the contract). He highlighted the many fruitful contacts established with different stakeholders, including OSPAR and HELCOM, providing valuable feedback. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (UK) for example volunteered to become the reference organization for all UK human activities data, and the International Associations of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) intends to produce a paper map using EMODnet Human Activities data. For the third year, EMODnet Human Activities intends to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with as many data providers as possible to formalize the provision of data ensure long term collaboration. Alessandro Pititto also highlighted the importance of getting access to AIS (vessel tracking) data.

Antonio Novellino (EMODnet Physics) highlighted the incorporation of new data from Iceland as well as the inclusion of High Frequency Radar data. There are also plans to develop new products using sea level data. On the other hand, data from a remarkable percentage of Italian platforms are no longer available due to lack of maintenance, most often as a result of budgetary constraints by Member States. While it not always clear if this is a major problem or not, SC Members agreed it is important for EMODnet to report such developments for further consideration. He also informed the SC that a recent inquiry distributed amongst the Physics portal users revealed that only 20% of them are familiar with EUROGOOS, EMODnet or SeaDataNet. EMODnet Physics will be meeting with Mercator and SeaDataNet to discuss on data policy, data license and Single Sign-On issues.

Simon Claus (EMODnet Biology)presented an overview of the main types and sources of marine biological data in Europe indicating whether they are made available via EMODnet or not. Research data comprises a huge component and only a fraction is currently made available via EMODnet; the new call for a Data Ingestion Facility may help to get more of this data into the system. He also pointed out the new services and products offered in the recently upgraded data portal. Over time these products will also include Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (OOPS) for ICES. SC members posed question as regards who was the most important data provider to the portal and the use of DIVA software and estimating the error. It was suggested that it would be useful if data in the portal could be presented by region. Simon Claus indicated that this was one the developments on the agenda for 2016.

Alessandra Giorgetti (EMODnet Chemistry)also provided an overview of main types and sources of European marine chemistry data, indicating the components that are made available via EMODnet. She explained that there are different levels of access restrictions for EMODnet Chemistry data imposed by data providers. This is linked to the Data Policy of SeaDataNet, which provides the backbone for EMODnet Chemistry. She confirmed that access to many datasets still requires negotiation between users and data providers but that the share of unrestricted data is growing steadily. She also explained that quality checks and data validation is done in the first instance at Member State level, but clarified that there is an additional loop for EMODnet data and data products. In this loop, data is aggregated with unit conversions and a regional data quality control is performed based on a common protocol at sea-basin level. This results in quality checked regional-data-buffers which can be used for the development of products such as interpolated concentration maps of certain chemicals. Subsequently, reports are sent to the data collators to correct errors or anomalies in the master copy of the data and to guarantee the data quality upgrading.

Jacques Populus (EMODnet Seabed Habitats) stressed the difficulties in obtaining wave maps (to quantify the level of energy) with sufficient resolution in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. He was also concerned about the issue of properly indicating the degree of confidence in the maps and suggested this could be a cross-thematic topic for the October EMODnet Jamboree. It was also agreed that from now on the former name for the project (EUSeaMap), which still appears in some of the documents and webpages, should be definitely changed to EMODnet Seabed Habitats. Finally, suggestions were made to add underwater video and photo materials in the next phase.

Action

8. Stop using “EUSeaMap” to refer to EMODnet Seabed Habitats and remove the term from all portals/websites (EMODnet Seabed Habitats, 30/09/2015)

Progress of the EMODnet Geology portal was presented by coordinator Alan Stevenson. Because 1:250.000 scale information is not available for certain areas, information at 1:1 million scale had been compiled in order to provide complete coverage of harmonised seabed substrate geology. Approximately 19% of the European seas within the project area have been mapped at 1:250,000 scale and 58% has been mapped at 1:1 million scale. A new working group on Adriatic Sea geology has been created, which will work on all WPs of the EMODnet Geology 2 Project. The first meeting of the Adriatic Sea Group was held in Rome on 25-26 May. He also mentioned the main dissemination activities undertaken this year and planned for the next one, including a session on ‘Mapping the oceans: co-ordinating seabed and habitat mapping for maritime spatial planning’ at the AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting (New Orleans, 21-26 February 2016). Finally, SC members highlighted the lack of progress on issues related to coastal erosion data.

Throughout the above thematic progress updates, frictions and restrictions related to providing free, easy and open access to data via EMODnet were raised and discussed revealing differences in perspectives on how to better encourage Member States and National Oceanographic Data Centres to gradually disband restrictive data policies and stimulate data providers to grant open access to data resources.

The session concluded with a presentation of the IPChem project, financed by DG ENV, which consists on designing an information platform for chemical monitoring. IPChem would like to set up a single access point for discovering and retrieving chemical monitoring data in Europe and requested EMODnet to provide data and metadata. Members of the EMODnet SC asked IPChem staff to clarify how EMODnet Chemistry data portal could effectively contribute to the information platform as the platform is not yet operational.

Action

9. Liaise with IPChem project to ensure EMODnet data from the Chemistry portal may contribute and feed into their information platform (EMODnet Chemistry, 30/09/2015)

Day 2 – Thursday 2 July 2015 – Morning 09:00-12:30

Agenda item 5 (cont.): Update from the thematic lots on specific issues of concern

Dick Schaap recalled the main features of EMODnet Bathymetry project, describing the consortium and the services they provide. He highlighted that EMODnet Bathymetry, through 9 regional groups, has produced DTM’s at 1/8 * 1/8 arc minutes for all European regions. He also described some developments in the portal in terms of viewing and downloading data such as the creation of 3D animations or the wrecks database layer that it is now available as a WMS service. The question of how to assess the quality of DTMs was raised, and it was noted that there was a need for reliable methods to estimate this.

Agenda item 6: Updates from the North Sea Checkpoint

Marie Pendle presented an update on the North Sea Checkpoint project progress. She gave some details about the elaboration and major findings of the Data Adequacy Report (DAR) developed for two challenges so far, the Wind farm sitting and the Marine Protected Areas. She explained some of the difficulties encountered when searching for data and lessons learnt throughout the process. She also explained the “Data Advisor” approach developed within the project and how this has been implemented on their site. The Data Adviser allows identification of datasets that are suitable for each of the challenges and also according to INSPIRE themes. She will be sending a link so that the SC members can try the facility.

Agenda item 7: Updates from the Mediterranean Sea Checkpoint

Nadia Pinardi provided a comprehensive summary of the Mediterranean Checkpoint project activities from the basic concepts to the methodology they have designed to produce the DAR. For the time being they have developed eight indicators enabling to objectively assess the availability of data (input/fitness for use) for all challenges (298 data sets). A general overview of the methodology will be published shortly as a chapter of a book and while publications on more specific indicators (e.g. input/fitness-for use) are also in the pipeline. Nadia Pinardi explained how they arrived to a single global assessment for the whole group of challenges. The indicators are common for all challenges, but they are given different importance depending on the challenge, hence a weighted average is calculated. This contrasts with the approach followed by the North Sea Checkpoint were the focus is more specific challenge by challenge.

The session was concluded by a presentation by Franco Oliveri from JRC on EU CISE (Common Information Sharing Environment for Maritime Surveillance) project, which aims to enable the exchange of maritime surveillance data in the EU. EMODnet could potentially contribute by providing background layers to the initiative. It was agreed that Nadia Pinardi and Antonio Guarneri would act as the link with CISE actors as they are involved in the EU CISE project to some extent.

Action

10. Liaise with the CISE project coordinators to consider how EMODnet can contribute and report back to SC (Nadia Pinardi and Antonio Guarneri 30/09/2015)

Agenda item 8: Central Portal Query Tool

Francisco Souza Dias presented the status of the EMODnet Central Portal which provides a gateway to all thematic projects and checkpoint projects and also aims to develope a series of data services for users interested in data from more than one EMODnet theme. He described the most recent developments and in particular the Query Tool. The Query Tool provides a single combined product (list of all parameters available for a given coordinate) using input from all thematic lots simultaneously. It was also pointed out that some further work was required to homogenise the names between the Central Portal and the thematic portals. To increase the visibility of EMODnet, it was agreed to ask EMODnet partners to include the logo of EMODnet on their own institutions web pages where appropriate.

Action

11. Request all EMODnet partners to include the EMODnet logo and link to EMODnet thematic portals on their web pages (Secretariat and Thematic lot coordinators, ongoing)

Agenda item 9: Feedback from the Technical Working Group

Francisco Souza Dias explained the origins, remit and achievements of the EMODnet ad hoc Technical Working Group to date. The interoperability of the data and products provided by the thematic portals is an important issue and key agenda item to be discussed at the Technical Working Group Meeting on 23 October 2015 in Oostende, to be held back to back with the EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree. Some of the issues to be agreed upon are the export format, how to present results per region, type of projection and filter parameters.

Action

12. Ad hoc Technical Working Group to meet on 23 October in Oostende to discuss interoperability requirements and INSPIRE compliance and report back at the next SC Meeting (Central Portal and Technical Working group, 23/10/2015)

Agenda item 10 External developments and interactions

Francisco Souza Dias reported on the new project pan-European Open Data Portal financed by DG Connect and lead by CapGemini. The goal of this project is to develop, launch and operate a single large-scale pan-European Open Data Portal, which will bring together public data resources from all over Europe in one portal.

Paul Smits summarized the main conclusions of the INSPIRE-EMODnet workshop held in Ispra on 30 June prior to the SC meeting. He described the three roles EMODnet could play in relation to INSPIRE (1) user of INSPIRE data, (2) producer of INSPIRE data and (3) provider of “INSPIRE as a service” to Member States. A joint paper will be produced further describing the results of the workshops and the steps to take forward.

Action

13. Contribute to the joint paper following the INSPIRE-EMODnet meeting on 30 June in Ispra (DG MARE and Secretariat, 01/12/2015)

Antonio Novellino insisted on the need to take into account the new Cookie Directive and explained how they are implementing it on the EMODnet Physics portal. He will circulate a suggestion for a phrase to be included on the other EMODnet portals.

Action

14. Include a disclaimer to comply with the Cookie Directive (All thematic portals after receiving suggestion from Antonio Novellino, 30/09/2015)

Agenda item 11 AOB

Jan-Bart Calewaert, from the Secretariat requested the coordinators to send their bi-monthly reports on the 3^rd week of July at the latest. Annual reports should also be provided in due time.

Agenda item 12 Next SC Meeting date and location

The place and date for the next SC meeting was discussed. It could be held in Brussels early in December 2015, but the details are yet to be determined.

Day 2 – Thursday 2 July 2015 – Afternoon 14:00-16:30

Following the Steering Committee Meeting, interested JRC staff were invited to participate in an open seminar with presentations and discussions related to EMODnet. The seminar was chaired by Vittorio Barale and started with an introductory presentation by Iain Shepherd on the new methodology developed by DG MARE to estimate the size of maritime economy. He presented a new method based on available statistical information, which allows a reliable and repeatable assessment. This was followed by a joint presentation given by all EMODnet coordinators describing their portals. The session ended with an open discussion with the audience.

[1] The tooltip or infotip or a hint is a common graphical user interface element used in conjunction with a cursor, usually a pointer. The user hovers the pointer over an item, without clicking it, and a tooltip may appear—a small "hover box" with information about the item being hovered over. Tooltips do not usually appear on mobile operating systems, because there is no cursor (though tooltips may be displayed when using a mouse).