Building a European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET): Biological Data Products Workshop

The preparatory action for Biological data, coordinated by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), is organising a workshop to 1) discuss the marine biological (monitoring) data availability and gaps in Europe and 2) define a set of derived data products relevant for private bodies, public authorities and researchers. The workshop will focus on various species groups (phyto-and zooplankton, benthos, macroalgae, higher plants, seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles). The preparatory action covers the Greater North Sea (including the English Channel and Skagerrak-Kattegat), the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast. Other European Marine Waters will be considered besides the geographical focus of the preparato¬ry action. This workshop will result in a set of key-recommendations that will be implemented in the further development of the preparatory action for biological data. Based on the identification of relevant data products, targeted data analysis workshops will be organised in the near future.

Outline of the workshop:

During the ‘Biological Data Products Workshop’ we will focus on the creation of value-added biological data products that could be made available through EMODNET for different user communities.

The first plenary session will give a general introduction of EMODNet and the current preparatory actions of EMODNet and will present the current marine biological data availability and monitoring data. This first session will be presented by VLIZ.

During the second plenary session different data(products) that are wishful for different user communities and for different purposes will be presented by four key-note speakers. After these key-note presentations, VLIZ will give a short demonstration of the prototype portal, showing a few examples on how different dataproducts can be represented on the future EMODNet portal.

During the first break out session and based on the key-note presentations, we will discuss during the first break-out session what kind of dataproducts for the different purposes and for different user groups are most important and most wishful. These will be communicated back during plenary. During the next break-out session, the following day, we want to discuss how these dataproducts could actually be implemented.

Programme of the workshop (including background information):

Day I (25 February 2010)

9.30– 10.30: Plenary I – Introduction.

Welcome (VLIZ 10’)

Introduction EMODNET, Biological Lot and goal of workshop (VLIZ 25’)

State of marine metadata catalogue. Data availability and gap analysis (VLIZ 25’)

i. Identified monitoring and research data

ii. Data availability

11.00 – 13.00: Plenary II – User needs (Chair Mr. Iain Shephard, EU DGMARE, Confirmed).

Towards better science: the needs of the scientific community for specific derived biological data products (Prof Dr. Peter Herman, NIOO-CEME & Prof Dr. Mark Costello, University of Auckland, Confirmed 20’)

How to optimize the measurements and monitoring of the environmental system: the needs from public authorities for specific derived data products (Mr. Gert Verreet, LNE, Confirmed 20’)

How to improve data driven assessments of short term impacts:needs for specific derived biological data products(Ms. Charlotte O’Kelly, Techworks Marine Ltd, Confirmed 20’)

How to optimize awareness from the public at large: needs for specific derived biological data products for information and educational purposes (Dr. Jan Seys, VLIZ, Confirmed 20’)

Demo EMODNET Bio ‘Data and Data Product’ Portal (VLIZ 20’)

Discussions and introduction breakout sessions (20’)

14.00 – 16.00: Breakout Session ‘Data Products for different user communities’ (120‘)

What data and metadata products should be created to serve:

a. the scientific community? (Chair Prof Dr. Peter Herman and Prof Dr. Mark Costello, Confirmed)

b. measurements and monitoring of the environmental system? (Chair: Mr. Gert Verreet, Confirmed)

c. impact assessments? (Ms. Charlotte O’Kelly: Confirmed)

16.30 – 17.30: Plenary III: Feedback breakout sessions (Chair Prof Dr. Mark Costello, Confirmed)

Day II (26 February 2010)

09.00 – 9.20: Plenary IV

Marine Biology Research in Europe: the institutional context(Prof Dr. Carlo Heip, NIOZ, Confimed 20’)

09.20 – 11.20: Breakout Session ‘Priority observations of species groups’ (120’)

a. Data(products) and observations of phyto and zooplanktonic organisms (Chair: Dr. Stéphane Pésant, CNRS, and Dr. Martin Edwards, SAHFOS Confirmed)

b. Data(products) and observations of benthic organisms, including macro-algae and higher plants (Chair: Paul Whomesley, CEFAS Confirmed)

c. Data(products) and observations of marine mammals, birds and reptiles (Chair: Mr. Kees Camphuysen, NIOZ, Confimed)

11.40 – 13.00: Plenary Session V: Feedback breakout sessions, general discussion and recommendations

13.00 Closing workshop