More data from the Pacific Ocean (New Zealand area) is now available through EMODnet. EMODnet Physics increased the amount of data available from this region via the collaboration with MetOcean Solutions, the MOANA project and the Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network. With MOANA historical and near-real-time ocean temperature and salinity data are collected through affordable novel technology to get more observations in New Zealand’s coastal seas, and making existing ocean observations available to everyone. MOANA developed a small, smart temperature sensor which can be attached to commercial fishing gear delivering more data useful to increase ocean observations in this region helping modelling our oceans better.
Data Service
Discover the latest insights on how EMODnet's marine data and data product offerings can serve as a foundation for essential ocean knowledge and the crucial role of EMODnet's Data Ingestion service in supporting seamless data submission to both the European and global ocean data ecosystem, at the upcoming “EMODnet for Horizon Europe and EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters projects" webinar on February 28, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Aimed at representatives of European Horizon Europe and EU Mission Ocean projects collecting in situ marine data, the webinar focuses on streamlining data submission processes, guiding participants in data and metadata collection, and optimizing data flow into EMODnet. For more details and to express your interest in participating, please send an email to: secretariat@emodnet.eu.
Between 20th – 28th January at Boot Düsseldorf 2024, the German Ocean Foundation, EC DG MARE, EMODnet and the Scuba Schools International (SSI) unveiled the largest Ocean Citizen Science Initiative to-date, which sees divers and wider water sports enthusiasts collecting ocean data using low-cost, high-quality sensors, with in situ data being made available through EMODnet as the EC marine data service. EMODnet Physics is the driving force behind this collaboration on behalf of the EMOD-network.
At the dawn of its 15th year in business, EMODnet Chemistry celebrates the best results of the past year with EMODnet stakeholders. A full article gives key achievements and a forward look, which sees the confirmation of the same consortium at the helm of EMODnet Chemistry for the next two years, coordinated by OGS.
EMODnet Chemistry has recently created new maps on pollutants. The products are grouped into 4 map categories that provide information on the spatio-temporal distribution of measurements in all European seas and beyond, for parameters prioritised in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
Starting in this edition, we are launching a news section dedicated to EMODnet's key role in the European Digital Twin Ocean (DTO). EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service collaborate in the EDITO-Infra project which is upgrading EC marine data services to provide the backbone infrastructure to the EU DTO. At the heart of EDITO-Infra's technical advancements lies the establishment of a comprehensive data lake. This innovative feature seamlessly integrates both EMODnet and Copernicus Marine products. Leveraging cutting-edge, open-source technologies from the cloud computing industry, the data lake offers robust and scalable object storage, coupled with high-performance computing (HPC) resources. This combination is pivotal for enabling on-demand data analysis and the creation of sophisticated 'what-if' scenarios. Stay tuned for more information.
The EDITO initiative, powered by EDITO-Infra, extends an invitation to ocean twinning projects and national initiatives throughout Europe. The primary focus of this initiative is to enhance the capabilities of the European Digital Twin Ocean (EU DTO). Successful participants will have a unique opportunity to showcase their work at the high-level dedicated session during the Digital Ocean Forum 2024.
Save the Date for our upcoming webinar designed to help guide EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters and Horizon Europe projects to harmonise and submit their data to EMODnet. The webinar will take place online on 28 February 2024, 11am-12:30pm CET. Join in the dialogue with EMODnet experts on how to optimise your project output. More information and registration to follow soon in January 2024!
We are thrilled to announce and welcome three new Associated Partners to EMODnet, each bringing unique expertise and a strong commitment to advancing collaboration with EMODnet in the areas of data sharing, best practices in marine data, information technology and data services, and expanding the users of EMODnet, including for the Blue Economy.
EMODnet Biology continuously provides free and open access to marine biodiversity data. The last data publication of 2023 has been completed and EMODnet Biology looks forward to continue collaborations with existing European research infrastructures e.g., EMBRC, LifeWatch, networks, Horizon Europe projects working on the marine biodiversity data pipeline e.g., DTO-Bioflow and MARCO-BOLO and initiatives to make more existing and historical marine biodiversity data available into the future.
The Open Conference 2023 Closing Session began with a speech by Delilah Al Khudhairy, Director of Maritime Policy and Blue Economy, EC DG MARE, who noted that “EMODnet has been one of the most important investments of DG MARE…We will move forward together” . A Panel of 7 experts from the EMODnet stakeholder community exchanged on EMODnet’s achievements to-date and looked to the future of EMODnet and its evolution. Kate Larkin, Head of EMODnet Secretariat then presented an EMODnet Call to Action on behalf of the EMODnet Partnership (see article above).
Before the plenary stage opened for the EMODnet Open Conference 2023, the EMODnet community convened for the EMODnet Partner Jamboree 2023—an exclusive gathering of EMODnet partners and Associated Partners. This pre-conference event was attended by > 150 representatives of the EMOD-network and provided a unique setting for in-depth discussions, partner meetings, cross-thematic dialogues, and collaborative endeavors, setting the stage for the subsequent conference. Topics of discussion spanned EMODnet and Citizen Science, EMODnet Communication, EMODnet and the EU Digital Twin Ocean, and EMODnet content evolution, ranging from the coast to the deep sea and from the surface ocean to the seafloor, including ideas for new cross-thematic data products. A Partnership Dinner on 28th November evening included speeches by Kestutis Sadauskas, Deputy Director-General EC DG MARE and Kate Larkin, Head of the EMODnet Secretariat.
To complement the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 on-site meeting and physical exhibition, a Virtual Exhibition was produced by the EMODnet Secretariat and Coordinators. contains many resources and updates on EMODnet thematic and data ingestion services, key partnerships spanning business to ocean observation and from EU to global, EMODnet videos and other communication outputs, the European Atlas of the Seas and community posters solicited and submitted specifically for the Open Conference 2023. This was showcased in Plenary during the EMODnet Open Conference 2023, just before community poster pitch presentations. The Virtual Exhibition remains open for 1 year until 30 November 2024. You can see the full EMODnet Virtual Exhibition by clicking on the button below.
EMODnet’s recent unification has been a game-changer for its interoperability and contribution to global ocean data initiatives. A session was dedicated to EMODnet’s global impact, including presentations from Peter Pissierssens of IODE of IOC/UNESCO, Lennert Tyberhein of VLIZ, Belgium and Jan-Bart Calewaert, Head of the UN Ocean Decade Coordination Office for data sharing.
EMODnet experts Dick Schaap, MARIS, The Netherlands; Antonio Novellino, ETT, Italy; and Sissy Iona, HCMR, Greece presented on EMODnet in the marine knowledge value chain, EMODnet’s partnership with the Copernicus Marine Service and EMODnet Data Ingestion. In two subsequent Panels, EMODnet's key role in the marine knowledge value chain and its strong connections with the ocean observation and data collection community were showcased. EMODnet’s contribution to the EC Ocean Observation Initiative, including the value of the EMODnet’s Sea-basin Checkpoint activities on data adequacy at regional sea-basin level, and EMODnet’s contribution to the European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) were also discussed with diverse stakeholder representatives.
The interactive dialogues at the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 included a series of Townhalls which provided a unique platform for focused discussions on various critical aspects of EMODnet. Topics for the 2023 Townhalls included: EMODnet, Ocean Best Practices, and Interoperability; EMODnet for EU Policy; EMODnet and the Blue Economy; and EMODnet, EU Mission Ocean and wider society. These were organized and co-Chaired by members of the EMOD-network and invited experts, with EMODnet and the European Marine Board Secretariats jointly serving as rapporteur and facilitators. For each Townhall, a representative presented key messages back to the Plenary on Day 2.
At the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 the two EC marine data services EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service, launched a joint communication on the EU in situ marine data landscape. The statement explains the complementarity between the two EU marine knowledge assets, and also how the services work together, following a high-level agreement between DG DEFIS and DG MARE and the signature of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2016. Copernicus Marine Service was represented at the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 in sessions including on the value of EMODnet, EMODnet for the digital era, and EMODnet, Ocean Observation and the marine knowledge value chain.
At the EMODnet Open Conference 2023, a new video animation was released that explains the EMODnet unified service, noting the centralisation of all 7 EMODnet thematics into one portal, and what is means for EMODnet’s diverse user community. Follow the link to watch the full video.
The EMODnet Open Conference 2023 took stock of EMODnet’s evolution to-date into the operational European Commission in situ marine data service it is today, a flagship initiative funded by the EC DG MARE, and one of the main Marine Knowledge assets of the European Union. Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General of DG MARE opened the Conference with a keynote address, noting “I have seen EMODnet grow from a network of marine communities to a single point of access supporting sustainable marine policies. It is now an integral part of the Green Transition, establishing good practices by providing good data". This was followed by a welcome address from Kate Larkin, Head of the EMODnet Secretariat who spoke about the unified EMODnet service and the key features and functionalities of the EMODnet Portal, also recognizing the large and diverse EMOD-network community driving the innovation and success of the EMODnet services to-date.
An EMODnet Call to Action was launched during the Closing Session of the EMODnet Open Conference on November 30th, 2023. This calls upon key actors across the National, Regional, European and Global marine knowledge community to increase their engagement with EMODnet, and to actively contribute to shape EMODnet’s evolution, taking community and political action to ensure EMODnet can not only consolidate, but also expand to meet user demand, to operate as a fully functioning, operational service of the European Commission.