"EMODnet News Digest" Newsletter Issues

2021 EMODnet Open Conference Report (28/10/2021)

From 14 to 16 June 2021, more than 400 participants from 50 countries and over 70 speakers and panelists gathered online for the 3-day European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) Open Conference to discuss EMODnet achievements, partnerships and vision for the coming decade.

The report of this exciting EMODnet Conference 2021 is now available for download. This includes short summaries from the EMODnet Jamboree workshops (16-18 June 2021) and the EC Ocean Observation event (18 June 2021).

EC Ocean Observation: Community Recommendations on Ocean Technology and Ocean Observing Gaps and Requirements: Full Report out now! (29/10/2021)

On 18 June 2021, the EC Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) organized an Ocean Observation event in close collaboration with the EMODnet Secretariat, European Marine Board Secretariat, EuroGOOS and Copernicus Marine Service.

The event consisted of two sessions: 1. Ocean observing technology, and 2. Ocean observing gaps and requirements.

The report and community recommendations are now available for download.

New release of EMODnet broad-scale seabed habitat map for Europe (EUSeaMap) (28/10/2021)

EMODnet Seabed Habitat has published the newest release of the EMODnet broad-scale seabed habitat map for Europe, EUSeaMap 2021, now available in three Europe-wide classification systems (EUNIS habitat classification 2007, EUNIS marine habitat classification 2019 and MSFD Benthic Broad Habitat Types), and two regional classifications (HELCOM Underwater Biotopes in the Baltic and Barcelona Convention habitat types in the Mediterranean).

Updated geological events layers from EMODnet Geology (28/10/2021)

EMODnet Geology has released new datasets on earthquakes, submarine landslides, volcanoes, tsunamis, fluid emissions and Quaternary tectonics in seas surrounding European countries, extending from Iceland to Turkey and including the Caspian Sea.

Data collections even more accessible and user friendly with webODV (28/10/2021)

In the EMODnet Chemistry product catalogue, a direct link to webODV allows users to easily navigate each regional data collection. The online webODV application facilitates the exploration, subsetting, visualization, and extraction of data sets in multiple formats from the harmonized and validated data collections on eutrophication and contamination. This connection avoids that users start downloading the quite large collections for exploring them offline with ODV Software. Moreover, thanks to the submenu Global in the webODV tool, all contaminant data, both vertical profiles and time series in the different matrices and from all EU sea basins, are readily findable and accessible.

EMODnet Secretariat speaks at All-Atlantic Ocean Data Space webinar (29/10/2021)

On 12 October 2021, EMODnet Secretariat Technical Coordinator, Conor Delaney, spoke at a webinar on the “All Atlantic Ocean Data Space” organised by the All Atlantic Cooperation for Ocean Research and Innovation (AANCHOR-CSA), in collaboration with AtlantOS, H2020 iAtlantic and wider stakeholders. At the event, EMODnet use cases were presented to show the added value and impact of EMODnet data, data products and services to users. The event also discussed the work of EMODnet’s ongoing centralisation of all services that will further optimise EMODnet’s interoperability in the European marine data space and simplifying discovery and access of data and metadata at global levels, including with the Group on Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).

EMODnet Physics at PLOCAN Glider School 2021 (28/10/2021)

EMODnet Physics presented at the Glider School 2021 organised by Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN), 25-29 October. The Glider School is a hands-on and training forum on ocean-gliders technology. Content covers both hardware and software issues through theoretical and practical sessions in class, lab and open waters using real ocean-glider units by different technologies and focusing on ocean-glider features, capabilities and applications. For many of the participants the EMODnet presentation was of huge interest. In particular with those not yet familiar with EMODnet.

EMODnet Secretariat plays key role in Ocean Hackathon 2021 (05/11/2021)

EMODnet has contributed for a number of years to the Ocean Hackathon series, an initiative by Campus mondial de la mer, in collaboration with Ifremer, SHOM and wider partners. For the 2021 edition, the EMODnet Secretariat will serve as mentors and coaches to the event, providing technical advice on EMODnet’s data, data products and services (see latest EMODnet portfolio) that participants can use to produce new applications and innovations for society. The Ocean Hackathon encourages open data sharing, co-design of applications using new digital technologies and an fostering an entrepreneurial spirit. The 6th edition is hosted in Brest, France and welcomes 14 participating cities across the world.

Registration is still possible until 3 November 2021.

One Integrated Marine Debris Observing System for a Clean Ocean (17/11/2021)

The latest UN Ocean Decade Laboratory: A Clean Ocean takes place on 17-19 November 2021. EMODnet Chemistry’s Coordinating organsiation, OGS, is a member of the organising committee for a Satellite Activity on Marine Debris. This builds on EMODnet Chemistry’s world-leading experience in marine litter data management and key contribution to the building of an Integrated Marine Debrid Observing System (IMDOS). The event will strengthen the scientific knowledge on marine litter pollution to support research, innovating solutions, and mitigating actions.

EU Open Data Days - Shaping our future with open data (23/11/2021)

EMODnet is a partner in the first edition of the EU Open Data Days. This unique event will serve as a knowledge hub, bringing the benefits of open data to the EU public sector, and through it to people and businesses. Get inspired and discover the latest trends and most innovative solutions!

This fully online event will start with EU DataViz, a conference on open data and data visualisation, on 23 and 24 November. It will close with the finale of EU Datathon, the annual open data competition, on 25 November.

Registered participants will benefit from a dedicated networking platform, opening this autumn, intended to inspire creative dialogue prior to the event and after it. Register for the EU Open Data Days and become part of the EU open data community.

EMODnet Steering Committee and Technical Working Group meetings (30/09/2021)

The EMODnet partnership held its 15th EMODnet Steering Committee and 10th Technical Working Group meetings between 8th-10th September 2021. The hybrid meetings brought together more than 40 experts with local participants convening in Ostend - where the EMODnet Secretariat offices are based - together with a large online participation from members across Europe. Also joining was Iain Shepherd, senior advisor to the EC DG MARE, who was recognised for his long-standing commitment and vision for EMODnet since its inception over a decade ago.

EMODnet Geology releases new datasets of marine minerals (30/09/2021)

EMODnet Geology has released new integrated datasets on marine minerals, providing important information on the occurrence of twelve mineral types (including gas hydrates, polymetallic nodules and hydrocarbons) known to accumulate in seas surrounding Europe. It is envisaged that under the next Phase of EMODnet Geology these datasets will continue to be updated and that there will also be a focus on the development of innovative product layers to include mineral resource potential and mineral sub-classification.

Read the full news article here

EMODnet Geology updates Seabed substrate data product (30/09/2021)

EMODnet Geology has updated its EMODnet Seabed substrate data product, expanding the coverage of the data products to new sea areas, including the Caspian Sea. In addition, the update adds new scales into the multiscale data product, with the current data including scales from as detailed as 1:1500. The broad scale data (250 k and 1 M) describes the seabed substrate at a general level, suitable for the decision-making, research, and large-scale spatial planning.

Read the full news article here

Discover synthesis of geomorphologic structures of the European Seas (30/09/2021)

EMODnet Geology has updated the EMODnet Seafloor Geology data products. This data product compiles and harmonizes the European marine geology map. The update adds new data to the Quaternary geology and geomorphology map products and an additional new layer of general physiographic features was compiled and published.

Read the full news article here

EMODnet Human Activities Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Data Model is recommended for Member State Use by EC Technical Expert Group on MSP data (30/09/2021)

The EC Technical Expert Group (TEG) on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) data has recommended the MSP EMODnet Model as a key tool for Member States to produce a coherent and harmonised European MSP map.

EMODnet Secretariat joins a visit of the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, to Oostende (30/09/2021)

On Monday 6 September 2021, the EMODnet Secretariat was invited by local Blue Growth and innovation actors Blue Bridge and Flanders’ Blue Cluster to welcome EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius on his ‘Blue Economy’ visit to Oostende (Belgium) and share insights on the importance of open marine data sharing and the role EMODnet is playing in unlocking the wealth of European ocean observations and in situ data.

BlueMed workshop: Unlocking the potential of Ports and Harbours in preventing and reducing the effects of Marine Litter (30/09/2021)

The meeting was focused on discussing the effects of marine litter in Ports/Harbours and their hinterland at Mediterranean level, with the aim to identify gaps and bottlenecks to be overcome for an effective prevention and mitigation from the impact of marine litter across the whole basin.

Discover EMODnet Chemistry’s diverse data and data products here

Open Science Fair (30/09/2021)

On 21st September 2021, Kate Larkin from the EMODnet Secretariat presented EMODnet in the context of the European Horizon 2020 Blue-Cloud project at the Open Science Fair 2021. The event brought together stakeholders across the marine knowledge value chain to discuss open data, open science and the developing European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). Blue-Cloud is piloting an online platform and resources to promote web-based open science in the marine domain. This relies upon existing marine (research, data, e-) such as EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service which collectively provide a core backbone for the data access and discovery services, and contribute technical expertise to this developing marine thematic component of EOSC.

EU4Ocean Mediterranean Sea-basin workshop: Ocean Literacy Festival (30/09/2021)

The EMODnet Secretariat contributed to the Ocean Literacy Festival in the Mediterranean Sea organised by the EU4Ocean Coalition on 25 September 2021 with two online activities related to the European Atlas of the Seas:  ‘Discover the European Atlas of the Seas by visiting a virtual exhibition!’ and ‘Dive into the European Atlas of the Seas!’. A slideshow with relevant maps of the Mediterranean Sea is available on YouTube. On 27 September 2021, the EMODnet Secretariat also presented the Atlas to teachers during the workshop ‘Bringing Ocean and Climate to the classroom’.

Hack4Oceans (20/10/2021)

Hack4Oceans (20-21 October 2021), is a 2-day youth innovation event where participants from across Europe and wider will learn, explore and co-create opportunities for prosperity through ocean conservation and sustainable use of marine resources. The event is hosted by European Commission’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (EC, DG MARE) in Brussels, Belgium. The event will bring together undergraduate students and professional stakeholders coming from the private, public and scientific sector to work on specific ocean-related challenges.

Sign up for Hack4Oceans here

8th Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference (21/10/2021)

The 8th Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference 2021 ("Atlantic Pathways to a Green Blue Economy"), will take place as a hybrid event on 21 October 2021 in Dublin, Ireland and online. This 8^th edition comes one year after the launch of the Atlantic Action Plan 2.0 – A New Approach to the Atlantic Maritime Strategy. The event provides stakeholders of the Atlantic Community the opportunity to review the current state-of-play of the Atlantic Action Plan and the way forward. It also presents opportunities to introduce the Community to new stakeholders, projects and innovative ways to collaborate toward its implementation.

Register here

International Ocean Data Conference 2022 (14/02/2022)

IODE International Ocean Data Conference 2022 – The Data We Need for the Ocean We Want

All abstracts can be submitted electronically here, until the deadline of Friday 29 October 2021.

EMODnet Seabed Habitats teams up with EMODnet Biology to develop data standards for users submitting habitat observations to EurOBIS (30/08/2021)

Data providers can now submit data and information on seafloor habitats and communities in a standard format to the global Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). This is thanks to a collaboration between EMODnet Seabed Habitats and EMODnet Biology – who also manage the European node of OBIS, EurOBIS. The partnership has produced guidance document on data standards aimed at OBIS/EurOBIS data providers submitting information on habitat types and species occurrences. This has been made possible thanks to the recent changes to the data structure used by OBIS (Darwin Core Archive) to allow measurements and facts to be attributed to events (e.g. samples) as well as occurrences (i.e. species observations). This new approach will improve interoperability, discoverability and reusability of the valuable additional environmental data collected alongside species observations during marine surveys.

The guidance document is available in the resources section of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats portal and through the OBIS manual itself.

EMODnet supports EC JRC with the development of a centralised data reporting strategy for oil spills and acute pollution events (30/08/2021)

EMODnet Chemistry is contributing its expertise to the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC), to develop a centralised reporting strategy for data collected on acute marine pollution events. Such data are used in the Assessment of Good Environmental Status as part of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) monitoring programme for the Descriptor 8 - Contaminants, including oil and other contaminant spills.

Some methodological standards for their monitoring and assessment are defined in the Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 through the Criteria D8C3 and D8C4. However, currently there remain significant differences in reporting between regions and Member States, with data stored in different databases, using different formats and collecting different information.

To solve this issue, a core group of experts, involving the EC JRC, the Regional Sea Conventions, the European Maritime Safety Agency, and the EC Directorate General MOVE - Mobility and Transport, which implements the EC Directive of ship-source pollution, are working together to design a single, agreed reporting strategy, and a centralised database containing all standardized and validated data. As part of this activity, the EC JRC asked EMODnet Chemistry and Human Activities to support this core group of experts, bringing their expertise in marine data management.

More information is available here.

Newest IPCC Report shows climate related data at its most impactful (30/08/2021)

On 9 August 2021 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the first part of the Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. This report – produced by the IPCC Working Group I – examines the physical science underpinning past, present, and future climate change.

Presentation of the European Atlas of the Seas at the Baltic Sea Basin Event on Ocean Literacy (30/08/2021)

On 27 August 2021, the EMODnet Secretariat presented the European Atlas of the Seas at an online Baltic Sea Basin Event on Ocean Literacy which took place on 26-27 August, organised by the EU4Ocean Coalition, during the morning session ‘Bringing the Sea to School in the Baltics’ and the afternoon ‘Teachers Training Workshop’.

IUCN World Conservation Congress Side Event: The Ocean Decade and Biodiversity (04/09/2021)

The IUCN World Conservation Congress will include a side event on The Ocean Decade and Biodiversity. In addition to a physical event, participants can follow live via the IUCN Official Stream (limited capacity) or through Facebook or Youtube and interact with speakers at the event on Slido (Event Code “OceanDecade”).

EU4Ocean Ocean Literacy Mediterranean Sea basin event (24/09/2021)

Following the EU4Ocean Baltic Sea Basin event, another “wave of ocean literacy activities” will take place at the end of September with the "EU4Ocean Ocean Literacy Mediterranean Sea basin event". The event will focus on connecting Mediterranean ocean literacy actors and initiatives.

Oceanthon 2021: Ocean & Climate Edition (24/09/2021)

Oceanthon 2021 is the second edition of a digital hackathon organised by the IOC of UNESCO. This second edition is dedicated to the Mediterranean area, the main theme “Ocean & Climate”. Marine and maritime stakeholders as well as the wider community are invited to take part as a participant, mentor or nanny. Deadline for applications is 10 September 2021.

Ocean Business Event (12/10/2021)

The Ocean Business event, is a hands-on event for the ocean science and technology community. Various industries and businesses will be showcasing their latest ocean technology related products and designs via trainings and demonstrations.

Marine Strategy Framework Directive: open public consultation (30/08/2021)

The European Commission has launched an online public consultation on the review of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. This initiative will review the achievements and shortcomings of this Directive, explore options for improvement and propose possible amendments in the protection of seas and the ocean. The survey runs until 21 October 2021.

H2020 pilot Blue-Cloud Roadmap to 2030: open public consultation (30/08/2021)

The H2020 pilot Blue-Cloud project has launched a public consultation on the "Blue-Cloud Strategic Roadmap to 2030" to gather stakeholder feedback and ideas to inform strategic policy recommendations for the future evolution of Blue-Cloud into 2030.

The consultation has been extended to 22 October 2021 to maximise input from the key actors and the wider community. Take part here and read the Draft Strategic Roadmap and a 4-page Executive Summary as reference materials underpinning the consultation.

[TEST] EMODnet Central Portal migrates to the 'Europa.eu' domain (11/08/2021)

TEST

[TEST] EMODnet: supporting the offshore renewable energy sector (19/02/2021)

The EMODnet Secretariat is delighted to release EMODnet for Offshore Energy, the sixth video of a series of eight illustrating the fundamental role of EMODnet in society.

Speakers' presentations (13/08/2021)

Speakers corner

Video recordings (13/08/2021)

Behind the scenes

Poster pitches videos (13/08/2021)

Poster pitches videos

[TEST] An Ocean of Values - The 5th Community Workshop of the IOC-UNESCO Ocean Best Practices System (20/09/2021)

We encourage contributions from the whole ocean community, including artists, teachers, students, researchers, policy makers, fishers, sportspeople, and anyone else that would like to share and improve practices around the things they value. If you'd like to bring your community into the OBPS Workshop, please feel free to propose a talk, panel, track or other contribution.

EMODnet 10 Years (13/08/2021)

Documentary charting the history and development of the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet).