The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) aims to unlock fragmented marine data across Europe by making it freely accessible and interoperable. EMODnet brings together over 110 organizations to assemble marine data, metadata, and data products from diverse sources in a uniform way. The network produces data products of common interest like map layers and quality indicators to stimulate innovation, improve marine planning, and reduce uncertainty about sea conditions.

1. The European Marine Observation and
Data Network (EMODnet)
JERICO summerschool EMODnet Day
June 17 2014, Deltares, Netherlands
Jan-Bart Calewaert (janbart.calewaert@emodnet.eu)
for the EMODnet Community

2. Presentation Outline
• What is EMODnet?
• How did we get here?
• Where are we now?
• What’s new?
• What’s next?

3. What is EMODnet?

4. EMODnet?
• Network of +110 organisations assembling
marine data, metadata & data products from
diverse sources within Europe in a uniform way
to
– unlock fragmented & hidden marine data by
making data more easily accessible, free of
restrictions on use and interoperable
– Produce data products of common interest

5. What does EMODnet deliver?
•access to data
- maintained on Member States' databases
- interoperable, common standards
- metadata describing time, date of
measurement, quality, etc.
•data products
- maintained by consortium
- map layers
- quality indicators

6. Why EMODnet?
An effective pan-European marine data infrastructure will a.o:
• Improve offshore operators’ efficiency and costs in
gathering and processing marine data for operational and
planning purposes  estimated at 1 billion € per year
• Stimulate competition and innovation in established and
emerging maritime sectors  est. at 200-300 million € per yr
• Improve efficiency of marine planning and legislation (e.g.
environment, fisheries, transport, etc.);
• Reduce uncertainty in our knowledge and ability to forecast
the behaviour of the sea.

7. Uses of EMODnet data
innovation – new cage design
• bathymetric data – water depth
• geological data – sediments for foundations
• chemical data – water quality
• physical data – tides, waves, currents
• biological data – not endanger local wildlife
Irish deep sea farm project will generate
350 direct and 150 indirect jobs

8. Uses of EMODnet data
innovation – protection of cables
• sediment properties for burial techniques
• local human activity (fishing etc)
• temperature, salinity
• 48 cable failures occur in Europe each year
• €6.9 billion losses

9. Uses of EMODnet data
uncertainty reduction – better routing
• improved charts will allow faster transit for deeper draughts
• NOAA estimate that one additional foot of draught may account for
between $36,000 and $288,000 additional profit per transit

10. Historic background

11. MARITIME
AFFAIRS Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
(..) the data collected through observations can only generate
knowledge and innovation if Europe's engineers and scientists
are able to find, access, assemble and apply them efficiently
and rapidly. At present this is often not the case.

12. Background – new vision

13. Vision for 2020
• A seamless multi-resolution digital seabed map of European waters by
2020.
– highest resolution possible in areas that have been surveyed;
– free of restrictions on use;
– topography, geology, habitats and ecosystems;
– accompanied by timely information on
• physical, chemical and biological state of the overlying water column
• oceanographic forecasts;
– together with a process that helps Member States maximise the potential
of their marine observation programmes

14. Public Consultation 2012
• GP presents options for
implementation
• Basis for consultation as
to what we should do
from 2014 onwards.
• Move from project-based
approach to continual
process
• 20 questions
• 300 answers

15. Where are we now?

16. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Phase 1 – limited sea basins
Phase 2 - low resolution
Phase 3 - multi-resolution
How does it work?
• Iterative process allows users to
assess and improve product by
trying it out
• Developed by 7 thematic
assembly groups with thematic
data portals
• Supported by a common central
portal www.emodnet.eu

17. Bathymetry (Dick Schaap) Geology (Alan Stevenson)
Seabed Habitats (Jacques Populus) Chemistry (Alessandra Giorgetti)
Biology (Simon Claus) Physics (Antonio Novellino)
Human Activities (Alvise Bragadan)
EMODnet
thematic portals
and coordinators
www.emodnet-bathymetry.eu
www.emodnet-geology.eu
www.emodnet-seabedhabitats.eu
www.emodnet-chemistry.eu
www.emodnet-biology.eu
www.emodnet-physics.eu
www.emodnet-humanactivities.eu
18

18. phase 1 phase 2 phase 3?
bathymetry € 2,175,000 € 2,000,000
geology € 925,000 € 4,200,000
physics € 1,000,000 € 1,000,000
chemistry € 700,000 € 4,000,000
biology € 750,000 € 1,700,000
physical habitats € 800,000 € 1,390,000
human activity € 2,060,000
€ 6,350,000 € 16,350,000
budget

19. Current Status
• Successful launch of EMODnet Phase II
– All thematic and regional lots have kicked off in
2013
• Mobilization of the EMODnet community
– Communication
– Coordination
– Technical improvements
• Streamlining interactions and progress reporting
• Developing more coherence in portal presentation
and functionality  operational and fit for purpose

20. What’s new in this phase?
- EMODnet Central Portal
- EMODnet Human Activities Portal
- EMODnet Sea-basin checkpoints
- EMODnet Secretariat

21. The Central Portal
WWW.EMODNET.EU
• Acts as a gateway to the other thematic and
regional EMODnet portals
• Also develops own data products combining
data from at least 2 thematic data portals

22. Use Cases
■ Use Cases will be used as a roadmap for
developing the Portal
■ Highlight added value of bringing thematic
data together
■ Generate functional requirements of portal
■ Possible link with sea basin checkpoints?
■ Scientifically – or user need driven
EMODnet
23

23. Use Case I: Query products simultanuously
Retrieve Data from specified
coordinates at a given time
or for a time interval
Species Abundance
Marine Region (ICES, Protected Area)
Seabed Substrate
Bathymetry
Physical Parameters (temperature, salinity)

24. Use Case II: Run online calculations on
EMODnet data products
Seabed Substrate
Biological Zones
Energy
Salinity
Light
Bathymetry
EMODnet Modelled Seabed Habitats
EMODnet Biology
Calculation of
BEQI index for
specific modelled
seabed habitats
at sea basin scale

25. Use Case III - Coastal data: Implement
spatial filters on data products
• EEA European coastline
• EMODnet Bathymetry (depth)
• EMODnet Geology
– Coastline Migration, Sediment Accumulation rate,
Seabed Substrate
• EMODnet Physics
– Tides, Waves, wind
• Marine regions

26. Human activities Portal – now online!

27. sea basin checkpoints
North Sea Mediterranean
How can observation
infrastructure be
optimised?

28. Checkpoint approach

29. MedSea high level scheme
MARINE DATA NETWORKS, services and data bases
(EMODNET, COPERNICUS, EUROARGO, etc)
Fishery
Mana-
gement
Marine
Environ
-ment
River
Inputs
Wind
Farm
siting
Marine
Protected
Areas
Oil
platform
leaks
Climate &
coastal
protection
value-added products, DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS
For challenges

30. 1. Coordination & internal communication
 Steering Committee / internal updates / guide entry portal / support MODEG
2. Monitoring
 Test functionality / implement progress indicators / collect user-feedback /
progress reports / report lessons learned / guide portals to improve them
3. Dissemination and Outreach
 Prepare/give on-line demonstrations / videos / brochure/ posters etc.
Overarching goal to develop a more efficient, effective, fit for
purpose EMODnet which is better known and more widely used
The EMODnet Secretariat

31. Who is the Secretariat?
• Administered by Seascape Consultants UK
(www.seascapeconsultants.co.uk)
• Jan-Bart Calewaert (overall coordination and
communication)
• Liesbeth Renders (technical support)
• Vikki Gunn (management support)
• Phil Weaver (chair Steering Committee)

32. Hosting of the Secretariat
Hosted by the Flemish Government at the
InnovOcean site in Oostende, (Belgium)
UNESCO IOC -IODE
Flanders Marine
Institute (VLIZ)
European Marine
Board
EMODnet
Secretariat

33. What’s next?

34. 1. Endorsed basic principles
2. Confirmed that we are on the right
track
3. Identified new needs
240 replies
Outcome of Public Consultation to
gather ideas for third phase

35. 1) Endorsed basic principles?
• need for open access to marine data, in both
raw and aggregated forms;
• few exceptions:
– national security;
– damage to heritage sites and endangered ecosystems;
– commercial sensitivity;
– the need to allow scientists time to publish;
– safety and liability issues due to data misinterpretation.

36. 2) Confirmed we are on the right track
• the architecture of the current EMODnet is
sound
– geology, bathymetry, physics, chemistry, biology,
physical habitats and human activity
• EMODnet can assist with environmental or
fisheries reporting
– replace "push" with "pull"

37. 3) Identified new needs
• more involvement of private sector
• mechanism to advise Member States and
the EU on the most cost-effective sampling,
surveying and observation programme for
each sea-basin – sea-basin checkpoints
• convergence of EMODnet, data collection in
fisheries and Copernicus marine service
• novel sensors that can measure parameters
automatically without the need to bring
samples back to the laboratory
operational
objectives for
phase 3 of
"marine
knowledge
2020"
Horizon 2020

38. The way ahead
• Communication on Innovation in the Blue
Economy and Roadmap/Action Plan
– more involvement of private sector
– mechanism to advise Member States and the EU on
the most cost-effective sampling, surveying and
observation programme for each sea-basin
– convergence of EMODnet, data collection in fisheries
and Copernicus marine service

39. European Marine Observation and
Data Network
Global Monitoring for
Environment and Security
Data Collection Framework in
fisheries
INSPIRE Directive
Public Sector Information
Directive

40. How to? Better integrate the separate EU
initiatives for marine knowledge
• Build single gateway to access data from EMODnet,
Copernicus Marine Service and fisheries data made
available through the Data Collection Framework;
• Use European Maritime and Fisheries Fund to provide
the in-situ component of Copernicus;
• Bring fisheries control data into the equation;
• Sett up single Expert Group for EMODnet, Copernicus
Marine Service and the Data Collection Framework.

41. How to? Involve private sector more in
the “Marine Knowledge 2020” initiative
• Create facility for private businesses to deliver the
data required for licencing offshore businesses and
recommending that Member States make using this
facility a condition for granting a licence;
• Ensuring that the private sector is represented in the
new Expert Group and the process for determining the
most appropriate monitoring strategy for each sea basin;
• Recommend that Member States require offshore
platforms to instrument their platforms, not only to
measure the impact of their own activity but also to
improve understanding of the dynamics of the sea.

42. Concluding remarks
• EMODnet is a long term marine data initiative supporting
sustainable blue economy in Europe
• Developed through stepwise approach – now halfway – the
service is already useful and picking up speed to make it
Fully operational
Provide the best available data, free of restrictions on use
Become more user friendly & fit for purpose
• Can only be done together with the DATA PROVIDERS
AND USERS: WE NEED YOUR HELP  find us at
www.emodnet.eu or via info@emodnet.eu
• Bringing observations, products, services and knowledge to
users and public requires appropriate tools

43. Thank you
for your attention

44. EMODnet Secretariat Contact Details
• Jan-Bart Calewaert (Head of the EMODnet Secretariat)
Email: janbart.calewaert@emodnet.eu
Office phone: +32 (0) 59 341428
Mobile: +32 (0) 497433371
Address: EMODnet Secretariat, Wandelaarkaai 7 pakhuis 68, 8400 Oostende
• Liesbeth Renders (EMODnet Secretariat Marine Data Analyst)
E-mail: liesbeth.renders@emodnet.eu
Office phone: +32 (0) 59 341429
Address: EMODnet Secretariat, Wandelaarkaai 7 pakhuis 68, 8400 Oostende
• Vikki Gunn (Management Support)
E-mail: vikki.gunn@seascapeconsultants.co.uk
• Phil Weaver (Chair of the Steering Committee)
E-mail: phil.weaver@seascapeconsultants.co.uk