IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange

Abstract

The Sixteenth Session of the IOC Committee on IODE was attended by nearly 100 participants from 37 countries and a number of partner organizations. The Committee recommended specific support to the IODE Regional Coordinators. In view of the success of the “Pilot Project on the Revision of MEDI” the Committee recommended to (i) make the MEDI a permanent IODE programme; (ii) establish a Steering Group for MEDI; and (iii) include the MEDI software tool in IODE training activities and capacity building products/projects. The Committee recognized the importance for IODE, through its data centres, to actively participate in the planning of marine scientific and monitoring programmes. The Committee thus recommended the establishment of a Steering Group on Establishment, Maintenance and Strengthening of Co-operation between IODE and Research and Monitoring Programmes. The Committee welcomed the establishment of JCOMM and decided that a constructive relationship should be established between JCOMM and IODE. The Committee recommended increased attention in the IODE system for remotely-sensed data, biological and chemical data, pollution data and coastal data. The Committee recommended the establishment of a Group of Experts on biological and chemical data management and exchange practises. Following the success of the GODAR project the Committee approved the development of the World Ocean Database Project and endorsed the futher development of the IODE web site, the IODE Data and Information Portal and the related services and products. The Committee recommend for IOC to participate in the development of a marine XML and to promote the use of XML at the national level. The Committee recommended the establishment of a Steering Group for the IODE Resource Kit. Noting the success of regional data and/or information networks such as RECOSCIX, ODINAFRICA and MEDAR/MEDATLAS, the Committee recommended the development of additional regional networks.