IDEA

This project will bring together the scientific, technical, operational and managerial experiences in marine monitoring and operational oceanography in the three regions. Monitoring and operational oceanography are core components for baseline assessment and provide vital background data and information for all kind of ICZM activities and decision-making. Initially, implemented installations, methods, approaches and tools will be surveyed and evaluated. This covers the entire chain from data acquisition, processing, evaluation and subsequent use in models, mapping, databases, GIS applications and distribution. An assessment of present and future trends in all these sectors will follow which is combined with analyses of future needs and requirements. This part will also bring-in and tailor large amounts of results acquired in a series of EU and nationally funded operational oceanography and ICZM projects. Subsequently a gap analysis will be performed which identifies needs and requi rements from the application and users sides and correspondingly capacities and capabilities from the developers (science and industry) to match these demands. This will also include a sound evaluation of the optimisation potential to achieve cost savings and, simultaneously, improved cost-effort-benefit ratios. The comprehensively documented results will be made widely and freely available to the communities concerned. Close cooperation is anticipated to the InterMareC project PI-ICZM network both as input and for exploitation and dissemination.