ESSO - Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services

DATA AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Effective management of data is central to the successful implementation of GOOS in the Indian Ocean Region. The statements of the article on Data Management within the IOGOOS Memorandum of Understanding are listed below :

• Promote the development of low-cost and efficient systems for acquisition, management, processing and interpretation of data.
• Expand and strengthen networking of countries using modern technology including data quality control and data management.
• Promote the development of standardized operational data procedures, including QC and DM.
• Provide high-quality data and time-series for a better understanding and improved management of the Indian Ocean ecosystem.
• Collaborate with other programs and bodies in the field of data collection and data management.
• Coordinate GOOS data acquisition with existing regional and national data gathering systems under the agreements and conventions (eg relating to pollution monitoring, marine meteorology, navigation and safety at sea etc.)
• Publish findings of meetings, workshops, studies and other documents commissioned by the IOGOOS Members, submit documents to international meetings related to GOOS, and assure collective repres- entation of GOOS to regional and national agencies/ institutions/ authorities when requested by members.

Since its formal launch in November 2002, IOGOOS along with IODE and IOCINDIO is putting in efforts towards realizing the above goals and also for the establishment of an effective system for ocean data and information management and related capacity building in the Indian Ocean Region.

Specific sessions on the subject were held during the Indian Ocean Conference of November 2002, Hyderabad Workshop on Data & Information management of December 2003 and IOGOOS II meeting of April 2004. This resulted in a strategy for ocean data & information management for the region and associated capacity building.

A brief outcome of the meetings related to ocean data and information management is given below:

• Indian Ocean Conference

  • Brief on Ocean Data & Information Management
  • Detailed Report

• Hyderabad Meeting

  • Brief on Hyderabad Meeting
  • Detailed Report

• IOGOOS-II

  • Brief on IOGOOS-II
  • Detailed Report

  The meeting strongly welcomed the close collaboration between IOGOOS, IOCINDIO, IOCINCWIO and IODE on the advancement of Data and Information Management capacity in the Indian Ocean region.

  Action items that emanated from these deliberations are being pursued on a time-bound manner. Regional coordination and communication has been identified as one of the key components for the taking forward various initiatives. Accordingly, the IOGOOS Secretariat has set up an e-group and discussion forum. The group, with national contact points and experts as members, would identify.

  • (i) Standards and methods to be used by all members
  • (ii) Data exchange mechanisms
  • (iii) Regional service/application providers.