Project: FAIROD

To move from the present assessments of much of the global ocean based on qualitative interpretations of selective data, to quantitative assessments based on trustworthy and shared data, there needs to be a strengthening of global ocean data collection, - curation, - products and -integration.

In FAIROD we focus on capacity building and development of tools for undertaking efficient place-based integrated ecosystem assessments in support of management to ensure sustainable human activities in the ocean.

The aim of the FAIROD programme is to develop capacity and tools for making ocean data FAIR and effective in support of integrated ecosystem assessments for sustainable human activities in the ocean. Emphasis will be put on the entire data flow from sensors to useful data products in support of science and management. 

To be useful in development of integrated ocean management for a sustainable global ocean economy, it is essential that data for decision making are shared, available, connected and trustworthy. To arrive at data management and analysis products that are useful in governance of marine ecosystems; we need to move from the present state of affairs where assessments of much of the global ocean are based on qualitative interpretations of selective data, to quantitative assessments based on trustworthy and shared data. We need highly qualified expertise to deliver such authoritative systems for scalable data management and analysis. 

We also need to capitalize on the increase in the data available to deliver report cards on the state of the ocean, both regionally and globally, based on near real time data streams, depending on the different use of the various data types. We need to build on existing data collection systems and combine observational data with data from models of ocean physics, biogeochemistry, biology and ecosystems to provide nowcasts, forecasts and hindcasts of Essential Ocean Variables in the global ocean and selected additional variables in areas of specific interest. 

FAIROD focuses on the whole data value chain including data collection, flow, storage, estimation of indicators and analyses for ocean management. This requires developing and utilising novel techniques bringing data into active use through the development of robust and scalable data science solutions empowered with state-of-the-art analysis and visualization algorithms and tools. The new technologies to be utilised are described in somewhat more detail below. 

The programme partners will also provide basic infrastructure with high quality services as computer storage, backup and network for local, national and international projects and partners. This underlying installed base will play an important role as backend for the services mentioned above and for all further developments. 

Performing integrated ecosystem assessments of the world’s ocean is highly time consuming and inefficient due to lack of capacity and tools, and we believe the type of tools described above will be important to support such important analysis for management and decision making.