President
Vice-Chancellor
Commander
Professors
Ladies and Gentlemen
--- PLEASE ADD ABOVE FULL AND CORRECT TITLES OF THE VIPs --On behalf of the IOC Executive Secretary and the IODE Co-Chairpersons I wish to
thank Mexico for hosting the Strategic Planning Meeting of the Latin America
sub-region of the Ocean Data and Information Network for the Caribbean and
South America (ODINCARSA) region here in Ensenada.
The history of ODINCARSA goes back to October 2001 when Latin American as
well as Caribbean island states met in Guayaquil, Ecuador to discuss the
possibility of creating a regional network focusing on the exchange of
oceanographic data and information. ODINCARSA was thus established as
“a mechanism for assessing the current and potential state of development of
national data and information centers and to create the means for mutual
capacity building in South America and the Caribbean. It further aimed at
developing a cooperation network for managing and exchanging oceanographic
data and information within these regions.”
Oceanography is the science and understanding of the marine world and has
been carried out for close to 150 years contributing to the understanding of life
in the oceans but also the contribution of the oceans to the world’s climate and
its ecosystems. Today’s oceanography uses satellites, research vessels, robotic
and floating instruments to obtain data. These data can then be used, together
with computer models to generate products and services such as ocean
forecasts.
An important link in the chain between ocean observations and products is data
management. It is often not realized or appreciated that the highest level of
professionalism in the quality control, storage and quick dissemination of data
can make all the difference to sound decision-making based upon reliable data.
The professionals assuring this highest level of quality are oceanographic data
managers.
Scientific progress is based upon adding one’s own research findings to the
published results of predecessors. For centuries these results have been
published in research journals or reports. The body of knowledge now available
on oceanography includes hundreds of journals and millions of books and
reports. To this we now need to add knowledge made available through the
WWW. Easy and efficient access, and maybe even more importantly separating
quality from dubious materials is now, more than ever of crucial importance for
researchers. The professional providing this vital service is the marine librarian.
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These professionals cannot function in isolation dealing only the their own
institution. They need to be able to share the knowledge, expertise and the
resources they manage. The international framework that makes this possible is
the IOC’s International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE).
The IODE Programme was created in 1961, just one year after the IOC was
established within UNESCO illustrating the importance given, even then, to data
management and exchange.
The purpose of the IODE is to enhance marine research, exploitation and
development, by facilitating the exchange of oceanographic data and information
between participating Member States, and by meeting the needs of users for data
and information products. This mission statement was valid in 1961 and it is still
valid today.
In terms of data management the core players at the national level are the IODE
National Oceanographic Data Centres (NODCs). Today we have 80 of these
centres. They have an important technical role in the quality control, storage and
dissemination of data but they also play an important coordination role at the
national level sharing their expertise with other national institutions that have a
data management role.
At the international level the NODCs work together to develop and utilize
standards and methods, quality control procedures, and to develop advanced
mechanisms to make data available freely and openly. In this regard I must
mention the IODE’s OceanDataPortal which will, in the next 5-10 years, provide
seamless access to data catalogues and data held by not only the IODE data
centres but possibly by hundreds of other ocean and meteorology data sources.
At the information management side we must note the paradigm change in the
publishing world: from paper based journals published by commercial
publishers, the scientific world is moving towards a paperless e-journals model.
IODE is participating in this evolution through the development of the
OceanDocs e-repository.
In order to facilitate this international cooperation IODE has also promoted the
development of regional networks, the so-called ODINs (Ocean Data and
Information Networks). They focus on the IODE mission but give special
attention to capacity development.
A cornerstone of the IODE programme is to ensure that all IOC Member States
can participate at an equitable basis in its programmes and projects. The ODIN
networks therefore invest considerable resources in training and other capacity
development activities. The ODINs also aim at promoting close working
relationships between data centres and marine libraries in a given region, across
language or political barriers.
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During the past 8 years ODINCARSA has accomplished a number of
achievements which we will review this week. But we will also need to address
the problems. These include frequent staff changes, the need for effective
national coordination and the agreement to make data widely and freely
available. We will also need to assess the need for further capacity development
as well as for new ocean data and information products and services.
Together with the IODE Chairpersons I look forward to a successful meeting and
to the development of an ambitious work plan that will be implemented by a
dynamic team of ocean data and information managers and which will deliver
products and services that will serve scientists as well as decision-makers.
Thank you for your attention.
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