Marine Institute presents at International Marine Data and Information Systems Conference
Progress on the Marine Institute’s digital services development was presented at the 2024 International Conference on Marine Data and Information Systems (IMDIS) in Bergen, Norway.
The conference showcased advances in marine data and digital programmes across the international community, which are important to manage and sustainably develop our marine spaces, and to better understand marine-related climate change.
Michael Gillooly, Director of Ocean Climate and Information Services at the Marine Institute said, “There has been significant progress, at both national and international levels, in the development of marine digital services, tools, infrastructures and data management best practices to make valuable marine data available and applicable to understanding and managing our oceans.”
Eoin O’Grady, Manager of Information Systems and Development at the Marine Institute, delivered a keynote presentation on Ireland’s Digital Ocean programme and how it is adopting Digital Twins of the Ocean to make marine data and information more readily usable. A Digital Twin is a virtual representation of the ocean environment. These new virtual marine models will help us to better understand what is happening in our oceans and to forecast what might happen in the future. Digital Twins will help to inform the policies and programmes that manage our marine areas.
Tara Keena, Data Analyst at the Marine Institute, presented on how the Institute manages marine data, based on international standards and accreditations, to support the development of a trusted Irish marine evidence base to underpin future marine policies and programmes. The Marine Institute is recognised by UNESCO’s International Ocean Data and Information Exchange (IODE) programme as the National Oceanographic Data Centre for Ireland, with accreditation for its quality assurance framework. The data managed through the centre provide the evidence needed for Digital Twins of the ocean and related digital decision support services for our marine sectors.
“Establishing Digital Twins for our oceans will help make trusted marine knowledge more readily available to policy makers, stakeholders, businesses, scientists, and citizens,” Mr Gillooly said. “Digital Twins of the Ocean, based on quality assured marine scientific and socio-economic data, will provide the digital evidence base and tools to enable the digital transformation of Ireland’s marine and maritime sectors. They support important areas such as planning and licensing, management of sustainable fisheries, climate adaption and mitigation, environmental management, aquaculture management, offshore renewable energy infrastructure development, transport and port operations.”
Two Marine Institute posters presented at the IMDIS conference highlighted important uses of Irish marine scientific data:
• "Progress on increasing quality and transparency in ICES commercial fisheries data" by David Currie, Fisheries Data Team Lead, and,
• "Management of spatial data integrity including stakeholder feedback in Maritime Spatial Planning - A Perspective from Ireland" by Tara Keena.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Sinéad Coyne e. sinead.coyne@marine.ie m. +353 (0)87 947 7090
Sheila Byrnes e. sheila.byrnes@marine.ie m. +353 (0)87 815 5271
Editor's Notes:
Marine Institute
The Marine Institute is the state agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation in Ireland. It provides government, public agencies and the maritime industry with a range of scientific, advisory and economic development services that inform policy-making, regulation and the sustainable management and growth of Ireland's marine resources. www.marine.ie.