ICES is involved in a number of projects. Examples include:

European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET)
SeaDataNet
European Topic Centre for Water (ETC/W)
Environmentally Sound Fishery Management in Protected Areas (EMPAS)
MARCOM+
BSRP
BONUS ERA-NET
SAFMAMS

European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET)

[Description]
The European Commission, in its EU's Maritime Policy Blue Book (2007), undertook to take steps towards EMODNET in order to improve availability of high quality data. Basic design principles of EMODNET have been formulated by the Commission together with a specially-constituted Expert Group.

These are:

• collect data once and use it many times
• develop standards across disciplines as well as within them
• process and validate data at different levels. Structures are already developing at national level but infrastructure at sea-basin and European level is needed
• provide sustainable financing at an EU level so as to extract maximum value from the efforts of individual Member States
• build on existing efforts where data communities have already organised themselves
  develop a decision-making process for priorities that is user-driven
• accompany data with statements on ownership, accuracy and precision and
• recognise that marine data is a public good and discourage cost-recovery pricing from public bodies.

The "proof of concept" of EMODNET is being tested through preparatory actions. Portals for a number of maritime basins are being set up for hydrographic, geological, biological and chemical data as well as functional habitat maps. These portals will provide access to marine data of a standard format and known quality and identify gaps in coverage.
ICES is participating in the Biological and Chemical portals for EMODNET.

[Lead organisation]
European Commission - Directorate of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
(DG-MARE)
VLIZ (Belgium) is the project manager for the Biological portal.
OGS (Italy) is the project manager for the Chemical portal.

[Website]
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/emodnet_en.html

[ICES Contact]
Neil Holdsworth

SeaDataNet

[Description]
SeaDataNet’s objective is to construct a standardized system for managing the large and diverse data sets collected by the oceanographic fleets and the new automatic observation systems. The objective is to network and enhance the currently existing infrastructures, which are the national oceanographic data centres and satellite data centres of 35 countries, active in data collection. The networking of these professional data centres, in a unique virtual data management system will provide integrated data sets of standardized quality on-line.
SeaDataNet is an integrated infrastructure initiative of the EU, under the Framework 6 programme (FP6).

[Lead organisation]
European Commission - Directorate of Research (DG-RESEARCH)
IFREMER (France) is the project manager for the consortium.

[Website]
http://www.seadatanet.org/

[ICES Contact]
Neil Holdsworth

European Topic Centre for Water (ETC/W)

Environmentally Sound Fishery Management in Protected Areas (EMPAS)

[Description]
The ICES/BfN-project entitled "Environmentally Sound Fishery Management in Protected Areas [EMPAS]" (2006-2008) was based on funding from the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).

The EMPAS project was a research project aimed at developing fisheries management plans for the Natura 2000 sites (MPAs) within the German EEZ of the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The project was designed to serve as a pilot project and to provide guidance on developing management plans for international fishing activities for all Natura 2000 sites designated under the Birds and Habitat Directive in the European Oceans.

[Lead organisation]
ICES was the project manager for this project.

[Website]
http://www.ices.dk/projects/empas.asp

[ICES Contact]
Søren Anker Pedersen

MARCOM+

[Description]
The ‘Aberdeen Plus interest group’ joined forces with the ‘Venice Platform group’ to take further steps in integrating the marine, maritime and coastal research sectors in Europe. The goal is to establish a sustainable and long-lasting partnership forum (“European Marine and Maritime Science and Technology Forum”), based on shared interests and shared leadership, and to test it on regional seas and pan-European basis. The process will contribute to developing interactions between partners (the research community, industry, regional authorities, civil society and other stakeholders) starting from regional scales to broader issues shared with EU-neighbouring countries. This, being in line with the European Strategy for Marine and Maritime Research, will underpin prioritization of future EU research programmes and the future integrated EU Maritime Policy. The action will be supported by the already established key structures and will constitute a Forum which will be an operationally open structure.

The proposal consortium, acting on behalf of the wider Aberdeen Plus Partnership community consists of:

• Coastal and Marine Union
• Community of  European Shipyards’ Associations (representing the Waterborne Technology Platform)
• European Council for Maritime Applied Research and Development Association
• European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform
• European Fisheries and Aquaculture Organization
• Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (representing the European Global Ocean Observing System)
• International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
• Marine Board of the European Science Foundation
• Mediterranean Science Commission
• Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (representing the European Network of Marine Research Institutes and Stations

[Lead organisation]
ICES
The Secretariat was asked by the Aberdeen Plus Community to manage the application and following that to coordinate this initiative.

[Website]
For application purposes this website was created.Once negotiations with the European Commission are finalized and the initiative kicks off a ‘.eu’ domain will be purchased to create the MARCOM+ webportal.’

[ICES Contact]

Adi Kellermann

Wojciech Wawrzynski

Baltic Sea Regional Project

[Description]
For more than a decade ICES has been involved in several projects and programmes related to Baltic marine science and management of which the main project has been the Baltic Sea Regional, Project, BSRP. The major aim of the BSRP was to create preconditions for application of the ecosystem approach in managing the Baltic Sea Large Marine ecosystem in order to achieve and maintain sustainable biological productivity of the Baltic Sea.
Through its activities within the BSRP ICES also became engaged in two other prominent projects, the BONUS ERA-NET (Baltic Sea Science – Network of Funding Agencies), and in the SAFMAMS project (Scientific Advice for Fisheries Management at Multiple Scales.

A brief review of the Baltic Sea ecosystem and the major threats to this environment as well as some activities and results of the Baltic projects can be found in Thulin 2009.

The BSRP, was launched in 2003 and were running up to July 2007 while Study Groups and Working Groups established during the project´s  lifetime and after are still active.

[Lead organisation]
HELCOM and ICES

[Website]
http://www.ices.dk/projects/BSRP.asp

[ICES Contact]

Jan Thulin

BONUS ERA-NET

[Description]
The BONUS ERA-NET was launched in 2003 and ended in 2008 when BONUS EEIG succeeded this project. A major contribution from ICES to the        BONUS project was the production of the BONUS-169 Science Plan.  

[Lead organisation]
Academy of Finland (2003-07) and BONUS EEIG (2008-), Finland.

[Website]
http://www.bonusportal.org/

[ICES Contact]

Jan Thulin

SAFMAMS

[Description]
The SAFMAMS project was launched in 2005 and ended in 2008. A major contribution from ICES/BSRP to the SAFMAMS project was the production of the report “Reversing the Burden of Proof for Fisheries Management”.

[Lead organisation]
IFM, Innovative Fisheries Management, Denmark.

[Website]
http://www.ifm.dk/safmams/

[ICES Contact]

Jan Thulin

ICES
H. C. Andersens -
Boulevard 44-46
DK-1553
Copenhagen V
Denmark
Tel: +45 3338 6700
Fax: +45 3393 4215
info@ices.dk