The data we need for the oceans we care for: Over ten years of support to Ocean and Marine Data Science

This 4 to 8 March 2024 the European Commission celebrates the European Ocean Days in Brussels. Trust-IT will join the event physically, where we can proudly highlight our support to ocean and marine data science, developing digital processes and consolidating the marine & ocean community for over 10 years now, and where we strive to continue using all opportunities available to keep on animating this ecosystem.

“Europe’s seas and natural environment are part of the social fabric of our Union and a source of great natural and economic wealth. At the same time, they also face a unique set of complex, inter-related challenges, from depleting fish stocks, to increasing environmental pressures, to increasing competition for sea space. It is an EU priority to preserve and protect our seas, to make the most of their potential by investing in their future and ensuring that future generations can benefit from their beauty and the opportunities they create. [European Info Days official page]”

Throwback to where it all began…

Trust-IT has been working with a strong and established community of ocean and marine data practitioners for over 10 years, keeping marine research at the centre of our interests. We actively began back in 2011 with the i-Marine FP7 project (2011-2014), where Trust-IT was responsible for defining, coordinating and monitoring dissemination, outreach and training activities, fostering cross-disciplinary, cross-border community mobilisation and cohesion. Within this remit, Trust-IT developed the iMarine mobile application, AppliFish for iOS & Android, which has been available in stores from 2012 to the end of  2018. Following on the positive results of i-Marine, the H2020 BlueBRIDGE initiative was funded (2015-2018) to provide a complete set of web-based data and computational resources to address key challenges related to the Blue Growth long term strategy. Within the remit of BlueBRIDGE the global register for stocks and fisheries (GRSF) was firstly developed, disseminating comprehensive information on the location, status and trend of fish stocks and fisheries. Trust-IT designed and developed the BlueBRIDGE WebPortal and was responsible for defining, coordinating and monitoring dissemination, outreach and training activities throughout the life-time of the initiative.
Thanks to the knowledge gained and strong partnership established during these projects, in 2018 Trust-IT was invited to coordinate a consortium for setting up the pilot Blue-Cloud.org, the web-based platform federating leading European marine data management infrastructures, horizontal e-infrastructures, and selected marine researchers to capitalise on what was already in existence and demonstrate the potential of collaborative Open Science in the marine domain.

Blue-Cloud: federating marine data providers and practitioners under the Open Science umbrella

Ocean is a key component of climate change. The Ocean provides 50% of the oxygen we breathe, is absorbing 90% of excess heat, and it is absorbing 1/3 of CO2 emissions. If we want to understand the relationship between the ocean and climate change, we need data, long time series data, and we need to be sure we understand them in cross-disciplinary contexts.
Data collection, analysis & application are key enablers for Ocean data innovation. Integration is needed, open science is one of those transformative changes that the ocean needs. Research infrastructure are key elements to implement open science and are fundamental fuel of data to the nascent Digital Twins of the Ocean. With input by EMODnet, Copernicus Marine and several leading marine Research Infrastructures, the Horizon Europe Blue-Cloud initiative (2019-2023), developed a collaborative web-based environment that enables open and simplified access to an unprecedented wealth of marine data resources and interoperable tools. Blue-Cloud 2026 (https://blue-cloud.org/ 2023-2026) aims at a further evolution of this pilot ecosystem into a Federated European Ecosystem to deliver FAIR & Open data and analytical services, instrumental for deepening research of oceans, EU seas, coastal & inland waters. By federating different “blue” Research Infrastructures, Blue-Cloud is contributing to increasing the available data volume and to an easier discovery and access of blue data, open to researchers, industry and society from Europe and beyond to address issues related to climate change, food, biodiversity conservation, sustainable ocean economy, pollution and natural hazards. Both the pilot and the current initiatives are coordinated by Trust-IT Services, and we are also leading the outreach and communication activities to ensure consistent and content-rich dissemination of Blue-Cloud results to its relevant stakeholders, by using multiple integrated communication tools, for the roll-out of the Blue-Cloud services and demonstrate impact in the Blue Economy and the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).

Supporting ocean and marine data intensive research towards a Digital Twin of the Ocean

While significant progress has been made in Europe to collect, harmonise, and make available marine biodiversity data - particularly through the work of European research infrastructure (such as EMODnet, Copernicus Marine, and other related European and international initiatives (MBON, OBIS, GOOS) - much of the data currently being collected remains unavailable and inaccessible, the so-called "sleeping data." The primary objective of the DTO-BioFlow project is to awaken sleeping biodiversity data, enabling a smooth integration of both existing and new data into the EU Digital Twin Ocean. Trust-IT Services is communication and outreach leader for the DTO-BioFlow Horizon Europe project, aims to provide innovative and sustainable solutions for making previously unavailable or hard-to-access biodiversity data accessible. We are leading three other targeted communication campaigns, dedicated to the Onboarding of Data Providers, focusing on the uptake of DTO-BioFlow Outputs; and supporting a series of international Community Building activities to Support the EU Mission “EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters" and the Ocean Decade related actions.
Trust-IT Services is also a partner for EMODnet digital communication activities. The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) was launched back in 2009 as a network of organisations working on ocean data ranging from biology to chemistry, from physics to geology, and more. These organisations work together to observe the sea, process the data according to international standards, and make that information freely available as interoperable data layers and data products. The EMODnet Secretariat was established in 2013, it is led by Seascape Belgium and funded by the European Commission to coordinate the development of the EMODnet Central Portal, while supporting the management and promotion of the many EMODnet projects and outputs.
Going beyond the European boundaries, in 2023 Trust-IT released the new branding and website of the Digital Twins of the Ocean global programme, DITTO (https://ditto-oceandecade.org/), led by GEOMAR.

The new entry in 2024

Thanks to the plurannual collaboration with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), since 1 March 2024, Trust-IT has taken over as the project coordinator for AtlantECO, the H2020 project engaging with citizens and actors from the industry and policy sectors in order to stimulate responsible behaviour in three pillars of research: microbiomes, plastic and the plastisphere, and seascape connectivity, across the Atlantic region. As project coordinator Trust-IT ensures that all activities align with the outlined objectives over the project timeline until 2025 in close collaboration with the Scientific coordinators from the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN). Trust-IT is tasked with monitoring project progress, reporting deliverables, and facilitating internal communication through regular meetings and updates. Trust-IT aims to maintain transparency and coordination across different work packages, ensuring timely completion of tasks.

But there is more to come…

Over the years we have also grown a long-lasting collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organisations FAO and namely its Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI), working with Members and partners to transform aquatic systems and promote the responsible and sustainable management of aquatic food systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life. We look in particular at that partnership to supporting the need towards a better sustainable production and consumption of seafood and aquatic food, supporting research teams working to improve data-driven awareness of what sustainable seafood means. But this is a story yet (soon) to be written…

Our role

Trust-IT has significantly contributed to ocean and marine data science projects over the past decade, showcasing its expertise in enhancing communication and developing innovative platforms. As the communication leader for the DTO-BioFlow Horizon Europe project, Trust-IT has played a crucial role in making biodiversity data accessible, while its coordination of the Blue-Cloud initiative highlights its ability to federate marine data management infrastructures, promoting open access to marine data resources. Through projects like BlueBRIDGE and i-Marine, Trust-IT has developed essential web-based tools and platforms, such as the AppliFish mobile application, facilitating the dissemination and accessibility of marine data. These activities underscore Trust-IT's commitment to supporting research and innovation in ocean and marine data science, and achievieng objectives of EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters, demonstrating its pivotal role in advancing the field through effective communication strategies and the development of critical data management infrastructures.