MEDIN Work Plan for By March 2011 MEDIN will be 3 years into the original 5 year development plan started in Would normally ask for continued funding at same level to complete development. Have to accept new economic situation. Have developed a plan with 30% reduction in costs: £530k per year instead of £760k. Immediate move to “operational” approach Consolidate current system Minimal further development / expansion - targeted exclusively on what is essential for key priorities (INSPIRE, Marine Strategy Framework Directive)

MEDIN Schematic FisheriesMeteowater geophysmarinebathymetry column/ geology species oceanog. & habitats Discovery metadata Users Data search DAC and data specification standards Metadata standards Data in from partners and govt contracts metadata in from external databases tools Resources, Products and services Portal

The MEDIN DAC Network. Consolidation of DAC network. Secure and maintain streamlined flow of data into the DACs. No further expansion of DAC network. Meet UKLP/INSPIRE metadata / data publication requirements. Establish links between metadata and data download capability. No funded projects to archive data sets. MEDIN Core team will provide lower level of secretarial support. DACs to take a greater role in leading programme.

Standards and Guidelines Establish widespread adoption of standards for data and metadata Review and adapt existing standards as needed. Develop new standards where there are significant gaps which limit data re-use (e.g. activities, pressures). Support and transfer knowledge from MEDIN Standards WG to the UK Location Programme, and other initiatives (e.g. Offshore Renewables Round 3, MALSF). Review and adopt if necessary new marine standards including: Observations and measurements (ISO 19156), Sensor ML, W3C web consortium which specifies metadata to enable plug and play into a distributed observatory. INSPIRE data specifications on monitoring facilities and sea areas and oceanographic features.

Web Services and Portal Consolidate the single central search capability for UK marine environmental data, through the MEDIN Marine Discovery Portal. enhance flow of metadata from DACS and partners, aiming for 95% coverage by As funding allows develop functionality in response to user comments, to ensure portal links effectively to data sources and services. Continue to manage and maintain UKDMOS and other MEDIN catalogues (tide and sea level, wave data, cruise summary databases). Plan and implement further portal and web-service developments as necessary to meet INSPIRE and UK Location Programme Discovery service requirements.

International Coordination Provide a UK view on European and International initiatives/drivers relevant to MEDIN. Continue to review equirements from the European Marine Strategy Directive and develop recommendations as to how MEDIN can support the UK community in its implementation. Continue to track new guidelines and implementation rules as they emerge from INSPIRE and ensure the MEDIN work streams develop appropriate standards and web services (Standards and Portal). critically review initiatives and to identify priorities for engagement. Support UK representation on International Data Working Groups (e.g. ICES Working Group on Data and Information Management, IOC/IODE, EC Marine Observation and Data Expert Group, EU Working Group on Data, Information and Knowledge Sharing (WISE Marine)). Provide and support links to Global Data Bases and centres (including real-time data via GTS, and “delayed mode” data)

MEDIN Resources and Applications Support and inform the data support and service needs of MEDIN sponsors, providing advice and research to help them design and develop specifications for resources to meet these needs. Continue to strengthen reference datasets, optimise their delivery and availability and provide advice, support and tools to organisations identified as authorities responsible for key data themes (under the INSPIRE regulations or elsewhere). Consider the resources that MEDIN is well placed to deliver which are of direct relevance to the data needs of the UK’s Marine Science and Monitoring and Assessment Strategies. Assist in the delivery and monitor the performance of existing and new data resources which may be operated by other MEDIN work streams or an external body (e.g. the MMO) through the continuation of use cases.

General To continue to widen active participation in MEDIN across the whole marine sector – engage new sponsors and partners. In particular work to engage the commercial sector. To continue to promote the use of the data clause by all partners. Monitor the effectiveness of the clause by establishing that data under these contracts has been delivered to a DAC prior to the contract being finished. Establish the use of the data clause in licence agreements (such as FEPA). To work with UKMMAS to define how MEDIN can contribute to improve the information available on pressures and activities in the UK marine environment. Lack of reliable information on pressures is a key issue identified in the preparation work for Charting Progress 2. To continue to represent the marine sector within the UK Location Programme, and to ensure developments are coordinated across UKLP and MEDIN. Establish processes to monitor the benefits in terms of measurable reductions in the costs of locating, accessing and retrieving marine data, and increased number of successfully furnished requests for archived marine data.

Impact of Reduced Funding Reduced size of core team (4 to 2.6 FTE) Less support to build additional functionality in the MEDIN portal and DAC services, No scope for “rescuing” data sets at risk or expanding coverage of the DAC network. Limited resources to encourage more active engagement with sectors of the community not currently involved in MEDIN. Reduced capability to adapt to meet unexpected complications, e.g. if obligations flowing from INSPIRE are more complex than anticipated. Reduction in communications activity may impact on the uptake of standards across the wider community.

By 2014 MEDIN will provide: A fully operational coordinated framework for managing marine data and information which has been adopted by the large majority of the marine community, and is delivering real practical benefits to its sponsors and partners in terms of increased re-use of data, reduced costs, and an improved evidence base.