Background

The International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange Program (IODE) system of national data facilities was established in 1961 to:

"...Enhance marine research, exploration, and development by facilitating the exchange of oceanographic data and information between participating Member States."

With the advance of oceanography from a science dealing mostly with local processes to one which is also studying ocean basin and global processes, researchers depend critically on the availability of an international exchange system to provide data and information from all available sources. Additionally, scientists studying local processes benefit substantially from access to data collected by other Member States in their area of interest. The economic benefit of obtaining data by exchange as opposed to collecting it oneself is huge.

The Objectives of the IODE Programme (updated through Recommendation IODE-XVIII) are as follows:

1. to facilitate and promote the exchange of all marine data and information including metadata, products and information in real-time, near real time and delayed mode;
2. to ensure the long term archival, management and services of all marine data and information;
3. to promote the use of international standards, and develop or help in the development of standards and methods for the global exchange of marine data and information, using the most appropriate information management and information technology;
4. to assist Member States to acquire the necessary capacity to manage marine data and information and become partners in the IODE network; and
5. to support international scientific and operational marine programmes of IOC and WMO and their sponsor organisations with advice and data management services.

IODE System Management

The IODE programme is managed by a committee (one of the IOC Subsidiary Bodies) consisting of:

• IODE Committee is responsible for the decision making (governance) of the IODE Programme and generally meets every two years to reviews progress during the past inter-sessional period and recommends necessary actions during the next inter-sessional period.
  
• IODE Officers are responsible for monitoring the follow-up of the work plan adopted by the IODE Committee ^[1]
• Groups of Experts are small groups (up to 10 members) that provide expert advice to the IODE Committee. IODE currently has three such groups
  • IODE Group of Experts on Biological and Chemical Data Management and Exchange Practices (GEBICH)
  • IODE Group of Experts on Marine Information Management (GEMIM)
  • Joint JCOMM/IODE Expert Team on Data Management Practises (ETDMP) ^[2]
• IODE Steering Groups are small groups (usually around 5 members) that manage approved projects
  

IODE Activities

The IODE Programme is responsible for implementing a number of global and regional activities. These activities and projects are implemented by the IODE experts through their national oceanographic data centers or marine library, or through the IOC Project Office for IODE, or both.

Global Projects

IODE Global activities include:

• Data Standards - an activity to get broad agreement and commitment to adopt standards related to ocean data management and exchange ^[3].
• ASFA - the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts Bibliographic Database is the principal information product of the ASFIS system and contains approximately 1 million bibliographic references for the world's aquatic science literature accessioned ^[4]
• Data Publishing - aims to promote the ability to "publish" datasets as unique objects and their citation by other researchers as an incentive to improve the data flow to NODCs ^[5].
• GODAR - the Global Oceanographic Data Archaeology and Rescue aims to increase the volume of historical oceanographic data available to climate change and other researchers by locating ocean profile and plankton data sets not yet in digital form ^[6]
• GTSPP - the Global Temperature-Salinity Profile Program is a cooperative international project that seeks to develop and maintain a high quality global ocean Temperature-Salinity data resource ^[7].
• GOSUD - the Global Ocean Surface Underway Data Pilot Project ais to collect, process, archive and disseminate sea surface salinity and other variables collected underway, by research and opportunity ships ^[8].
• OceanDocs - is a repository network on oceanography and marine science ^[9]
• OceanExpert - is a global directory of experts active in the marine environment intended as a tool for scientists, policy makers and anyone who needs to contact a marine professional ^[10].
• OceanDataPortal - facilitates and promotes the exchange and dissemination of marine data and services and provides seamless access to collections and inventories of marine data from the NODCs in the IODE network ^[11].
• OceanTeacher - provides training tools for Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange which are used during IODE Training Courses and can also be used for self-training and continuous professional development ^[12].
• WIGOS - the WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS) is a concept for a comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable system of observing systems. The WIGOS Pilot Project for Marine Observations is a JCOMM activity that will make datasets available through interoperability arrangements with the WMO Information System (WIS) and the IODE Ocean Data Portal (ODP) ^[13].

Regional Projects

IODE regional programme focuses on capacity building related to oceanographic data and information management. The IODE has developed the ODIN capacity building model which is based upon the following principles:

1. Linking training, equipment, operational support: provide not only equipment but also training as well as some financial support to operate the equipment and develop products;
2. Regional context: focus on national requirements but also identify similar needs across a region and develop regional products and services that serve all participating countries in a region;
3. Product and service oriented: do not develop data centers as isolated facilities but ensure these centers provide services and products that are needed by users;
4. Multi-stakeholder approach: ensure that the project is driven by stakeholders as representatives of users and involve these stakeholders as much as possible in the governance of the project.

IODE regional capacity building projects include:

• ODINAFRICA - the Ocean Data and Information Network for Africa brings together marine institutions from twenty five Member States to implement (i) Coastal Ocean Observing System, (ii) Data and Information Management, and (iii) Product Development and end user communication and information delivery. ^[14]
• ODINCARSA - the Ocean Data and Information Network for Latin America and the Caribbean has been set up as a mechanism for assessing the current and potential state of development of national data centers and to create the means for mutual capacity-building in the region ^[15].
• ODINCINDIO - the Ocean Data and Information Network for the Central Indian Ocean provides assistance in the development, operation and strengthening of National Oceanographic Data (and Information) Centers ^[16].
• ODINWESTPAC - the Ocean Data and Information Network for the Western Pacific aims to develop a number of products that will promote communication and collaboration between WESTPAC member states and other partners in the fields specifically related to ocean data and information management ^[17].
• ODINBLACKSEA - the Ocean Data and Information Network for the Black Sea will provide assistance in the development, operation and strengthening of National Oceanographic Data (and Information) Centers to advance the level of less experienced data centers and to establish their networking in the region ^[18].
• ODINECET - the Ocean Data and Information Network for European Countries in Economic Transition network constitutes a capacity building strategy for participating countries that will link training, equipment and operational support in a regional context ^[19].