The One Ocean Expedition: Science and Sailing for the Ocean We Want

The One Ocean Expedition (OOE) was a 20-month long circumnavigation of the globe by the Norwegian sail training vessel Statsraad Lehmkuhl, and a recognised part of the UN decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The ship was equipped with modern instrumentation to collect high-quality data on ocean physics, chemistry, and biology. Many of the data series were available in near real time from an open repository. The scientific programme was executed along the sailing route of Statsraad Lehmkuhl, with occasional stops for stationary work. The aim of the data collection on board the vessel was to improve knowledge about the state of the world's ocean with regards to the distribution and diversity of organisms, environmental status, climate, and human pressures on the marine ecosystem. Another aim of the expedition was to educate ocean scientists and strengthen ocean literacy. The main types of instrumentation are sensors that measure continuously underway including echosounder, hydrophone, temperature and salinity probes, and various instruments that collect and analyse water sampled from an inlet in the ship's hull, including for environmental DNA and microplastic. Here, we describe the scientific instrumentation onboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl and present preliminary results from the Atlantic part of the expedition. While there are many challenges to using a sail ship for scientific purposes, there are also some key benefits as the vessel is quiet and has a low footprint. Furthermore, the use of a common set of instruments and procedures across the ocean also removes an uncertainty factor when comparing data between ocean areas.The One Ocean Expedition: Science and Sailing for the Ocean We WantpublishedVersio

The One Ocean Expedition: Science and Sailing for the Ocean We Want

Source at https://www.hi.no/hi.The One Ocean Expedition (OOE) was a 20-month long circumnavigation of the globe by the Norwegian sail training vessel Statsraad Lehmkuhl, and a recognised part of the UN decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The ship was equipped with modern instrumentation to collect high-quality data on ocean physics, chemistry, and biology. Many of the data series were available in near real time from an open repository. The scientific programme was executed along the sailing route of Statsraad Lehmkuhl, with occasional stops for stationary work. The aim of the data collection on board the vessel was to improve knowledge about the state of the world's ocean with regards to the distribution and diversity of organisms, environmental status, climate, and human pressures on the marine ecosystem. Another aim of the expedition was to educate ocean scientists and strengthen ocean literacy. The main types of instrumentation are sensors that measure continuously underway including echosounder, hydrophone, temperature and salinity probes, and various instruments that collect and analyse water sampled from an inlet in the ship's hull, including for environmental DNA and microplastic. Here, we describe the scientific instrumentation onboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl and present preliminary results from the Atlantic part of the expedition. While there are many challenges to using a sail ship for scientific purposes, there are also some key benefits as the vessel is quiet and has a low footprint. Furthermore, the use of a common set of instruments and procedures across the ocean also removes an uncertainty factor when comparing data between ocean areas

Working Group on Governance of the Regional Database & Estimation System (WGRDBES-GOV; Outputs from 2020 meeting)

The Working Group on Governance of the Regional Database & Estimation System (WGRDBESGOV) provides the governance function for both the existing Regional Database (RDB) and the new Regional Database & Estimation System (RDBES) that is currently in development. It is composed of representatives from ICES member countries and EU Regional Coordination Groups (RCGs). In this report, the WGRDBESGOV reviews the RDBES developments performed during 2020 and plans for the work required in 2021 and beyond. It also considers how RDB data has been used and proposes changes required to the current Data Policy. The RDBES is currently planned to replace both the existing ICES InterCatch and RDB database systems and has an important part to play in increasing transparency and improving the quality of stock assessment within ICES. To this end, two workshops have been planned for 2021 which will help data submitters with the transition to the new system. A new working group is also proposed to enable the ICES community to move forward with estimation using the RDBES data model. Following on from the data call issued in 2020, another test data call is also planned for 2021 which will give further motivation for people to become involved and provide a robust test of the process. The RDB and RDBES must ensure that data can be used by the RCGs and authorised groups in ICES whilst ensuring that only permitted users have access to the confidential data – the rules relating to this have previously been defined in the RDB Data Policy. In line with discussions at the ICES Data and Information Group (DIG), it is proposed to split the current Data Policy into two new documents: a Data License, and a Data Governance document. It is important to remember that the ultimate success of the RDBES will rely on the effort and contributions from a large number of people in the wider ICES/EU data collection community and not just the relatively small groups who attend the WGRDBESGOV or Core Group meetings. The WGRDBESGOV continues to encourage these contributions

Deliverable 3.6 zoning plan of case studies : evaluation of spatial management options for the case studies

Within MESMA, nine case studies (CS) represent discrete marine European spatial entities, at different spatial scales, where a spatial marine management framework is in place, under development or considered. These CS (described in more details below) are chosen in such a way (MESMA D. 3.1 ) that they encompass the complexity of accommodating the various user functions of the marine landscape in various regions of the European marine waters. While human activities at sea are competing for space, there is also growing awareness of the possible negative effects of these human activities on the marine ecosystem. As such, system specific management options are required, satisfying current and future sectoral needs, while safeguarding the marine ecosystem from further detoriation. This integrated management approach is embedded in the concept of ecosystem based management (EBM). The goal of marine EBM is to maintain marine ecosystems in a healthy, productive and resilient condition, making it possible that they sustain human use and provide the goods and services required by society (McLeod et al. 2005). Therefore EBM is an environmental mangagement approach that recognises the interactions within a marine ecosystem, including humans. Hence, EBM does not consider single issues, species or ecosystems good and services in isolation. Operationalisation of EBM can be done through place-based or spatial management approaches (Lackey 1998), such as marine spatial planning (MSP). MSP is a public process of analysing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities aiming at achieving ecological, economic and social objectives. These objectives are usually formulated through political processes (Douvere et al. 2007, Douvere 2008). Within MESMA, a spatially managed area (SMA) is then defined as “a geographical area within which marine spatial planning initiatives exist in the real world”. Marine spatial planning initiatives refer to existing management measures actually in place within a defined area, or in any stage of a process of putting management in place, e.g. plans or recommendations for a particular area. Management can include management for marine protection (e.g. in MPAs), or management for sectoral objectives (e.g. building a wind farm to meet renewable energy objectives). Within MESMA, SMAs can have different spatial scales. A SMA can be a small, specific area that is managed/planned to be managed for one specific purpose, but it can also be a larger area within which lots of plans or ‘usage zones’ exist. This definition is different from the definition mentioned in the DoW (page 60). The original definition was adapted during a CS leader workshop (2-4 May 2012 in Gent, Belgium) and formally accepted by the MESMA ExB during the ExB meeting in Cork (29-30 May 2012). MSP should result in a marine spatial management plan that will produce the desired future trough explicit decisions about the location and timing of human activities. Ehler & Douvere (2009) consider this spatial management as a beginning toward the the implementation of desired goals and objectives. They describe the spatial management plan as a comprehensive, strategic document that provides the framework and direction for marine spatial management decisions. The plan should identify when, where and how goals and objectives will be met. Zoning (the development of zoning plans) is often an important management measure to implement spatial management plans. The purpose of a zoning plan (Ehler & Douvere 2009) is: To provide protection for biologically and ecologically important habitats, ecosystems, and ecological processes. To seperate conflicting human activities, or to combine compatible activities. To protect the natural values of the marine management area (in MESMA terminology: the SMA) while allowing reasonable human uses of the area. To allocate areas for reasonable human uses while minimising the effects of these human uses on each other, and nature. To preserve some areas of the SMA in their natural state undisturbed by humans except for scientific and educational purposes.peer-reviewe

Operational Data distribution at Institute of Marine Reasearch

The Norwegian marine datacenter (NMD) started serving operational research data from vessels operated by the Institute of Marine Research in the early 2000. Through the EU FP7 project MyOcean NMD has become the thematic assembly center for Arctic in-situ data. As a thematic assembly center NMD deliver in-situ data to the global assembly center and to the ocean forecasting centers where it’s used for assimilation or validation of model output. The data service has been expanded to include data from other data sources like the Coriolis data service. Real time quality control procedures have been defined in the MyOcean project and all data goes through these procedures and are flagged according to the SeaDataNet Quality flag scale. The Institute of Marine Research has also started work to operationalise other data types gathered on research vessels. These data types include different kinds of biological samples and chemical data that will become available to scientists in near real tim

LifeWatch Norge. Sluttrapport fra forprosjektet

LifeWatch er et europeisk initiativ med langsiktig fokus på utvikling av vitenskapelig baserte e-løsninger for biodiversitets- og økosystemforskning. LifeWatch er en del av det europeiske veikartet for infrastrukturutvikling (ESFRI- European Strategy for Research Infrastructure), og kom inn på det norske veikartet for e-infrastrukturutvikling i 2010. NINA ble i 2008 invitert av Forskningsrådet til å følge utviklingen av det europeiske LifeWatch prosjektet (finansiert gjennom EU sitt 7. Rammeprogram for forskning og infrastrukturutbygging) og til å initiere et norsk LifeWatch forprosjekt. Forprosjektet ble formelt oppstartet i januar 2011 med finansiell støtte fra Forskningsrådet. Konsortiet har vært koordinert av NINA i tett samarbeid med Havforskningsinstituttet (HI), Artsdatabanken, Naturhistorisk Museum ved Universitetet i Oslo (norsk node i Global Biodiversity Information Facility) og Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA). Forprosjektets hovedformål har vært å utrede muligheter og utfordringer knyttet til realisering av en norsk e-infrastruktur for fri deling av biodiversitets- og miljødata på tvers av institusjons- og landegrenser. Forprosjektet LifeWatch Norge er tett integrert med LifeWatch Europa gjennom NINA sin deltagelse i LifeWatch Preparatory Phase (2008-2010) og observatørstatus i styringsgruppen for LifeWatch Europa. Med finansiering fra NordForsk har LifeWatch konsortiene i Norge, Sverige, Danmark og Finland, i samarbeid med Islands Naturhistoriske Museum nylig startet opp et nordisk LifeWatch forprosjekt for å utrede muligheten for å realisere en nordisk e-forskningsinfrastruktur. På sikt vil et nordisk tyngdepunkt innen LifeWatch være strategisk viktig for de nordiske forskningsmiljøene. En nordisk overbygning vil kunne danne en felles grenseflate mellom nasjonale prosjekter og det europeiske nivå. Forprosjektet har kartlagt brukerbehov og metadata, samt foretatt en gjennomgang av de mest sentrale prinsipper, lover og retningslinjer knyttet til deling av offentlig finansierte miljø- og biodiversitetsdata. Videre er sentrale utfordringer, barrierer og rammevilkår for deling og tilgjengeliggjøring av offentlig finansierte forskningsdata drøftet. Utgangspunktet er at det i dag eksisterer store mengder relevante miljø- og biodiversitetsdata som av ulike årsaker er lite, eller overhodet ikke tilgjengelig for samfunnet. Konsortiet kommer på bakgrunn av dette med relevante anbefalinger og tiltak for realisering av en nasjonal e-infrastruktur for deling av offentlig finansierte miljø- og biodiversitetsdata. Dette omfatter utvikling av kontraktmaler, strategier og handlingsplaner for bedre dataforvaltning, kapasitetsbygging, utvikling av datamobiliseringsverktøy, samt evaluering av gjeldende rammevilkår og virkemiddelbruk rettet mot instituttsektoren. For å kunne realisere en operativ norsk LifeWatch e-infrastruktur må en tverrsektoriell forankring og organisering sikres. Vi anbefaler at nåværende LifeWatch-konsortium i samarbeid med Norges Forskningsråd arrangerer en interdepartemental LifeWatch konferanse innen Juni 2013 med relevante fagdepartement. Dette bør være første fase i utvidelsen av det nasjonale LifeWatch konsortiet, hvor hovedformålet bør være å klarlegge potensialet for merverdi og effektivisering for forskning og forvaltning. Forskningsrådet ønsker å styrke sin innsats for innovasjon i offentlig sektor og har derfor nylig startet arbeidet med strategiutvikling hvor grunntanken er å styrke kunnskapsflyten mellom forskning, næringsliv/industri og utdanningssektoren. Vi mener at en nasjonal LifeWatch e-forskningsinfrastruktur for miljø- og biodiversitetsdata generelt kan bidra til økt kvalitet, innovasjon og effektivitet innen forskningsmiljøene, samt økt anvendelse og politikkutforming innen næringsliv og offentlig forvaltning

LifeWatch Norge. Sluttrapport fra forprosjektet

LifeWatch er et europeisk initiativ med langsiktig fokus på utvikling av vitenskapelig baserte e-løsninger for biodiversitets- og økosystemforskning. LifeWatch er en del av det europeiske veikartet for infrastrukturutvikling (ESFRI- European Strategy for Research Infrastructure), og kom inn på det norske veikartet for e-infrastrukturutvikling i 2010. NINA ble i 2008 invitert av Forskningsrådet til å følge utviklingen av det europeiske LifeWatch prosjektet (finansiert gjennom EU sitt 7. Rammeprogram for forskning og infrastrukturutbygging) og til å initiere et norsk LifeWatch forprosjekt. Forprosjektet ble formelt oppstartet i januar 2011 med finansiell støtte fra Forskningsrådet. Konsortiet har vært koordinert av NINA i tett samarbeid med Havforskningsinstituttet (HI), Artsdatabanken, Naturhistorisk Museum ved Universitetet i Oslo (norsk node i Global Biodiversity Information Facility) og Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA). Forprosjektets hovedformål har vært å utrede muligheter og utfordringer knyttet til realisering av en norsk e-infrastruktur for fri deling av biodiversitets- og miljødata på tvers av institusjons- og landegrenser. Forprosjektet LifeWatch Norge er tett integrert med LifeWatch Europa gjennom NINA sin deltagelse i LifeWatch Preparatory Phase (2008-2010) og observatørstatus i styringsgruppen for LifeWatch Europa. Med finansiering fra NordForsk har LifeWatch konsortiene i Norge, Sverige, Danmark og Finland, i samarbeid med Islands Naturhistoriske Museum nylig startet opp et nordisk LifeWatch forprosjekt for å utrede muligheten for å realisere en nordisk e-forskningsinfrastruktur. På sikt vil et nordisk tyngdepunkt innen LifeWatch være strategisk viktig for de nordiske forskningsmiljøene. En nordisk overbygning vil kunne danne en felles grenseflate mellom nasjonale prosjekter og det europeiske nivå. Forprosjektet har kartlagt brukerbehov og metadata, samt foretatt en gjennomgang av de mest sentrale prinsipper, lover og retningslinjer knyttet til deling av offentlig finansierte miljø- og biodiversitetsdata. Videre er sentrale utfordringer, barrierer og rammevilkår for deling og tilgjengeliggjøring av offentlig finansierte forskningsdata drøftet. Utgangspunktet er at det i dag eksisterer store mengder relevante miljø- og biodiversitetsdata som av ulike årsaker er lite, eller overhodet ikke tilgjengelig for samfunnet. Konsortiet kommer på bakgrunn av dette med relevante anbefalinger og tiltak for realisering av en nasjonal e-infrastruktur for deling av offentlig finansierte miljø- og biodiversitetsdata. Dette omfatter utvikling av kontraktmaler, strategier og handlingsplaner for bedre dataforvaltning, kapasitetsbygging, utvikling av datamobiliseringsverktøy, samt evaluering av gjeldende rammevilkår og virkemiddelbruk rettet mot instituttsektoren. For å kunne realisere en operativ norsk LifeWatch e-infrastruktur må en tverrsektoriell forankring og organisering sikres. Vi anbefaler at nåværende LifeWatch-konsortium i samarbeid med Norges Forskningsråd arrangerer en interdepartemental LifeWatch konferanse innen Juni 2013 med relevante fagdepartement. Dette bør være første fase i utvidelsen av det nasjonale LifeWatch konsortiet, hvor hovedformålet bør være å klarlegge potensialet for merverdi og effektivisering for forskning og forvaltning. Forskningsrådet ønsker å styrke sin innsats for innovasjon i offentlig sektor og har derfor nylig startet arbeidet med strategiutvikling hvor grunntanken er å styrke kunnskapsflyten mellom forskning, næringsliv/industri og utdanningssektoren. Vi mener at en nasjonal LifeWatch e-forskningsinfrastruktur for miljø- og biodiversitetsdata generelt kan bidra til økt kvalitet, innovasjon og effektivitet innen forskningsmiljøene, samt økt anvendelse og politikkutforming innen næringsliv og offentlig forvaltning.LifeWatch is a pan- European initiative with a long-term focus on the development of scientifically based e-solutions for biodiversity- and ecosystem research. LifeWatch is a part of the European roadmap for infrastructure development (ESFRI- European Strategy for Research Infrastructure), and came into the Norwegian roadmap for infrastructure development in 2010. NINA was in 2008 invited by the Research Council of Norway to follow the development in the European LifeWatch project (funded by the European FP7 program for research and einfrastructure development), and to initiate a Norwegian pilot project. The Norwegian LifeWatch pilot project was formally kicked-off in January 2011 with financial support from the Research Council of Norway. The national consortium has been coordinated by NINA in close cooperation with the Norwegian Institute on Marine Research (IMR), The Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (NBIC), the Norwegian Institute for Freshwater Research (NIVA) and the Natural History Museum at the University of Oslo (which holds the Norwegian node in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility). The aim of this pilot project has been to investigate the possibilities and challenges related to the realization of a Norwegian e-infrastructure for free sharing of biodiversity and environmental data across institutional and national borders, The Norwegian LifeWatch pilot project is tightly integrated with LifeWatch Europe through the NINA participation in the European LifeWatch Preparatory Phase (2008-2010), and through the NINA observatory seat in the LifeWatch Board meetings. With financial support from NordForsk, the LifeWatch consortiums of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, together with the Icelandic Museum of Natural History recently initiated a Nordic LifeWatch pilot project to investigate the possibilities of realizing a Nordic research e-infrastructure. A strong Nordic cooperation within LifeWatch Europe could have a long-term strategic importance for Nordic research institutions. Also, the Nordic LifeWatch level could represent a common interface between the different national levels and the European level. The pilot project has mapped user needs and metadata, and considered the most relevant principles, laws and guidelines for sharing of public funded environmental and biodiversity data. Further on, main challenges, barriers, terms and conditions for sharing of public funded research data are considered. Today large amounts of relevant biodiversity data are only partly accessible for the public society. The Consortium addresses relevant recommendations and actions for the realization of a national infrastructure for sharing of public funded environmental and biodiversity data. This includes the development of contract templates, strategies and action plans for improved data management, capacity building, development of data mobilization tools, and an evaluation of current terms and conditions towards the research institute sector in Norway. An operative Norwegian LifeWatch infrastructure demands mandatory support from all relevant Ministries. We recommend that the current Norwegian LifeWatch Consortium in cooperation with the Research council of Norway organize a national inter-Ministerial LifeWatch conference within June 2013. This should be the first step towards extending the national LifeWatch Consortium. The main goal of this conference should be to investigate potential added values and how the research and management sector could benefit from these added values in terms of increased efficiency. The Research Council of Norway wants to increase its effort in public innovation and has therefore started to develop strategies on how to improve the flow of knowledge between research, industry and the educational sector. A national LifeWatch e-infrastructure for environmental and biodiversity data in general will contribute to increased quality, innovation and efficiency within these three sectors. At this stage it is hard to be specific on how a future national LifeWatch e-infrastructure should be organized. The specific needs for such an e-infrastructure should be scoped to satisfy the needs identified in this pre-project. Further on it is very important that this e-infrastructure will be sufficiently aligned with existing parallel initiatives at national, Nordic and international levels. The main components of a national LifeWatch e-infrastructure are established as a Distribution portal and an Analysis portal. The Distribution portal will be designed for users that want to search biodiversity data and link these with environmental data for further analysis in other tools. The Analysis portal will be designed for users that want WEB functionality for search, filtration, calculation, presentation, screen display and downloading. All involved data will be distributed online from the stakeholder’s primary databases using standardized WEB protocols and services. Concerning organization of a large scale LifeWatch project, the central support functions of LifeWatch Europe can guide and support a future national project. In addition, the Nordic LifeWatch cooperation and sharing of common experiences will be useful. It will be essential that the public management institutions actively participate in order to ensure the link between research and management when it comes to environmental data and long time series. The Norwegian LifeWatch Consortium recommends applying for funding from the Research Council of Norway for a large scale LifeWatch project as soon as possible. The next Infrastructure call will probably be in October 2014. Also the upcoming European program for Research and Innovation, HORIZON 2020 (to be started in 2014), could be an actual source of funding if the Norwegian consortium applies together with one or several other European partners such as for instance the Nordic countries.© Norsk institutt for naturforskning. Publikasjonen kan siteres fritt med kildeangivelse

LifeWatch Norge. Sluttrapport fra forprosjektet

LifeWatch er et europeisk initiativ med langsiktig fokus på utvikling av vitenskapelig baserte e-løsninger for biodiversitets- og økosystemforskning. LifeWatch er en del av det europeiske veikartet for infrastrukturutvikling (ESFRI- European Strategy for Research Infrastructure), og kom inn på det norske veikartet for e-infrastrukturutvikling i 2010. NINA ble i 2008 invitert av Forskningsrådet til å følge utviklingen av det europeiske LifeWatch prosjektet (finansiert gjennom EU sitt 7. Rammeprogram for forskning og infrastrukturutbygging) og til å initiere et norsk LifeWatch forprosjekt. Forprosjektet ble formelt oppstartet i januar 2011 med finansiell støtte fra Forskningsrådet. Konsortiet har vært koordinert av NINA i tett samarbeid med Havforskningsinstituttet (HI), Artsdatabanken, Naturhistorisk Museum ved Universitetet i Oslo (norsk node i Global Biodiversity Information Facility) og Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA). Forprosjektets hovedformål har vært å utrede muligheter og utfordringer knyttet til realisering av en norsk e-infrastruktur for fri deling av biodiversitets- og miljødata på tvers av institusjons- og landegrenser. Forprosjektet LifeWatch Norge er tett integrert med LifeWatch Europa gjennom NINA sin deltagelse i LifeWatch Preparatory Phase (2008-2010) og observatørstatus i styringsgruppen for LifeWatch Europa. Med finansiering fra NordForsk har LifeWatch konsortiene i Norge, Sverige, Danmark og Finland, i samarbeid med Islands Naturhistoriske Museum nylig startet opp et nordisk LifeWatch forprosjekt for å utrede muligheten for å realisere en nordisk e-forskningsinfrastruktur. På sikt vil et nordisk tyngdepunkt innen LifeWatch være strategisk viktig for de nordiske forskningsmiljøene. En nordisk overbygning vil kunne danne en felles grenseflate mellom nasjonale prosjekter og det europeiske nivå. Forprosjektet har kartlagt brukerbehov og metadata, samt foretatt en gjennomgang av de mest sentrale prinsipper, lover og retningslinjer knyttet til deling av offentlig finansierte miljø- og biodiversitetsdata. Videre er sentrale utfordringer, barrierer og rammevilkår for deling og tilgjengeliggjøring av offentlig finansierte forskningsdata drøftet. Utgangspunktet er at det i dag eksisterer store mengder relevante miljø- og biodiversitetsdata som av ulike årsaker er lite, eller overhodet ikke tilgjengelig for samfunnet. Konsortiet kommer på bakgrunn av dette med relevante anbefalinger og tiltak for realisering av en nasjonal e-infrastruktur for deling av offentlig finansierte miljø- og biodiversitetsdata. Dette omfatter utvikling av kontraktmaler, strategier og handlingsplaner for bedre dataforvaltning, kapasitetsbygging, utvikling av datamobiliseringsverktøy, samt evaluering av gjeldende rammevilkår og virkemiddelbruk rettet mot instituttsektoren. For å kunne realisere en operativ norsk LifeWatch e-infrastruktur må en tverrsektoriell forankring og organisering sikres. Vi anbefaler at nåværende LifeWatch-konsortium i samarbeid med Norges Forskningsråd arrangerer en interdepartemental LifeWatch konferanse innen Juni 2013 med relevante fagdepartement. Dette bør være første fase i utvidelsen av det nasjonale LifeWatch konsortiet, hvor hovedformålet bør være å klarlegge potensialet for merverdi og effektivisering for forskning og forvaltning. Forskningsrådet ønsker å styrke sin innsats for innovasjon i offentlig sektor og har derfor nylig startet arbeidet med strategiutvikling hvor grunntanken er å styrke kunnskapsflyten mellom forskning, næringsliv/industri og utdanningssektoren. Vi mener at en nasjonal LifeWatch e-forskningsinfrastruktur for miljø- og biodiversitetsdata generelt kan bidra til økt kvalitet, innovasjon og effektivitet innen forskningsmiljøene, samt økt anvendelse og politikkutforming innen næringsliv og offentlig forvaltning.LifeWatch is a pan- European initiative with a long-term focus on the development of scientifically based e-solutions for biodiversity- and ecosystem research. LifeWatch is a part of the European roadmap for infrastructure development (ESFRI- European Strategy for Research Infrastructure), and came into the Norwegian roadmap for infrastructure development in 2010. NINA was in 2008 invited by the Research Council of Norway to follow the development in the European LifeWatch project (funded by the European FP7 program for research and einfrastructure development), and to initiate a Norwegian pilot project. The Norwegian LifeWatch pilot project was formally kicked-off in January 2011 with financial support from the Research Council of Norway. The national consortium has been coordinated by NINA in close cooperation with the Norwegian Institute on Marine Research (IMR), The Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (NBIC), the Norwegian Institute for Freshwater Research (NIVA) and the Natural History Museum at the University of Oslo (which holds the Norwegian node in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility). The aim of this pilot project has been to investigate the possibilities and challenges related to the realization of a Norwegian e-infrastructure for free sharing of biodiversity and environmental data across institutional and national borders, The Norwegian LifeWatch pilot project is tightly integrated with LifeWatch Europe through the NINA participation in the European LifeWatch Preparatory Phase (2008-2010), and through the NINA observatory seat in the LifeWatch Board meetings. With financial support from NordForsk, the LifeWatch consortiums of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, together with the Icelandic Museum of Natural History recently initiated a Nordic LifeWatch pilot project to investigate the possibilities of realizing a Nordic research e-infrastructure. A strong Nordic cooperation within LifeWatch Europe could have a long-term strategic importance for Nordic research institutions. Also, the Nordic LifeWatch level could represent a common interface between the different national levels and the European level. The pilot project has mapped user needs and metadata, and considered the most relevant principles, laws and guidelines for sharing of public funded environmental and biodiversity data. Further on, main challenges, barriers, terms and conditions for sharing of public funded research data are considered. Today large amounts of relevant biodiversity data are only partly accessible for the public society. The Consortium addresses relevant recommendations and actions for the realization of a national infrastructure for sharing of public funded environmental and biodiversity data. This includes the development of contract templates, strategies and action plans for improved data management, capacity building, development of data mobilization tools, and an evaluation of current terms and conditions towards the research institute sector in Norway. An operative Norwegian LifeWatch infrastructure demands mandatory support from all relevant Ministries. We recommend that the current Norwegian LifeWatch Consortium in cooperation with the Research council of Norway organize a national inter-Ministerial LifeWatch conference within June 2013. This should be the first step towards extending the national LifeWatch Consortium. The main goal of this conference should be to investigate potential added values and how the research and management sector could benefit from these added values in terms of increased efficiency. The Research Council of Norway wants to increase its effort in public innovation and has therefore started to develop strategies on how to improve the flow of knowledge between research, industry and the educational sector. A national LifeWatch e-infrastructure for environmental and biodiversity data in general will contribute to increased quality, innovation and efficiency within these three sectors. At this stage it is hard to be specific on how a future national LifeWatch e-infrastructure should be organized. The specific needs for such an e-infrastructure should be scoped to satisfy the needs identified in this pre-project. Further on it is very important that this e-infrastructure will be sufficiently aligned with existing parallel initiatives at national, Nordic and international levels. The main components of a national LifeWatch e-infrastructure are established as a Distribution portal and an Analysis portal. The Distribution portal will be designed for users that want to search biodiversity data and link these with environmental data for further analysis in other tools. The Analysis portal will be designed for users that want WEB functionality for search, filtration, calculation, presentation, screen display and downloading. All involved data will be distributed online from the stakeholder’s primary databases using standardized WEB protocols and services. Concerning organization of a large scale LifeWatch project, the central support functions of LifeWatch Europe can guide and support a future national project. In addition, the Nordic LifeWatch cooperation and sharing of common experiences will be useful. It will be essential that the public management institutions actively participate in order to ensure the link between research and management when it comes to environmental data and long time series. The Norwegian LifeWatch Consortium recommends applying for funding from the Research Council of Norway for a large scale LifeWatch project as soon as possible. The next Infrastructure call will probably be in October 2014. Also the upcoming European program for Research and Innovation, HORIZON 2020 (to be started in 2014), could be an actual source of funding if the Norwegian consortium applies together with one or several other European partners such as for instance the Nordic countries.© Norsk institutt for naturforskning. Publikasjonen kan siteres fritt med kildeangivelse