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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

European Ocean Biogeographic Information System - EUROBIS

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    Description
    Description
    The European Ocean Biogeographic Information System EurOBIS is an online marine biogeographic database compiling data on all living marine creatures. EurOBIS was developed in 2004 and originally received funding from the MarBEF Network of Excellence Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning which was carried out by the Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems Programme of the European communitys Sixth Framework Programme. The aims of EurOBIS are to centralize the largely scattered biogeographic data on marine species collected by European institutions and to make these data freely available and easily accessible. All data go through a number of quality control procedures before they are made available online assuring a minimum level of quality necessary to put the data to good use. The available data are either collected within European marine waters or by European researchers and institutes outside Europe.

    The database focuses on taxonomy and occurrence records in space and time; all data can be searched and visualised through a set of online mapping tools. All data are freely available online and easily accessible, without requiring a login or password. The regional approach and thematic focus of EurOBIS - the European marine waters - gives the system a number of advantages compared to its umbrella systems OBIS and GBIF. Due to the specific scope of EurOBIS, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) - the host institute of EurOBIS - can focus on the continuous gathering of additional data and information which cannot be captured in the data systems of e.g. OBIS and GBIF. The Flanders Marine Institute also invests in the development of relevant analysis tools and applications that can run on the EurOBIS data system. The existence, continuation and growth of EurOBIS is only possible by contributions of a whole range of data providers from all over Europe, and in the first place by the continuous support of the hosting institution VLIZ.

    The aims of EurOBIS are:

    To visualize global patterns of species distributions and biodiversity in space and time, both from a current and a historical point of view
    To identify geographical, temporal and taxonomic gaps in our knowledge on species distribution information
    To emphasize the importance of time series and comparative/integrated studies
    To enhance the ability to test hypotheses on a larger scale than can be done based on individual datasets
    The deliverables
    Partners
    EUROBIS is the European node of OBIS, hosted by IOC-UNESCO (IODE Project Office)

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    The development of a number of automated quality control procedures, which will help in the general assessment of the quality, completeness and fitness for use of the available occurrence records by the user.
    Develop procedures for the management and quality control of the captured data in cooperation with the international OBIS community.
    Further develop the link between (Eur)OBIS and WoRMS, with a focus on the taxonomy. All taxa present in (Eur)OBIS which are not yet present in WoRMS will be thoroughly screened and presented to the WoRMS taxonomic editors. In the end, each taxon name in OBIS should either be present in WoRMS, or an annotation should be given why the name cannot be added to WoRMS.
    Staff / Technical expertise
    EurOBIS Data Management Team at VLIZ
    In-kind contribution
    EurOBIS database and hosting of the website;
    In-kind contribution
    hosting of the EUROBIS Secretariat
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 January 2017 (start date)
    01 December 2021 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Oostende, BELGIUM
    Ocean Basins
    North Atlantic
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    More information
    Countries
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    Contact Information

    Ann-Katrien LESCRAUWAET, Dr.