The World Ocean Council (WOC) and Canada's Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response (MEOPAR) Network are co-organising an international workshop to advance ocean industry data collecting and sharing.
According to WOC, the event will set the stage for an initial Canadian Atlantic pilot project on ocean observations by industry, in support of Canada's commitment to trans-Atlantic research under the "Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation," with potential for future expansion to the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.
The three-day workshop will be held in Montreal from May 27-29, 2014. WOC says the will convene industry, science and government representatives to develop a shared understanding of the need and opportunity for industry data collection, review ocean industry data-gathering experience in Canada, identify constraints and opportunities for expanding industry involvement in data collection and highlight the technology and instrumentation available for use on industry vessels and platforms.
The event will also explain MEOPAR's role in advancing ocean measurement, as well as modelling and risk response research, how to identify ways and means for industry-science collaborations on ocean observations in Canada, and define the roadmap and work-plan for a project to develop coordinated industry data collection, continued WOC. This would happen initially in Canada's Atlantic waters, with potential for future expansion to the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.
The workshop will bring together representatives from:
The workshop advances the WOC's "Smart Ocean/Smart Industries" program – a major international initiative to facilitate, coordinate and ramp up efficient, cost-effective ocean and atmospheric information collection by a growing number and range of vessels and platforms, concluded WOC.
