ALL-ATLANTIC MARINE RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK
(AA-MARINET)
Promoting a sustainable development of ocean related activities
The All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance fosters research and innovation cooperation within the Atlantic basin under the motto Connecting, Acting, Cooperating. Based on the ideas of collaboration, alignment and use of existing resources, six ambitious and long-term collaborative Pilot Joint Actions are planned to support the implementation of the Belém, and Galway Statements. The All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network (AA-MARINET) is one of those Joint Actions.
Building an All-Atlantic Ocean Community
All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network (AA-MARINET)
Marine research infrastructures provide the tools scientists and innovators need to know and better understand ocean ecosystems and to develop solutions for the sustainable use of its resources. The use and long-term sustainability of marine research infrastructures cost more than most countries can afford. For this reason, the establishment of an effective process for sharing marine research infrastructures, including the implementation of an All-Atlantic Trans-National Access mechanism, is of crucial importance to solve the common challenges at the Atlantic Ocean level.
AA-MARINET allows stakeholders to share information about planned observation activities and available spare capacities, creating a forum where thematic networking and synergies will bring a better articulation of infrastructure-related activities in the Atlantic basin, improving the support of multidisciplinary science to address global societal challenges.
AA-MARINET aims at the creation of a long-term collaboration framework to promote and facilitate the convergence and the alignment of Research and Innovation infrastructure initiatives at the Atlantic Ocean level by:
Goals
Implementing a web portal to unlock the potential for articulation of the observation activities conducted in the Atlantic basin
Promoting a case-study focusing on the possibility to exchange ship-time and autonomous systems for monitoring and/or cooperation opportunities during planned cruises between research vessel operators from different Atlantic countries
Working on three pilot specific domains: Coastal observation (AA-COASTNET), Pelagic imaging (I/ITAPINA) and Polar research (NMPRI)
Goals
AA-MARINET aims at the creation of a long-term collaboration framework to promote and facilitate the convergence and the alignment of Research and Innovation infrastructure initiatives at the Atlantic Ocean level by:
Implementing a web portal to unlock the potential for articulation of the observation activities conducted in the Atlantic basin
Promoting a case-study focusing on the possibility to exchange ship-time and autonomous systems for monitoring and/or cooperation opportunities during planned cruises between research vessel operators from different Atlantic countries
Working on three pilot specific domains: Coastal observation (AA-COASTNET), Pelagic imaging (I/ITAPINA) and Polar research (NMPRI)
Activities
To achieve its goals, several activities are planned:
1. Set up of the Development and Management Group and the Community Group
2. Implement an All-Atlantic Ocean observation activities web portal and assess its impact
3. Implement a case study on ship-time sharing and cooperation opportunities and draft guidelines on research infrastructure sharing in the Atlantic
4. Implementation of 3 networks:
Coastal observation (AA-COASTNET)
Including report with recommendations on research infrastructures sharing and a training activity
Pelagic imaging (I/ITAPINA)
Including a roadmap with activities to spread tools, to provide transnational access to the respective hardware, and to aggregate the resulting data
Polar research (NMPRI)
Including the definition of long-term objectives for research infrastructure sharing.
AA-MARINET will join forces, promote efficient cooperation and maximize impact by bringing together different initiatives that are currently responsible for the Atlantic Ocean observations in general, and for the articulation of specific observing systems, including the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance related projects. Positive impacts are expected on the:
Impacts
Contribute to gather rapid in situ information to inform decision-making concerning ocean crisis management mitigating the potentially large environmental impacts associated with those events
Optimize the use of ocean observing infrastructures operating in the Atlantic through a direct influence on the reduction of the global financial effort allocated to Ocean Observation
Overall improvement in the understanding of the Atlantic Ocean and its resources due to an increased number of ocean complementary observations
Impacts
AA-MARINET will join forces, promote efficient cooperation and maximize impact by bringing together different initiatives that are currently responsible for the Atlantic Ocean observations in general, and for the articulation of specific observing systems, including the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance related projects. Positive impacts are expected on the:
Contribute to gather rapid in situ information to inform decision-making concerning ocean crisis management mitigating the potentially large environmental impacts associated with those events
Optimize the use of ocean observing infrastructures operating in the Atlantic through a direct influence on the reduction of the global financial effort allocated to Ocean Observation
Overall improvement in the understanding of the Atlantic Ocean and its resources due to an increased number of ocean complementary observations