1. Becoming an OBIS Node

2. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation IOC
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
IOC
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
IODE
International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange
OBIS
Ocean Biogeographic Information System

3. What is IOC? Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
of UNESCO is the United Nations body for
ocean science
ocean observatories
ocean data and information exchange
Capacity development and marine technology transfer
and ocean services such as Tsunami warning systems.
Its mission is…
to promote international cooperation and to coordinate programmes in research, services and capacity building to learn more about the nature and resources of the oceans and coastal areas
to apply this knowledge to improved management, sustainable development and protection of the marine environment and the decision making processes of States.

4. "International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange”
A program of the "Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission" (IOC) of UNESCO
Established in 1961.
Purpose is to enhance marine research, exploitation and development, by facilitating the exchange of oceanographic data and information between participating Member States, and by meeting the needs of users for data and information products.
For more see

5. Background
OBIS is the world’s largest open access, online repository of spatially referenced marine life data that:
Nations can use to develop national and regional assessments, to discover trends, gaps and biodiversity hotspots and to meet their obligations to the Convention on Biological Diversity and other international commitments.
Stimulates research about our oceans to generate new hypotheses concerning evolutionary processes, species distributions, and roles of organisms in marine systems on a global scale.
Forms a baseline of marine life’s diversity, distribution, and abundance against which future change can be measured.

6. The OBIS System

7. South Western Pacific OBIS
Existing OBIS Nodes
Arctic OBIS
DeepSeaOBIS
OBIS Canada
Oceans Past
OBIS HAB
iOBIS
OTN
FishBase
OBIS USA
OBIS China
MicrOBIS
EurOBIS
Black Sea OBIS
KOBIS
OBIS SEAMAP
MedOBIS
PEGO-OBIS
OBIS Japan
Caribbean OBIS
CPPS OBIS
OBIS Senegal
IndOBIS
SEA OBIS
WSAOBIS
The data from these 600 institutions is provided to OBIS through more than 20 national, regional or thematic OBIS nodes. They standardize and quality control the data, so OBIS can easily integrate them in a single database. The central system is maintained here at the OBIS secretariat in Oostende.
ESPOBIS
AfrOBIS
South Western Pacific OBIS
OBIS Australia
ArOBIS
AntOBIS

8. OBIS Data Network (Nodes)
OBIS’s data network will become organised in a hierarchical structure of nodes
Tier 1 = OBIS secretariat at IODE
Tier 2 = Regional and Thematic Nodes (NODC’s and ADU’s)
Tier 3 = Local Nodes (NODC’s and ADU’s)

9. OBIS nodes ToR
Receiving or harvesting marine biodiversity data (and metadata) from national, regional and international programs, and the scientific community at large.
Perform data validation (using standards, tools and best practices), as described in the OBIS manual.
Reporting the results of quality control directly to data collectors/originator.
Making data (and metadata) available to OBIS using agreed upon standards and formats (OBIS cookbook).
Control data access, terms of use and sharing policies.
Provide customer support (data queries, analyses, feedback).
Increase visibility and reach out (Communication and Outreach Strategy).
Build customized portals (e.g., multiple languages).
Comply with the IOC data policy for using and sharing OBIS data.

10. What does it mean at a technical level?
Providing multiple datasets in a standard format for harvesting by iOBIS (Darwin Core Archive format)
Having complete and good quality data and metadata for each dataset
Regular updates to the datasets where possible
IPT Server to serve the datasets (or use the IPT server of iOBIS to upload datasets)

11. Becoming a Node in the OBIS System

12. OBIS Node application process
If you are an existing NODC (within the IODE network) and the OBIS node activities fall under the activities of the NODC
=> Send a letter expressing your interest to become an OBIS node (including contact information of the OBIS node manager, and geographical/thematic scope of your OBIS node)
If you are not an existing NODC, apply to become an IODE Associate Data Unit (with a specific role as OBIS node)

13. Terms of Reference: IODE Associate Data Units (ADUs)
IODE Associate Data Units (ADUs) shall:
Be national projects, programmes, institutions or organizations (other than NODCs), or regional or international projects, programmes, institutions or organizations that carry out data management functions,
Receive information on, and contribute to, IODE standards and best practices related to ocean data management,
Be welcomed to participate in ocean data and information management training, organized within the framework of the IODE OceanTeacher programme,
Be invited, as observers, in Sessions of the IODE Committee,
Participate in IODE workshops and projects,
Share expertise with other ADUs and NODCs,
Be invited to share their data and information on their data collection (metadata catalogue), and this should be through their NODC (in the case of national projects, programmes, institutions or organizations), or through another IODE data facility (in the case of regional or international projects, programmes, institutions or organizations) or, in the case of biogeographic data, through iOBIS,
Receive assistance, upon request, from IODE, on matters related to ocean data management,
Closely link with their IODE National Oceanographic Data Centre (NODC), if existing (in the case of national projects, organizations and institutions),
Agree to make available data management documentation (standards, practices, guides,…) used by the ADU.

14. What are the benefits for ADUs?
Being associated with IODE means the following:
You will have access to IODE documentation and expertise in the area of oceanographic data management and marine information management;
You will be part of the IODE information dissemination network related to oceanographic data management and marine information management;
You will be able to obtain IODE (OceanTeacher) technical training related to oceanographic data management and marine information management
You will be invited to make your data and information available through relevant IODE mechanisms (e.g., OceanDataPortal, OceanDocs, OceanExpert, OBIS,…)
You will be invited to participate in IODE projects
You will be invited to designate experts to participate in IODE project steering groups or IODE groups of experts (short-term members).

15. How to become an ADU/OBIS Node..
IODE invites any project, programme, institution or organization that is willing to comply with the Terms of Reference to apply to join IODE as an IODE Associate Data Unit (ADU) by providing the following information (sent to with copy to :
Name and contact information of the ADU contact point(s).
Name and contact point of the head of the applicant entity.
Description of the national, regional or international project, programme, institution or organization.
Brief description of data services/products provided by the entity.
For projects: expected lifespan of the project and indication of plan for the archival/preservation of the data, data management plan.
Letters of support.
Required expertise, training that IODE could contribute.
Data policy (if identified) of the applicant entity.
Details of any existing relationship with an NODC.
ADU form available HERE

16. Once your application is received…
Applications for ADUs will be reviewed by the IODE Management Group in consultation with the OBIS Steering Group.
Once approved, you will be notified and the OBIS node manager and data manager will be added to the OBIS Steering Group

17. OBIS Node health status check and transition strategy for inactive OBIS nodes
SG-OBIS evaluates the health status of OBIS nodes at each annual SG meeting
An OBIS node is considered inactive when it meets any of the following conditions:
The OBIS node manager recurrently fails to answer the communications from the project manager or the SG co-chairs in the last 12 months
The OBIS node manager or a representative fails to attend (personally or virtually) the last 2 SG meetings without any written reason
The OBIS node does not have an IPT
The OBIS node has an IPT, but it has not been running for the last 12 months
The datasets in the OBIS node's IPT have been removed and not restored in the last 12 months (without any explanation)
The OBIS node has not provided new data for the last 2 years

18. Option 1: submit action plan SG-OBIS
OBIS Node health status check and transition strategy for inactive OBIS nodes
Option 1: submit action plan
SG-OBIS
OBIS node
OBIS node
OBIS node
The SG-OBIS members representing active OBIS Nodes will make one of the following decisions:
Request the inactive OBIS node to submit a plan with actions, deliverables and times to improve their performance, within 3 months, to the OBIS Secretariat. This plan is reviewed and accepted by the OBIS-Executive Committee Or
Provide a recommendation to the IOC Committee on IODE to remove the OBIS node from the IODE network.
In either case, the OBIS Secretariat will inform the OBIS node manager of the SG-OBIS decision, with a copy to the IODE officers and the IODE national coordinator for data management of the country concerned.
The IODE Committee is requested to consider the recommendation from the OBIS Steering Group and it may either accept the recommendation or request the inactive OBIS node to submit an action plan (option 1).
When the inactive OBIS node is removed from the IODE network, the SG-OBIS will ask whether another OBIS node is interested in taking over the responsibilities of the removed OBIS node, until a new OBIS node in the country/region is established.
IODE
Option 2: recommend to IODE removes OBIS node

19. The OBIS Network needs additional nodes to help improve coverage both geographically and thematically.
Every institution, project, initiative can apply to become a node of OBIS (TIER II or III) as an NODC or ADU recognised by IODE.

20. OBIS Contact Information
OBIS Secretariat UNESCO-IOC Project Office for IODE Wandelaarkaai 7/61, 8400 Oostende, Belgium Project Manager: Mr Ward Appeltans Phone: