Diatom

NEWS! 📢 HUB Ocean and Ecowende pioneer open access to unprecedented amounts of ecology data from offshore wind farms! In a landmark agreement, non-profit foundation HUB Ocean partners with wind farm developer Ecowende to make #ecologydata publicly accessible through HUB Ocean’s Ocean Data Platform. This is setting a new standard for #transparency in #datasharing in the offshore wind industry. The partnership was announced at #WindEurope24 in Bilbao. Ecowende's offshore wind farm on Hollandse Kust West (#HKW) lot VI, located about 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast, aims to be the most ecological wind farm to date with numerous ecological innovations. Through sharing data on the Ocean Data Platform, Ecowende – the first offshore wind developer to do so – is contributing to a deeper understanding of the complexities inherent in our oceans – an ocean that is overexploited and largely unmapped. "HUB Ocean is proud to be the trusted platform for Ecowende and its planned public data-sharing. The commitment to share offshore wind farm data on this scale is a significant step. It not only paves the way for others to follow and voluntarily embrace data sharing - as a lot of data is collected by the industry - it sets a benchmark for all offshore wind companies," said Johannes Berrum, Head of Growth in HUB Ocean. The data provided by Ecowende will come from numerous #sensors in its offshore installations and stand-alone surveys. These sensors monitor a variety of species and other oceanic parameters, both above and below the water, such as bird observations, bat presence, underwater telemetry and acoustic data. Data will be collected, shared and made available in a format that embraces the scientific #FAIR standard (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). This adherence boosts research efficiency, transparency, and impact, aligning with trends towards openness and data-driven discovery. Hermione van Zutphen, ecology project manager at Ecowende: “Transparency, efficiency, and data-driven sustainable operations is essential for Ecowende. The ultimate goal is to create a repeatable data sharing model that illustrates how industrial activities in the ocean can contribute to ocean science and effective environmental management around wind farm sites, by unlocking data for broader research via HUB Ocean’s Ocean Data Platform.” More info in the link! https://lnkd.in/gUwREXPR

🌊 Exciting News from Cornwall! 🌿 In the news this week, one of the largest Maerl beds ever discovered in the UK has been found in Cornwall. This incredible find sheds light on our rich marine biodiversity and the importance of our coastal ecosystems. Maerl beds are not just ordinary underwater landscapes, they are living, breathing habitats formed by the accumulation of calcified seaweed over thousands of years. This recently discovered Maerl bed is estimated to be over 4000 years old, showing us the resilience and endurance of nature. What's even more remarkable is its size – spanning an area equivalent to a 900 rugby pitches (why is everything measured in pitches?). This discovery underscores the significance of our oceans and the need to further understand our vital underwater ecosystems. While Maerl beds may look more like purpley pink rocky carpets (I'll admit, I've only seen one on the isle of Skye) they're made out of calcified Seaweed, which plays a crucial role in marine life. It provides an important habitat for small invertebrates to commercially important fish species. Additionally, Maerl beds act as natural carbon sinks. The fact that we are only just making this discovery now, shows us how little we know about the oceans around us. #Cornwall #MaerlBeds #MarineConservation #SustainableOceanManagement #Biodiversity #Seaweed

BioMarine 2024: ITV N°4, Alexandre Campos CEO Diatoms. Alexandre will participate to our session on marine biodiversity indexing! what is the promise of marine conservation if we don't have the right tools to assess it! join us in Biarritz at #BioMarine2024 https://lnkd.in/gjWYP_rA