• Credit: IFREMER

Side event at the All-Atlantic2021 Conference

All-Atlantic marine research infrastructure network (AA-MARINET)

On June 3rd, 2021, 1-3 PM UTC/AZOST, the partners of the All-Atlantic marine research infrastructure network (AA-MARINET) will organize a side event at the All-Atlantic2021 Conference, which will be another important milestone towards the establishment of an effective process for sharing marine research infrastructures, including the implementation of an All-Atlantic Trans-National Access / infrastructure sharing mechanism. This milestone is of crucial importance to address common challenges related to the area of ocean observation, forecasting and monitoring within the context of the Galway and Belem Statements and the UN Decade of the Ocean Science.

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:

  1. Implementing a web portal to unlock the potential for articulation of the observation activities conducted in the Atlantic basin;
  2. 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;
  3. Working on three pilot specific domains: Coastal observation (AA-COASTNET), Pelagic imaging (I/ITAPINA) and Polar research (NMPRI).

Marine research infrastructures provide the tools scientists and innovators need to know and better understand ocean ecosystems and to develop solutions for a 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.

This Joint Pilot Action is led by the AIR Centre, based in Portugal, and IFREMER, from France. The countries already involved in the All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network are: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, United States of America.

Programme (time in UTC/AZOST)

1:00 PM – Welcome, Florence Coroner, CSA AANChOR, AA-MARINET Co-leader, IFREMER

1:10 PM – Keynote speeches

  • A long-term collaboration framework for infrastructures initiatives at the Atlantic Ocean level, Jose Moutinho, AIR CENTRE, Leader of AA-MARINET Joint action
  • Genesis of the AA-MARINET, Moacyr Araujo, Universidade de Pernambuco

1:30 PM – Panel discussion

  • A webportal to unlock the potential for articulation of the observation activities in the Altantic Basin, João Vitorino, Instituto Hidrografico
  • Case study: Ship-time sharing / thematic coordination of scientific cruise, João Vitorino (IH), Moacyr Araujo (UFPE), Pascal Morin (Ifremer)
  • Supporting the development of a transatlantic network of RI initiatives: AA-COASTNET, I/ITAPINA, POLAR RI

2:20 PM – Stakeholders session

  • Engaging the All Atlantic community : Community Group kick-off
  • Question & Answers

2:50 PM – Conclusions and way forward

3:00 PM – End of the side event

Additional information on AA-MARINET

Partners

Logos Partners AA-MARINET

Goals

To achieve its goals, several activities are planned to be realized:

  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. I/ITAPINA Pilot action: Statutes, workshop and roadmap for network implementation
  5. AA-COASTNET Pilot action: Workshop and training activity related to the design and construction of low-cost sensors and platforms to be deployed along coastal areas
  6. NMPRI Pilot action: Workshop and roadmap for implementation of TNA in polar stations

Expected Outcomes

Short-term outcomes

  1. Implementation of governance structure bodies and report with vision and implementation strategy of the All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network;
  2. Fully operational All-Atlantic Ocean observation activities web portal;
  3. Case study on ship-time sharing and cooperation opportunities and guidelines on research infrastructure sharing in the Atlantic;
  4. Implementation of 3 networks:
    1. Coastal observation (AA-COASTNET) – including report with recommendations on research infrastructures sharing and a training activity;
    2. Plankton 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;
    3. Polar research (NMRI-PR) – including the definition of long-term objectives for research infrastructures sharing.

Long-term outcomes

  1. Fully implement the All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network;
  2. Fully implement thematic networks promoting sharing of research infrastructures.

Sharing of Marine Research Infrastructures

The All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network will have a direct impact on the better articulation infrastructure related activities in the global Atlantic area thus increasing the opportunities to observe the Atlantic space and the collection of complementary measurements. More specifically the following impacts are expected:

  • Environmental impact: Contribute to gather rapid support “in the field” to help operational centers involved in the management of crisis at sea. This will mitigate the potentially large impacts to the environment associated with those crises;
  • Business/Economic impact: Optimize the use of ocean observing infrastructures operating in the Atlantic through a direct impact on the reduction of the global financial effort allocated to ocean observation.
  • Research: Overall improvement in the understanding of the Atlantic Ocean and its resources due to an increased number of ocean complementary observations.

The All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network will join forces, promote efficient cooperation and maximize impact by bringing together different initiatives that are presently responsible for the observations in the Atlantic Ocean in general, and for the articulation of specific observing systems, including the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance related projects. It will support the implementation of the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance by providing a forum and tools to support the development of a transatlantic network of research infrastructure initiatives and promote Trans-National Access and other methods for sharing infrastructures in the Atlantic area. More specifically, the All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network will:

  • Provide a platform for scientific and technological cooperation by connecting existing observation networks and promoting collaborative actions;
  • Increase operational efficiencies by optimizing the appropriate use and sharing of research infrastructures;
  • Develop our common understanding and expanding our scientific knowledge on the Atlantic;
  • Promote and facilitate capacity development through scientific exchange.

Alignment with the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance

The All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network will benefit all key common areas of interest under the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance:

Areas AA-MARINET

Who can be involved?

Programme Managers, Programme owners, projects, international initiatives managing research infrastructures, researchers, technicians.

Contact

For inquiries about this Joint Action, please contact Jose Luiz Moutinho at the AIR Centre, in Portugal.

Please register here