Title:

Operating a network of integrated observatory systems in the Mediterranean Sea

Total duration:

30 months, June 2017 - November 2021.

Geographical scope and countries involved:

Geographical scope: The whole Mediterranean Sea.

Countries involved: Algeria, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, United Kingdom

Background and general objectives:

The project has been developed to meet the need for harmonized Mediterranean observing systems and to facilitate the access to oceanographic data for a wide range of end-users, such as fishermen, aquaculture companies, port authorities, sanitation services, environmental and research organizations and the general public.

The project ODYSSEA aims to develop, operate and demonstrate an interoperable and cost-effective platform that fully integrates networks of observing and forecasting systems across the Mediterranean basin.

Thus, mussel culture operators will benefit from marine and weather data provided by the ODYSSEA platform to prevent the negative effects of algal blooms or heat waves affecting mussels growth.

Shipping companies will benefit from wind and current forecasts to optimize navigation routes for their vessels and the timing for entering harbours.

Port authorities responsible for regulating the development of coastal resources (biological resources, water quality, tourism, recreational craft, etc.) will have access to spatially denser and more frequent information allowing more rational management and reducing potential use conflicts.

This project could generate new services activities, supporting the implementation of the European Union's policy in terms of promoting job creation in the context of blue growth.

Activities:

The ODYSSEA platform will collect data from many databases maintained by agencies and institutions of Mediterranean EU and non-EU countries, integrating existing earth observation facilities and networks in the Mediterranean Sea.

The lack of information at the local level will be filled through different approaches, including the development of a network of coastal observatories, the deployment of new in-situ sensors at sea (micro-plastic sensors for example), the hydrodynamic modeling and the integration of existing mobile applications for citizen scientist networks.

The ODYSSEA platform will provide both primary data and on-demand derived data services, to meet the specific needs of public or private operators, professional groups, environmental associations or citizens, through a single public portal.

ODYSSEA will improve accessibility to existing data as well as increase the temporal and geographic coverage of observational data in the Mediterranean.

Specific activities (SPA/RAC):

As a project stakeholder, the SPA/RAC coordinates the capacity building activities (Work Package 10) targeting in particular North African partners, who will be responsible for setting up and operating regional observatories.

SPA/RAC will develop, at regional and local level, training seminars on the use of the operational platform and new technologies (sensors and data acquisition systems) integrated into ODYSSEA observatories. These courses are intended for observation system technicians and managers who may use ODYSSEA products.

Partners:

ODYSSEA is a consortium of 28 partners from 14 countries, 6 of which are non-European.

These partners are:
Democritus University of Thrace (Lead organization), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Fundación Instituto Portuario de Estudios y Cooperación de la Comunidad Valenciana, Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, WCMC LBG, SPA/RAC, Blue Lobster IT Limited, Stichting Deltares, ALSEAMAR, Acondicionamiento Tarrasense Associacion, AGIR Association de Gestion Intégrée des Ressources, Nord Sud Ventures ANDDCVS, Arab Network for Environment and Development, İstanbul Üniversitesi, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, HIDROMOD Modelação em Engenharia LDA, Alma Mater Studiorum - Universita Di Bologna, Develogic GMBH, GTD Sistemas De Informacion SA, Association Eco Ocean, The Society for the Protection of Nature In Israel, Aristotelio Panepistimio Thessalonikis, Collecte Localisation Satellites SA, Thales SA, Edisoft-Empresa de Servicos e Desenvolvimen de Software SA, Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer Baratz, AGORA P.S.V.D.

Funding:

European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 727277

For more information, please visit the website of the ODYSSEA Project:
http://odysseaplatform.eu/

SPA/RAC contact:
car-asp@spa-rac.org