News and events
MERMAN
07 February 2007
BODC announce the launch of the web pages for the Marine Environment Monitoring and Assessment National database (MERMAN).
MERMAN's purpose is to store data collected under the Clean Safe Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP) - formerly the National Marine Monitoring Programme (NMMP).
It is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department of Agriculture Northern Ireland (DARD), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Executive Environmental and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD).
Data on contaminants and biological effects are collected by different agencies, from approximately 80 monitoring stations around the UK. These are fed straight into one new online facility developed by IBM. This greatly simplifies the data management process.
BODC acts as the Data Manager for MERMAN. Our duties include
- Providing support with data submission and a helpdesk service for all MERMAN users.
- Processing requests for data (all data are provided free of charge, under licence agreement).
- Liaising with IBM to maintain the database and make changes and improvements.
- Ensuring the transfer of legacy data into MERMAN.
- Ensuring that MERMAN is integrated with and complementary to other related data initiatives.
- Ensuring the annual transfer of quality controlled MERMAN data to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), fulfilling the UK’s contribution to the Oslo and Paris Convention (OSPAR) Joint Assessments and Monitoring Programme (JAMP).
The data are also used in support of European Commission (EC) directives and national assessments.
Related BODC pages
| More news and events | MERMAN at BODC |
Related external links
| UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Strategy at Defra | Scottish Executive Environmental and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) | |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) | International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) | |
| Department of Agriculture Northern Ireland (DARD) | Oslo and Paris Commission (OSPAR) | |
| Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) |
