Embedded Files
Technology has revolutionized our ability to manage and display data and information: Satellites are providing precise and real-time data of the Earth’s surface (NOAA coastwatch), databases are providing, for instance, updated list of marine organisms taxonomy (WoRMS), spatial and temporal distribution (EMODnet, LifeWatch), online platforms are collecting and combining global data sets for an easier access and visualization (UNbiodiversity lab), mobile apps enable civilians to map their knowledge or local ecosystems...
It is clear that Geographic Information Systems have become a really important tool for marine scientists. In that context it is indispensable to have access to a unique georeferenced standard information.
What is Marine Regions?
What is Marine Regions?
Marine Regions is a register of geographical areas and place names coupled with information and maps of the geographic location of these features. It offers a standard for maritime boundaries and marine areas and locations in an open access (search and download). As of today it contains more than 75 thousands marine place names on a global scope with a focus on European, North American and Antarctic marine waters.
Marine Regions is managed by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and funded by European initiatives such as Lifewatch.
What can you find in this database?
What can you find in this database?
The Gazetteer
The Gazetteer
It contains geographic, mainly marine names such as seas, sandbanks, seamounts, ridges, bays or even standard sampling stations used in marine research. It is a great and intuitive search tool but is also used as a standard base for other databases and therefore can make the link between the former.
Maritime boundaries
Maritime boundaries
This global GIS includes all areas present in the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). These areas are Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), Territorial Seas (TS), Contiguous Zones (CZ), Internal Waters (IW) and Archipelagic Waters (AW). The creation of the outer limit of the continental shelf product as just started with my professional practice and will be available by the end of 2020. This database is an Open-Source project and is being updated as new treaties are negotiated.
In 2020 the world EEZ v11 shapefile layer was already downloaded 2500 times!
This is an interactive interface of the Marine region database. Try it out!
Do you want to know even more about what I learned during this internship?
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