AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Modeled distribution map of Syringammina fragilissima fields in the North East Atlantic in 2021

Species distribution models (GAM, Maxent and Random Forest ensemble) predicting the distribution of Syringammina fragilissima fields assemblage in the North East Atlantic. This community is considered ecologically coherent according to the cluster analysis conducted by Parry et al. (2015) on image sample. Modelling its distribution complements existing work on their definition and offers a representation of the extent of the areas of the North East Atlantic where they can occur based on the best available knowledge. This work was performed at the University of Plymouth in 2021.
Distribution and community structure of benthic copepods in the Delta area and the Ems-Dollard between 1976 and 1981

Frequency, density and biomass of copepoda species for several stations in the Oosterschelde, Grevelingen and the Eems-Dollard sampled between 1976 and 1983. The data were digitized by VLIZ from the original report: Willems, K.A. (1989). Verspreiding, ecologie en gemeenschapsstructuur van benthische copepoden in het Delta-gebied en de Eems-Dollard (Nederland). PhD Thesis. Rijksuniversiteit Gent, Faculteit der Wetenschappen: Gent. 2 vol. (440, 198) pp.
List of Copepoda species sampled between 1976 and 1983 for 29 stations in Grevelingen, 40 stations in the Oosterschelde, 19 stations in the Ems-Dollard and the Westerschelde. For each species the following parameters are given: absolute frequency, average density and individual dry weight biomass in µg is calculated.
Beach litter - Median number of fishing & aquaculture related plastic items normalized per 100m & to 1 survey - EU-MSFD monitoring 2001/2022 v2023

This visualization product displays the fishing & aquaculture related plastic items abundance of marine macro-litter (> 2.5cm) per beach per year from Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) monitoring surveys.


EMODnet Chemistry included the collection of marine litter in its 3rd phase. Since the beginning of 2018, data of beach litter have been gathered and processed in the EMODnet Chemistry Marine Litter Database (MLDB).
The harmonization of all the data has been the most challenging task considering the heterogeneity of the data sources, sampling protocols and reference lists used on a European scale.


Preliminary processing were necessary to harmonize all the data:
		- Exclusion of OSPAR 1000 protocol: in order to follow the approach of OSPAR that it is not including these data anymore in the monitoring;
		- Selection of MSFD surveys only (exclusion of other monitoring, cleaning and research operations);
		- Exclusion of beaches without coordinates;
		- Selection of fishing and aquaculture related plastic items only. The list of selected items is attached to this metadata. This list was created using EU Marine Beach Litter Baselines and EU Threshold Value for Macro Litter on Coastlines from JRC (these two documents are attached to this metadata);
		- Normalization of survey lengths to 100m & 1 survey / year: in some case, the survey length was not exactly 100m, so in order to be able to compare the abundance of litter from different beaches a normalization is applied using this formula:
		Number of fishing & aquaculture related plastic items of the survey (normalized by 100 m) = Number of fishing & aquaculture related items of the survey x (100 / survey length)
		Then, this normalized number of fishing & aquaculture related plastic items is summed to obtain the total normalized number of fishing & aquaculture related plastic items for each survey. Finally, the median abundance of fishing & aquaculture related plastic items for each beach and year is calculated from these normalized abundances of fishing & aquaculture related items per survey.
		Sometimes the survey length was null or equal to 0. Assuming that the MSFD protocol has been applied, the length has been set at 100m in these cases.

Percentiles 50, 75, 95 & 99 have been calculated taking into account fishing & aquaculture related plastic items from MSFD data for all years.


More information is available in the attached documents.


Warning: the absence of data on the map doesn't necessarily mean that they don't exist, but that no information has been entered in the Marine Litter Database for this area.
Mediterranean seabird surveys 99/00/02

Data of surveyed seabirds in the Western Mediterranean during the spring (May - June) of multiple years.
Replicate springtime (May - June) vessel-based surveys in the western Mediterranean during standardized trawl surveys of the Spanish continental shelf and slope over three years (1999, 2000, 2002), provide broad-scale information on seabird distributions from the Strait of Gibraltar to Cape Creus.

All observations were made by the same observer (Jose Maria Arcos) during 1999, 2000, and 2002 using standardized strip-transect techniques (Tasker et al. 1984) with specific adaptations to the study area. A 300 m strip-width transect band was used, counting at both sides of the vessel (i.e., surveying a 600 m band) when the conditions (light and wind) were appropriate. Snap-shot counts for flying birds were used. All birds observed during the surveys were recorded and aggregated into 10-minute bins.

To study the distribution and oceanographic habitat of seabirds in the Western Mediterranean during the spring (May - June) of multiple years. Surveys were conducted onboard B/O Cornide de Saavedra research vessel, as part of the annual MEDITS trawl surveys, extending along the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula, from the Strait of Gibraltar in the southwest to Cape Creus in the northeast.

Maite Louzao processed the at-sea data, as part of her Ph.D. dissertation, in the laboratory of Dr. Daniel Oro, at the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA), in Mallorca, Spain.
366_HRDTM_14m_CelticSea_Ireland_Cork

This composite Digital Terrain Model (cDTM) is a high resolution bathymetry dataset highlighting measurement of depth of water in the ocean. This cDTM covers the Celtic Sea off the coast of County Cork Ireland. The EMODnet high resolution DTM covers bathymetry surveys completed between 2002 and 2016. Bathymetric data collected on board research vessels using multi-beam and single-beam echosounder instrumentation. Raw bathymetry processed within CARIS software to produce bathymetry products subsequently converted to NetCDF cDTM for EMODnet. Acquisition, processing and product delivery follows IHO standard s44 Edition 5. cDTM is composed of foureen (14) images “merged simply” using GLOBE software. INFOMAR (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource) is a twenty year programme to map the physical, chemical and biological features of Ireland’s seabed established in 2006. INFOMAR is funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE), and delivered by joint management partners Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute. The programme is the successor to the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS) which ran between 1999 and 2005. INFOMAR concentrates on creating integrated mapping products related to the seabed.
BEWREMABI dataset: Belgische wrakken - hotspots voor mariene biodiversiteit: Macrofauna op wrakken

Data gathered during BEWREMABI project sampling campaigns
Data was gathered during BEWREMABI project (part of SPSD-II federal science policy programme) sampling campaigns. Epifauna was scraped from horizontal or vertical quadrates. On board the macrofauna was seperated from the meiofauna and the macrofauna samples were identified to species level. For two cruises the meiofauna was worked out as well (see related dataset http://www.vliz.be/imis/imis.php?module=dataset-dasid=837).
366_HRDTM_29m_NorthAtlanticOcean_Ireland_Galway_Clare

This composite Digital Terrain Model (cDTM) is a high resolution bathymetry dataset highlighting measurement of depth of water in the ocean. This cDTM covers the North Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of counties Galway and Clare in Ireland. The EMODnet high resolution DTM covers bathymetry surveys completed between 2002 and 2016. Bathymetric data collected on board research vessels using multi-beam and single-beam echosounder instrumentation. Raw bathymetry processed within CARIS software to produce bathymetry products subsequently converted to NetCDF cDTM for EMODnet. Acquisition, processing and product delivery follows IHO standard s44 Edition 5. cDTM is composed of eleven (11) images “merged simply” using GLOBE software. INFOMAR (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource) is a twenty year programme to map the physical, chemical and biological features of Ireland’s seabed established in 2006. INFOMAR is funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE), and delivered by joint management partners Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute. The programme is the successor to the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS) which ran between 1999 and 2005. INFOMAR concentrates on creating integrated mapping products related to the seabed.
EMODnet Digital Bathymetry (DTM 2022) - Tile F4

The "EMODnet Digital Bathymetry (DTM)- 2022" is a multilayer bathymetric product for Europe’s sea basins covering:
•  the Greater North Sea, including the Kattegat and stretches of water such as Fair Isle, Cromarty, Forth, Forties,Dover, Wight, and Portland 
•  the English Channel and Celtic Seas  
•  Western Mediterranean, the Ionian Sea and the Central Mediterranean Sea 
•  Iberian Coast and Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean) 
•  Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean) 
•  Aegean - Levantine Sea (Mediterranean). 
•  Madeira and Azores (Macaronesia) 
•  Baltic Sea 
•  Black Sea 
•  Norwegian and Icelandic Seas 
•  Canary Islands (Macaronesia) 
•  Arctic region and Barentz Sea

The DTM is based upon 21937 bathymetric survey data sets and Composite DTMs that have been gathered from 64 data providers from 28 countries riparian to European seas and beyond. Also Satellite Derived Bathymetry data products have been included fro Landsat 8 and Sentinel satellite images. Areas not covered by observations are completed by integrating GEBCO 2022 and IBCAO V4.

The source reference layer in the portal viewing service gives metadata of the data sets used with their data providers; the metadata also acknowledges the data originators. The incorporated survey data sets itself can be discovered and requested for access through the Common Data Index (CDI) data discovery and access service that in December 2022 contained > 41.000survey data sets from European data providers for global waters. The Composite DTMs can be discovered through the Sextant Catalogue service. Both discovery services make use of SeaDataNet standards and services and have been integrated in the EMODnet portal (https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/bathymetry#bathymetry-services ).
In addition, the EMODnet Map Viewer (https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/geoviewer/ ) gives users wide functionality for viewing and downloading the EMODnet digital bathymetry such as:
• water depth (refering to the Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum - LAT) in gridded form on a DTM grid of 1/16 * 1/16 arc minute of longitude and latitude (ca 115 * 115 meters).
• option to view depth parameters of individual DTM cells and references to source data
• option to download DTM in 58 tiles in different formats: ESRI ASCII, XYZ, EMODnet CSV, NetCDF (CF), GeoTiff and SD
• option to visualize the DTM in 3D in the browser without plug-in
• layer with a number of high resolution DTMs for coastal regions
• layer with wrecks from the UKHO Wrecks database.

The EMODnet DTM is also available by means of OGC web services (WMS, WFS, WCS, WMTS), which are specified at the EMODnet Bathymetry portal.  
The original datasets themselves are not distributed but described in the metadata services, giving clear information about the background survey data used for the DTM, their access restrictions, originators and distributors and facilitating requests by users to originator.
Contaminants-Fluoranthene: biota stations v2019

This product displays the stations present in EMODnet validated dataset where fluoranthene levels have been measured in biota.
EMODnet Chemistry has included the gathering of contaminants data since the beginning of the project in 2009. 
For the maps for EMODnet Chemistry Phase III, it was requested to plot data per matrix (water,sediment, biota), per biological entity and per chemical substance. 
The series of relevant map products have been developed according to the criteria D8C1 of the MSFD Directive, specifically focusing on the requirements under the new Commission Decision 2017/848 (17th May 2017). The Commission Decision points to relevant threshold values that are specified in the WFD, as well as relating how these contaminants should be expressed (units and matrix etc.) through the related Directives i.e. Priority substances for Water. EU EQS Directive does not fix any threshold values in sediments. On the contrary Regional Sea Conventions provide some of them, and these values have been taken into account for the development of the visualization products.
To produce the maps the following process has been followed:
    1. Data collection through SeaDataNet standards (CDI+ODV)
    2. Harvesting, harmonization, validation and P01 code decomposition of data
    3. SQL query on data sets from point 2 
    4. Production of map with each point representing at least one record that match the criteria
The harmonization of all the data has been the most challenging task considering the heterogeneity of the data sources, sampling protocols.
Preliminary processing were necessary to harmonize all the data :
    • For water: contaminants in the dissolved phase;
    • For sediment: data on total sediment (regardless of size class) or size class < 2000 μm
    • For biota: contaminant data will focus on molluscs, on fish (only in the muscle), and on crustaceans
    • Exclusion of data values equal to 0
Fourth part of Dr. John K. Hall data and information (International Bathymetric Charts of the Mediterranean Sea and other documents). Raster Data first package out of 3

This data and documents are part of a DVD  prepared by Dr. John K. Hall the former  Vice Chairman of the IBCM (International Bathymetric Chart of the Mediterranean) contain the scanned charts and scientific papers related to the bathymetry, magnetics, gravity, Plio-Quaternary sediments, Seismicity, and Bottom Sediment maps of the Mediterranean Sea with their explanatory notes. The charts have been prepared in collaboration mainly with OGS, University of Trieste, Institute for Geophysics in Hamburg, the Russian Academy of Science and  the Russian Federation under the authority of IOC.
MEP-NSW Gillnet

The main purpose of this sampling was to study the effects on fish near the monopiles in the OWEZ windpark. A multi-mesh gillnet is used, with six mesh sizes. Each mesh size forms a single panel of 6,7 meters in width. Every mesh-size panel occurs twice in each net, thus a complete net consists of 12 panels and has a length of about 80 meters.
The multi-mesh gillnet used has a height of 3.7 m. At low tidal currents, the height of the net was assumed to be 3 m from the seabed
Cefas03 - Impacts of experimental trawling disturbance on nematode communities

Experiment on the short-term effects of beam trawling in the Southern North Sea.
A BACI experimental approach was used to investigate the short-term effects of beam trawling on the diversity, biomass and community structure of meiofauna on real fishing grounds in the Southern North Sea. The dataset includes meiofauna species counts from two locations sampled once before and twice post-trawling.
2015_9_SNH South Arran And Upper Loch Fyne Marine Protected Areas: D6 1/128

This survey area was part of a multibeam bathymetry carried out by the British Geological Survey on behalf of Scottish Natural Heritage between 25/11/2015  and 17/04/2016. A bathymetric and side scan sonar survey was undertaken using the survey vessel White Ribbon. The aim was to establish baseline mapping of the seabed (examining habitat heterogeneity and fisheries marks) within the target areas prior to the implementation of new management measures.
Seafloor litter - Plastic bags density normalized per km² 2011/2024 v2025

This visualization product displays plastic bags density per trawl.

EMODnet Chemistry included the collection of marine litter in its 3rd phase. Since the beginning of 2018, data of seafloor litter collected by international fish-trawl surveys have been gathered and processed in the EMODnet Chemistry Marine Litter Database (MLDB). 
The harmonization of all the data has been the most challenging task considering the heterogeneity of the data sources, sampling protocols (OSPAR and MEDITS protocols) and reference lists used on a European scale. Moreover, within the same protocol, different gear types are deployed during bottom trawl surveys.

In cases where the wingspread and/or number of items were/was unknown, it was not possible to use the data because these fields are needed to calculate the density. Data collected before 2011 are concerned by this filter.

When the distance reported in the data was null, it was calculated from:
- the ground speed and the haul duration using the following formula: Distance (km) = Haul duration (h) * Ground speed (km/h);
- the trawl coordinates if the ground speed and the haul duration were not filled in.

The swept area was calculated from the wingspread (which depends on the fishing gear type) and the distance trawled:
Swept area (km²) = Distance (km) * Wingspread (km)

Densities were calculated on each trawl and year using the following computation:
Density of plastic bags (number of items per km²) = ∑Number of plastic bags related items / Swept area (km²)

Percentiles 50, 75, 95 & 99 were calculated taking into account data for all years.

The list of selected items for this product is attached to this metadata.
Information on data processing and calculation is detailed in the attached methodology document.

Warning: the absence of data on the map does not necessarily mean that they do not exist, but that no information has been entered in the Marine Litter Database for this area.
REMP project - Scleraxonia Habitat Suitability

This dataset consists of global raster maps indicating the habitat suitability for 7 suborders of cold water octocorals (Octocorallia found deeper than 50m). Maps present a relative habitat suitability index ranging from 0 (unsuitable) to 100 (highly suitable).
This data set has been used as one of the data inputs in the Atlantic REMP project. This project, funded by the European Union, worked together with stakeholders to produce a draft Regional Environmental Management Plan (REMP) for the Area in the North Atlantic, with a focus on the polymetallic sulphide deposits of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge which are of interest for deep-sea mining. There was close collaboration with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and a consortium of scientific organisations. Marine data from multiple data services underpinned the environmental management plan development. A selection of the data sets is included in EMODnet Ingestion for wider distribution.
North Sea - DIVAnd 4D 6-year seasonal analysis of Water body phosphate 1980/2020 v2021

Moving 6-year analysis and visualization of Water body phosphate in the North Sea, four seasons: winter (dec-feb), spring (mar-may), summer (jun-aug), autumn (sep-nov). Data Sources: observational data from SeaDataNet/EMODnet Chemistry Data Network. Description of DIVA analysis: Geostatistical data analysis by DIVAnd (Data-Interpolating Variational Analysis) tool, version 2.7.2. results were subjected to the minfield option in DIVAnd to avoid negative/underestimated values in the interpolated results; error threshold masks L1 (0.3) and L2 (0.5) are included as well as the unmasked field. The depth dimension allows visualizing the gridded field at various depths.
Phytoplankton community analysis in the Middle Adriatic

This data product is an R Shiny application that discloses the data collected by the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IZOR) in Croatia, in the Middle Adriatic (Skejic et al., 2015). A time series has been built of observations on the species composition of the plankton. The application shows the evolution over time of abundance of major groups of species, as well as the most frequent species (or other taxonomic units) in the dataset. There is also a multivariate representation based on a PCA of abundances of the most frequent species, which shows the seasonal (monthly) fluctuations and the long-term (yearly) trend, and the contribution of each individual species to the temporal evolution of the community.
Verspreiding van pelagische organismen van het Belgisch Continentaal Plat

Study of the dispersion and dispersal mechanisms of pelagic key species on the Belgian Continental Shelf (BCS). The focus of the dataset is on those species that have a pelagic life-style or have pelagic larvae, mainly clupeidae.
The Belgian coastal waters are internationally very important areas for a number of sea and coastal birds. Studying the distribution patterns of the possible food sources (i.c. Pelagic fish) of these birds will lead to a better understanding of their spatial distribution patterns.
Sampling is done with the Zeeleeuw R.V. Underway data is registrated in MIDAS.
Van januari 2003 tot februari 2004 werden er op maandelijkse basis staalnames uitgevoerd met het onderzoeksschip R.V. De Zeeleeuw op acht stations op het Belgisch Continentaal Plat. De pelagische vissen werden bemonsterd met een MIK-net (Midwater Isaac's Kidd trawl) met een maaswijdte van 3 op 3 mm. Per station werd een sleep boven de bodem en een sleep onder het wateroppervlak uitgevoerd. Per sleep werden een aantal omgevingsvariabelen (turbiditeit, saliniteit en temperatuur) gemeten met behulp van een CTD-scan (SBE 19plus). Alle vissen werden gedetermineerd tot op soortsniveau, geteld, gemeten en de densiteiten werden berekend. Voor de soorten die de vangst domineerden werd de aandacht gericht op de ruimtelijke en de temporele verspreiding alsook op de grootteklasse verdeling.
Otter Trawl Fishing Effort

This dataset shows the distribution of fishing effort by fishing vessels according to the gear type used - Otter trawling. Fishing effort is defined as the time spent engaged in fishing operations or time spent at sea, this time may be multiplied by a measure of fishing capacity, e.g. engine power. In this dataset fishing effort is measured as average hours spent actively fishing per kilometre square, per year. Data from years 2014 to 2018 was used to produce this data product for the Marine Institute publication the “Atlas of Commercial Fisheries around Ireland, third edition“ (https://oar.marine.ie/handle/10793/1432).
Ceriantharia distribution data from: Deep-sea fauna of European seas - an annotated species check-list of benthic invertebrates living deeper than 2000 m in the seas bordering Europe

An annotation is given for the species Cerianthus vogti Danielssen, 1890, the only ceriantharian species occurring deeper than 2000 m in the seas bordering Europe.
The annotation includes synonymy, data on localities in European seas and general species distribution. Station data are presented separately in the present thematic issue.
DATRAS: ICES Database of trawl surveys, survey: DYFS

The Inshore Beam Trawl Surveys include data collected by 4 countries (BE, DE, NL, UK) cover cover most of the coastal and estuarine waters along the continental coast, and are also known as the Youngfish Surveys. Although, the surveys target plaice and sole, composition of the whole catch is analyzed. Responsible survey group is WGBEAM