After a period of sole access by PIs for publication preparation, such data are made available to other programme participants and the wider community. Under the Environmental Genomics programme there is the potential for vast amounts of data to be generated. A Data Sub-Committee has been established with the approval of the Environmental Genomics Steering Committee to draw up a detailed Data Management Plan. Whilst all recipients of NERC funding must endeavour to ensure that the outcomes of their research are used to the advantage of the UK, NERC retains the right, for a limited period, to exploit IP in partnership with grant recipient organisations to the benefit of the UK and the organisations. This is to avoid circumstances where fragmentation of IP would reduce the likelihood of exploitation.
Many possibilities exist for the commercial exploitation of discoveries.
Workshops, involving end-users, such as industry, environmental regulators, NGOs, conservation scientists and IP companies, will be held to discuss mutually beneficial means of maximising benefit from novel discoveries. The Committee also has responsibilities for co-ordinating data management arrangements, and for promoting the transfer of the outcomes of the research to the user community. The Environmental Genomics Programme Administrator has responsibility for all aspects of the day to day programme administration and for enquiries concerning the programme.