Banked data are increasingly distributed by online services, available over the Internet, with open or restricted access according to the type of data.

However, some requests for data still require manual intervention:

• requests requiring significant compilation work,
• volume generated incompatible with current network bit-rates (Ifremer, due to its geographical location, is still not connected to the national broadband research network!),
• establishment of distribution rights.

The improvement of the data distribution services leads to two major projects:

1. A renewal of the data distribution policy according to developments to the national and European regulations in matters of environmental data, providing for distribution to a broad public with the exception of certain data:

• geophysical and marine sub-seabed geology: protection of mineral resources, protection of certain sensitive zones by the French Navy),
• fisheries: protection of natural resources.

2. The establishment of standardised data distribution portals, for general use, targeted on a particular topic, and adopting the technical specifications of the INSPIRE Directive: discovery service, access service, etc.

Data access conditions

The data access conditions are presented on Ifremer's marine data site.

In terms of the status of data, significant work has been done, through cooperation between the various players at Ifremer (SISMER, Legal Affairs Department, Department of European and International Affairs) and with the help of Mr Elie Jarmache of the General Secretariat for the Sea. This work led to the production of a decision tree for assessing whether data can be distributed or not. This effort is to be continued.

Data users

The users of banked data are, in order of frequency of requests:

• scientific teams (research, education) in the maritime domain or related domains (meteorology, global geophysics, general biodiversity, etc.).  These uses total about 65% of requests (80% by volume) and include the regular and operational supply of data to the sea state forecasting services (hydrodynamic and circulation, meteorology, climatology, coastal monitoring).
• support to public decision-making (scientific and technical teams of the services of the State, local authorities, national agencies, monitoring European environmental directives, professional organisations, etc.). These uses total about 25% of requests, strongly up over the last few years.
• the supply of information to the private sector, essentially in the domain of natural marine resources exploitation (10% of requests, 15% by volume, with high variability).

SISMER target users

• The general public: Pleasure sailing, fishing from the shore, etc.
• Professionals: Fishermen, shellfish farmers, etc.
• Coastal environment managers: Local authorities and administrations
• Scientists: National and European cooperation
• Consultancy firms: Impact studies, etc.