Background

The ocean accounts for 70% of the earth's surface. It not only greatly affects the global climate, but also provides humankind with many benefits such as fisheries resources, mineral resources and places for recreation. It is crucial that we understand the ocean in order to live on the earth.

However, the ocean is vast and full of mysteries, and its environment is so harsh that it makes ocean research activities time consuming and expensive. Cooperation among ocean research organizations and researchers is therefore indispensable.

Moreover, unlike an experiment at a laboratory, the ocean observation under the same condition cannot be carried out again, so it is important to promote secondary and tertiary uses of the observation data, in addition to primary uses by researchers who observed.

Based on the recommendation of the First Session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) under UNESCO, the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) system was established in 1961 to "enhance marine research, exploration, and development by facilitating the exchange of oceanographic data and information between participating Member States." The First Session of IOC also recommended that the Member States establish National Oceanographic Data Centers (NODCs).

Since its establishment, the IODE system has endeavored to collect, manage and distribute oceanographic data and information, by cooperating with the related organizations and international projects, in order to support oceanographic research activities. Such endeavors have produced tremendous results. Nevertheless, large quantities of oceanographic data and information remain buried, without being managed appropriately.

Oceanographic data and information always face the risk of being lost due to the degradation of recording media, natural and human disasters and accidents including war damages, and transfer and retirement of researchers.