JERICO is the result of the collaboration of twenty seven partners coming from seventeen European countries. JERICO is an FP7 project that takes advantage of the different backgrounds of the partners involved, who are contributing their invaluable and diverse experience and expertise when it comes to coastal observations that derive from the technology used for data collection though results and dissemination of informational material.
The operational monitoring of the coastal seas is an important issue when it comes to the health of the marine environment as well as in the provision of data for management of marine activities, research and a range of other applications. Despite the fact that Europe already has in general some good practices when it comes to the maintenance of marine observation systems and provision of quality data on a global and regional scale, coastal observations still lack the required standardisation due to the minor interest being expressed solely through short term projects which are usually adapted to the domestic interests of the distinct countries. This has brought up a number of issues within the research community which are now aiming to increase the consistency and sustainability of these scattered infrastructures by addressing them within a common pan-European context.
JERICO intends to support this idea of proposing a European approach for all the European coastal marine observatories by integrating existing infrastructures and technologies such as moorings, gliders and drifters into one single network. The activities intended to be held within the project will help the project participants to discuss common good practices to be used in this context when it comes to design, implementation, acquisition, maintenance and distribution of data from these coastal observatories, together with definitions of quality standards to be utilized within such a framework. The project also aims to open the European infrastructure for international research which will benefit the overall European contribution to climate change and other research areas.
Apart from the aim to amalgamate the current infrastructures, JERICO will also be looking for ways on how these can be improved. In fact, a number of joint researches will be organised to identify the new and upcoming technologies to be installed in the next generation of coastal observatories. Focus of the research will be on emerging technologies and on the biochemical section. JERICO will be using the data captured to be a major source of coastal data inputs while answering the needs of environmental researchers and managers.
For further information please visit the website: http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2012/euro-mediterranean/index_en.cfm
