10.2 The Marine XML Standards Development Process
In order to develop a Marine XML, it will be necessary to create a two tiered process. This would comprise an international steering or standards group as discussed above and a research and development program comprising a consortium of individuals and agencies. The structure necessary to develop and implement this would be similar to a number of the other standards groups (or processes) that are supporting spatial data standards and internet standards such as the OpenGIS Consortium and the WWW Consortium.
As described above, this process should be lead by the IODE Committee and include a number of interested agencies and groups including commercial interests in the database and spatial data areas. The group would ‘create’ a number of working groups to work on specific aspects of the XML framework development. Such a process would result in a ‘product’ or standard that would go along way towards the creation of the marine data framework and support the implementation of the Virtual Marine Data Centre.
11. Conclusion
Marine data management is complicated by the multidimensional nature of the marine environment and its viscosity that causes a high level of interaction between living and non-living processes. With the ratification of UNCLOS, the profile of the marine ecosystem is being raised and there is becoming an even more urgent need to better understand this complex environment.
It is the responsibility of marine data managers to build the tools that will enable the integration and management of the diverse range of marine data parameters. By building on some of the developing internet based information technologies we can create a truly distributed marine data management system. This will provide an ability to manage and track data from its collection through to the development of value added products. This distributed system would form the Virtual Marine Data Centre, supporting global needs.
IODE should take the lead in developing the data framework needed to create the Virtual Marine Data Centre. This framework should be built using XML and a process must be implemented to manage and coordinate this development in a similar manner to the evolution of other Internet related standards.
The marine data management community can make significant improvements to man's ability to understand the oceans, its resources, its interaction with the land and atmosphere and its interaction with society. Knowledge is the key to creating this understanding and the marine data management community in general, and IODE in particular, has the responsibility to make the data and information necessary to build this knowledge freely and easily available.
References
Searle, B. 1998. Developments and Innovations in Marine Data Management. Conference on Information Technology in Oceanography. Goa India.
Bos, B. 1999. XML in 10 Points. World Wide Web Consortium Home Page (http://www.w3.org/XML/)
Zann, L. 1991. State of the Australian Marine Environment Report. Commonwealth of Australia.
