IODE-XXV revised the management structure of IODE through Decision IODE-XXV.5.1 (The IODE Management Structure). The new structure includes a Management Group that has executive and non-executive members. It is expected that the revised structure will be able to better balance participation by data management experts and marine information management experts and allow improved participation of IODE project leaders in the IODE management. More info in http://www.iode.org/management
The Summary Report of the Twenty-fifth Session of the IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE-XXV) is now available from: http://www.iode.org/giode25 . The IODE Session was attended by 100 participants from 39 IOC Member States and 7 Organizations. The Session adopted 4 decisions (+ 2 draft decisions for the IOC Assembly) and 5 recommendations. The decisions concerned (i) the establishment of an inter-sessional working group on the review of NODC health status; (ii) the revision of the IODE management structure; (iii) the establishment of the inter-sessional working group to develop the implementation plan and cost-benefit analysis for the IOC Ocean Data and Information System (ODIS). The Recommendations concerned (i) the JCOMM/IODE Global Data Assembly Centres; (ii) the revision of the terms of reference of he JCOMM/IODE ETDMP; (iii) the establishment of the IOC Ocean Data and Information System Catalogue of Sources (ODISCat); (iv) the establishment of an inter-sessional working group to propose a strategy on ocean data and information stewardship for the UN Ocean Decade; and (v) the IODE work plan and budget for 2019-2020. In addition a draft decision was prepared for the IOC Assembly on the revision of the IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy as well as a draft decision on the establishment of the IOC Ocean Best Practices System project. The Committee elected Dr Sergey Belov (Russian Federation) and Mr Taco de Bruin (The Netherlands) as IODE Co-Chairs.
The SPREP Library has joined the IODE network of Associate Information Units (AIUs). The Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is a regional environmental organisation based in Apia, Samoa. It serves 21 Pacific member countries and 5 metropolitan countries. SPREP has 4 strategic programmes: Island and Ocean Ecosystem, Climate Change Resilience, Waste Management and Pollution Prevention and Environmental Monitoring and Governance. The SPREP Library provides access to a specialised collection of monographs and series, reports, grey litereature in fields of biological diversity, climate change, waste management, conservation, environmental sciences, environmental governance and monitoring, energy development etc. More info on http://www.sprep.org and https://library.sprep.org/Pein/home/home.aspx
The 25th Session of the IODE Committee will be held in Tokyo, kindly hosted by Japan. As has become tradition the Session will be preceded by a Scientific Conference (http://www.iode.org/iode25_sciconf) . This time the Conference will take 2 days: 18 and 19 February 2019. The main theme will be the UN Decade of Science for Sustainable Development which will be implemented between 2021 and 2030. As one of the goals of the Decade wil be to provide ocean science, data and information to inform policies for a well-functioning ocean, IODE will be expected to play a key role in the Decade. In addition to the decade, the scientific conference will cover themes such as: (i) Regional IODE developments; (ii) Capacity development; (iii) How is IODE collaborating in ongoing major initiatives and activities that may contribute to the UN Decade; (iv) Future of IODE and emerging opportunities including the UN Decade; and (v) Cooperation with Partners (Japan).
We are pleased to inform you of the launching of the first prototype of the IOC Ocean Data and Information System (ODIS) “Catalogue of Sources” on https://catalogue.odis.org/
The ODIS “Catalogue of Sources” aims to be an online browsable and searchable catalogue of existing ocean related web-based sources/systems of data and information as well as products and services. The ODIS “Catalogue of Sources” should not be confused with data portals or even metadata systems: it does NOT provide access to ocean observation metadata or data but guides you to sources where you can find these. So: no links to data sets.
The 7th Session of the IODE Steering Group for OBIS took place on 12-16 November 2018 at the IOC Project Office for IODE, Oostende, Belgium. The meeting was attended by 36 participants from 24 countries representing 24 OBIS nodes. The OBIS Steering Group made 35 recommendations and decisions, and defined 48 action items in an ambitious 2019 work plan (more info).
The Summary Report of the Twenty-fifth Session of the IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE-XXV) is now available from: 
The SPREP Library has joined the IODE network of Associate Information Units (AIUs). The Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is a regional environmental organisation based in Apia, Samoa. It serves 21 Pacific member countries and 5 metropolitan countries. SPREP has 4 strategic programmes: Island and Ocean Ecosystem, Climate Change Resilience, Waste Management and Pollution Prevention and Environmental Monitoring and Governance. The SPREP Library provides access to a specialised collection of monographs and series, reports, grey litereature in fields of biological diversity, climate change, waste management, conservation, environmental sciences, environmental governance and monitoring, energy development etc. More info on 
The 7th Session of the IODE Steering Group for OBIS took place on 12-16 November 2018 at the IOC Project Office for IODE, Oostende, Belgium. The meeting was attended by 36 participants from 24 countries representing 24 OBIS nodes. The OBIS Steering Group made 35 recommendations and decisions, and defined 48 action items in an ambitious 2019 work plan (more