Why open marine data matters for the future of our seas

Written by Laura Fantuzzi, PhD student, University of Portsmouth

Laura, a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth, analyses ocean pollution data collected by rowers taking part in the GB Row Challenge. This year, The Crown Estate is sponsoring the challenge as lead environmental data partner.

As a PhD researcher studying the marine environment, I spend a lot of time thinking about the pressures facing our seas: biodiversity loss, biomass loss, rising temperatures and collapsing fisheries. Scientists want to act, but without data, we do not know where the problems are or how serious they are.

The ocean is vast, complex and constantly changing. Understanding it takes detailed information about habitats, species, water conditions and human activity at sea. Collecting that information is expensive and time-consuming, so every dataset we gather is valuable. That is why making marine data open and accessible matters.

Where does the GB Row Challenge come in?

Rowers in the GB Row Challenge race around the coastline of Great Britain in boats fitted with specialist equipment. They collect samples of microplastics and environmental DNA (eDNA), while also monitoring temperature, salinity and underwater noise.

What is especially exciting is that this is the first time eDNA has been used to study marine biodiversity at this scale in UK waters. It helps build a much bigger picture of biodiversity monitoring.

If we want to protect marine species, we first need to know where they are. Once we have that data, we can make better decisions about marine protected areas and how to manage them.

The same applies to pollution such as microplastics. The UK has introduced measures to reduce microplastics and single-use plastics, but to understand whether these policies are working, we need to identify priority locations, build robust baselines and monitor pollution levels over time.

When we bring different datasets together, such as biodiversity and pollution, we get a much clearer picture of what marine species are being exposed to. That is when data becomes really powerful, helping us understand how human activity is affecting marine life and supporting better decisions about protection.

Where is this data being hosted and why does open access matter?

It is fantastic that The Crown Estate has joined the GB Row Challenge as lead environmental data partner. All data collected during the challenge will be hosted on The Crown Estate’s Marine Data Exchange (MDE), a world-leading collection of marine industry data that is accessible to everyone. Data from previous GB Row Challenges will also be made available there.

What makes open data so useful is the principle of collect once, use many times. Data continues to create value long after it has been gathered, helping researchers compare new findings with historic data and build on existing knowledge rather than starting from scratch.

For researchers like me, platforms like the Marine Data Exchange lower barriers to research, encourage collaboration and support new insights. Ultimately, the more we understand about the ocean, the better equipped we are to protect it.