29th May 2025

The Ocean Sprint

The Ocean Sprint is a partnership between the Ocean Climate Fund and Hub Culture to bring conversations and working progress on oceans to life across a seasonal calendar of ocean linked moments. The Sprint began at the World Ocean Summit in Tokyo, continues with the Bermuda Digital Finance Forum in Bermuda, and the UN Ocean Conference 3 in Nice, and concludes with the Hub Culture Azores MPA Expedition in late summer 2025.

The programme includes a series of curated conversations in Tokyo, Bermuda, Nice and the Azores, with a rolling digital technology sprint to jumpstart ocean linked innovation.

It also features a summer hackathon, global conversations and academic engagements with educational partnerships.

Anchoring the Sprint is the new OCF Data Programme led by the Ocean Climate Fund to build open source data resources and interfaces to be available to the global ocean community. The open source data repository is positioned on Github and provides a working interface for developers to contribute development work.

The Ocean Climate Fund (OCF) is actively developing open ocean data resources to facilitate global collaboration and AI integration, utilizing the Bermuda Standard open data repository for ocean-focused intelligence gathering. Their GitHub repository, hub-culture/Ocean, provides a structured framework for data ingestion, processing, and visualization.

Key Components of the OCF Data Initiative

1.⁠ ⁠Curated List of Open Ocean APIs and Platforms

OCF has compiled a list of 25 publicly accessible APIs and data platforms that offer valuable ocean-related data. These resources are instrumental for researchers, developers, and policymakers working on marine and climate initiatives.

2.⁠ ⁠Structured Data Repository

The GitHub repository is organized into directories for raw and processed data, metadata, scripts for data ingestion and processing, visualization tools, and documentation.

Recommendations for Building Open Data Resources

To enhance the OCF’s open data offerings, developers are invited to consider developing the following resources:

1.⁠ ⁠Real-Time Ocean Monitoring Dashboards
• Objective: Create interactive dashboards that display real-time data on ocean conditions, such as temperature, salinity, and currents.
• Data Sources: Utilize APIs from sources like NOAA CO-OPS, Argo Data System, and Marine Copernicus.
• Implementation: Develop web-based interfaces using frameworks like Dash or Tableau to visualize data trends and anomalies.

2.⁠ ⁠Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Indicators
• Objective: Compile datasets that track marine species distributions, population dynamics, and habitat conditions.
• Data Sources: Integrate data from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) and AquaMaps.
• Implementation: Develop analytical tools to assess ecosystem health and identify areas of concern.

3.⁠ ⁠Climate Change Impact Assessments
• Objective: Analyze the effects of climate change on oceanic parameters, such as sea-level rise and ocean acidification.
• Data Sources: Leverage datasets from the World Ocean Database and EMODnet.
• Implementation: Create models and visualizations to predict future scenarios and inform policy decisions.

4.⁠ ⁠Sustainable Fisheries Management Tools
• Objective: Develop tools to monitor fishing activities and assess the sustainability of fish stocks.
• Data Sources: Use data from Global Fishing Watch and NOAA Fisheries Data Portal.
• Implementation: Build applications that provide insights into fishing patterns and support regulatory compliance.

5.⁠ ⁠Educational and Outreach Platforms
• Objective: Create platforms to educate the public and stakeholders about ocean health and conservation efforts.
• Data Sources: Aggregate data from various sources to present comprehensive information.
• Implementation: Develop interactive websites and mobile applications with engaging content and visualizations.

Next Steps

To initiate these projects:
1. Collaborate with Data Providers: organizations that can supply high-quality, real-time data are invited to participate.
2. Develop Standardized Data Formats: Ensure data interoperability by adhering to standards like the Bermuda Standard.
3. Engage the Community: Encourage contributions from researchers, developers, and citizen scientists to enrich the data repository.
4. Implement Robust Data Governance: Establish protocols for data validation, privacy, and security.

By focusing on these areas, the OCF can significantly enhance its open data resources, fostering greater collaboration and informed decision-making in ocean conservation efforts.