Free public downloadable data sets relating to various marine topics and coastal science research. The descriptions include the location, starting date (if applicable), and the general focus of the project or database. Click on the blue hyperlink to access the data or find more information about the project.
(*) means that this database is also in another category
FisheriesNET is a citizen science initiative launched by the Gulf of California Marine Program to install long-term GPS trackers with a customized software onto small scale fisheries vessels. FisheriesNET Trackers are compact GPS trackers (footprint of a smart phone) equipped with rechargeable batteries and a solar panel and a memory cards.
The custom software for FisheriesNET allows for data to be offloaded either remotely from actively-networked trackers through wireless communication or directly from the memory card. The software package is designed to handle large datasets and enables users to generate exportable graphics and visualizations of raw and filtered data.
The collection and comparison of geographical and catch data through the tools provided by FisheriesNET will generate long-term datasets on where and when fishing takes place for different stocks. The citizen science approach of FisheriesNET will provide vital information on how communities use and benefit from marine resources and enable stakeholders and managers to develop and support sustainable small scale fisheries.
Download software here.
Sea Around Us Global database focusing on fisheries, marine ecosystem, and marine biodiversity paired with exclusive economic zones.
NOAA Geoportal Global search engine of all marine and geophysical matters.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility Global Biodiversity Information Facility International Species Biodiversity database containing size, distribution, population trends, locations, and more.
NERC Center for Population Biology Natural Environmental Resource Council Global Population Dynamics that contains data on various populations. Requires login/registration.
World Register of Marine Species General database that provides information on known marine species.
Food and Agriculture- United Nations – Collecting data since 1975, a database on global production, trade, population, economics, etc.
World DataBank International database that toggles socioeconomic factors and indicators of countries around the world.
*Marine Metadata Interoperability Library of Tools and References for developing metadata
SeaData Net Pan European database for general marine data from 1353 and onward.
*MEDIN Database of the UK that maps various marine projects in the region.
IEO Geoportal A Spanish Database, it provides access to data pertaining to different dimensions of marine science.
PlyMSEA Plymouth Marine Laboratory presents a database of peer-reviewed journal articles, published conference papers, and books and book chapters from The Marine Biological Assiciation, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and the Sir Allister Hardy Foundation of Ocean Science.
*Duke Datasets Database that allow queries of marine data by species or keyword.
NOAA Fisheries Concerning global fisheries, this site displays fisheries and spatial habitat data of endangered and threatened species, marine mammals, and satellite data.
NOAA Coast Global Coastal database concerning physical oceanography in relation with biology, climate, habitat, economic, imagery, and more.
Northeastern USDatabase aggregating information on fisheries, ocean resources, marine biology, and physical oceanography as well as vessel activity database in the Northeastern region of the US.
NOAA ShorelineGlobal and US national database containing shoreline mapping and analysis.
NOAA Alaskan Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Database that includes data on the Economic Status of the stock (since 2000) and Marine Mammal Stock Assessment (1995) of the region as well as the following more focused databases and single projects:
Fish: Pacific Groundfish, Eastern Bering Sea Crab (map; since 1975), Longline Sable Fish (1979), Icthyoplankton Cruise Database (1972) , Salmonoid Bycatch and Pink Salmon at Sashin Creek Weir (1934-2002)
Mammals: Gray Whale (1967-2007), Ice Seal Distribution (2008), Stellar Sea Lion (1904), Northern Fur Seals (1800s)
Habitats: Aleutian Islands and Cook Inlet: Bathymetry,
ADRIAMET Database- ItalianA collection of data on the Gulf of Venezia and Trieste region since 2006 that includes nutrient analysis of basin in conjunction with sea level rise and temperature change.
PacFIN Pacific US Fisheries Management and Catch that tracked fishery data since 1980 in that Pacific Ocean. It also includes data during 1962-1979 (Pre-PacFin).
RecFINDatabase focused on Northern California, Oregon, Washington, since 1980 including sample data of various species that are recreationally fished.
CITIES A Global data set since 1975, International Trade in endangered species that lists numbers of animals from exporting and importing countries.
*MPAtlas Global database that allows queries pertaining to marine protected areas as well as shark sanctuaries.
*Marine GeoScience Global database that allows queries pertaining to marine protected areas as well as shark sanctuaries.Global database of oceanography and topographical maps with emphasis on Antarctic, deep ocean ridges, and continental margins (see data portals). It also has Global Multi-Resolution Topography synthesis.
*Marine CadastreGlobal data sets of all marine elements including vessel data and sediment that are depicted through this map
ICES: Fisheries Denmark-based but covers much of UK, this research focuses on the biological communities, biological effects, environmental contaminants, stock and catch statistics, stomach contents, trawl surveys, and plankton. Hydrochemistry data is also included.
*ICES interactive maps, GIS Datasets, Satellite Imagery, etc Global fishery database that contains data and surveys presented through maps and other mechanisms.
ICES: DATRAS Database of trawl surveys in the Baltic Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, North Sea, English Channel, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, Bay of Biscay and the eastern Atlantic from the Shetlands to Gibraltar.
DAPSTOM: Fish Stomach Database from 1837-2012 that provides information of the stomach contents of various species. Searches can be accomplished by listing predator or prey.
SAHFOS Plankton Since 1946, a collection of spatial and temporal data of plankton internationally.
EurOBIS European Ocean Biogeographic Information System
*Marine Metadata Interoperability Library of Tools and References for developing metadata
*MPAtlas Global database that allows queries pertaining to marine protected areas as well as shark sanctuaries.
*Marine GeoScience Global database of oceanography and topographical maps with emphasis on Antarctic, deep ocean ridges, and continental margins (see data portals). It also has Global Multi-Resolution Topography synthesis.
*Marine Cadastre Global data sets of all marine elements including vessel data and sediment that are depicted through this map
*ICES interactive maps, GIS Datasets, Satellite Imagery, etc Global fishery database that contains data and surveys presented through maps and other mechanisms.
*MEDIN Database of the UK that maps various marine projects in the region.
*Duke Datasets Database that allow queries of marine data by species or keyword.
Long Term Ecological Research Search Portal This portal allows access to data associated with various long term ecological researches from institutions in the US.
California Current Ecosystem LTER This project tracked changes in the coastal regions of California since 1946. Marine ecosystems, food web mapping, and physical oceanography such as upwelling are the main focuses.
Artic LTER Since 1975, artic lake ecosystems and food webs, nitrogen tracing, and warming of permafrost in the Arctic have been of study.
Florida Coastal Everglades Beginning in 2000, nutrient levels and sources, mangrove food webs, and mangrove productivity gradients of Florida’s Everglades have been monitored.
Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER This LTER focuses on marshes off the coast of Georgia on Sapelo Island as well as the microbes, nitrogen, and genetic differences of the area since 1954.
McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER The aim in McMurdo, Antarctica, is to study the ice habitats of algae, geochemistry, and DOM, microbe and algae interactions in dry valley lakes. It has started and continued since 1992.
Moorea Coral Reef LTER Coral reef ecology and management are heavily emphasized and analyzed in the region of Moorea, Tahiti, French Polynesia since 2004.
Santa Barbara Coastal LTER Beginning in 2000, physical oceanography, particularly wave impact, is investigated as well as resource availability in kelp forests have been studied off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
Palmer Antarctica LTER Trends in ice cover and temperature along with the relationship between penguins and climate are of focus in Palmer, Antarctica since 2000.
Plum Island Ecosystems LTER Founded in 1998, the main research includes estuary ecosystem, physical parameters such as salinity, tipping points of productivity, and microbial and fish patterns and management within Plum Island Sound, Maine.
Virginia Coast Reserve LTER Virginia’s coastal marshes, bottom dwellers, and other coastal landscapes are monitored since 1987 in accordance with climate change.
Pacific Coast Groundfish In 2005, research started along the West Coast of USA, North America, on the substrate, biogenic, and fishing effort of the region. Maps of the effort and data of coral, sponge, and pennatulacean by-catch have been constructed and collected.
Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat Mapping, optical validation and geomorphology in the tropical Pacific have been conducted in the Hawaiian Islands, America Samoa, since 2000.
Arizona State University Colorado Fish Conducted in the Lower Colorado Fish Basin of the Colorado River, USA, since 2002, the number of native species by watershed by two time periods, percentage and absolute decline in natives, and presence of extant exotic fish has been recorded.
ISMR Mediterranean Marine Data Italian and English Data on various regions in Italy since 1971 including lunar cycles, temperature, and more at various stations. In Italian only: Buoy Data
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Since 1996, this data set depicts coral reef trends and monitoring off the Florida Keys.
CEFAS: Fishery Spawning and Nursery Grounds The Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) provides data on several matters related to healthy seas, oceans and rivers and sustainable seafood.
Western Channel Observatory This observatory conducts research and data as part of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, collecting data in various regions of the UK as listed (L4 is closer to shore in trawling areas and E1 is farther offshore):
Moorings (since 2009): L4 and E1
Zooplankton (1988): species and Calanus egg production
Phytoplankton (1992): species identified by microscopy and flow cytometry
Nutrients (1934): target="_blank"L4 and E1
Pigments (1992): by Turner fluorometer and HPLC
Light absorption (2009): L4
Carbon and nitrogen analyses (2000): L4
