T4.4 Scientific data management

The data collected, processed and/or generated during the Eurofleets+ funded cruises must comply with the FAIR data management guiding principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability). Therefore, the submission of a data management plan (DMP) will be a required part of the incoming researcher applications/cruise proposals. The DMP will be required to follow the H2020 Programme Guidelines on FAIR Data Management in Horizon 2020 and the H2020 DMP template. An online DMP tool will be made available to the applicants, taking into account marine research specificities where needed. For each funded cruise, the adequacy of the DMPs will be assessed. DMPs will only be approved if they adequately address the following fundamental issues:

the handling of research data during and after the cruise
what data will be collected, processed and/or generated
which methodology and standards will be applied
whether data will be shared/made open access (considering that open research data is now the default)
how data will be curated and preserved

Support will be provided to researcher where needed. The use of standards widely in use in the marine sciences community (BODC vocabularies, CDI, etc.) be strongly encouraged. The use of the Eurofleets+ data management suite of software tool (EARS) will be mandatory and a dedicated training of the PIs will be organized before their cruise. The Eurofleets reference data centres (three NODCS: HCMR, RBINS and OGS) will support the implementation of the DMPs and will monitor their effective use. They will disseminate the metadata and datasets (see WP9) in conformance with the FAIR principles.

WP4 has several collaborative roles across the project. It will provide fundamental support to WP2 for the logistical aspects related to cruise or equipment implementation. There will be liaison with WP1 to launch the project, WP5 for access to the stakeholder database for promotion of Calls, with WP6 in relation to relevant training and education aspects for researchers, with WP7 for advice on assessing innovation and exploitation activities in incoming applications, and with WP9 for promotion of Calls and relevant dissemination and communication activities from funded cruises.