Advances in Data Management and Dissemination: The View from the Edge of a New Frontier

The technologies and policies of data management and publication have rapidly developed resulting in increasingly sophisticated tools and approaches for making data readily available –for scientists, policy makers, resource managers, commercial enterprises, anglers and the public.  Yet, not knowing what data is available for scientific research and decision-making has considerably impacted fishery management, regulatory reporting needs, and the nation’s ability to handle environmental disasters. Also, while marine and fisheries professionals have always collected copious amounts of data, we don’t always utilize that data to its fullest extent. Many entities are making profound changes in how they manage and disseminate their fisheries data in response to the changes in technology and the need to be able to readily access and exchange data.  Increasingly researchers have the ability to access data collected over broad spatial and temporal scales, managers have increased ability to make data-based decisions, and anglers can view and compare fish survey information on systems where they recreate. Making basic data broadly available is a revolutionary cultural change for many government agencies. This vision is national in scope and coincidentally aligned with a strong movement across the federal government, various state governments, universities and organizations to increase transparency and openness of data and information. Ensuring that the right data gets managed and shared appropriately, regionally, nationally and internationally in a changing world has been identified as a “highest priority” among organizations, regulated parties and stakeholders.