The OCEAN CITIZEN project involves collaboration among 23 partners across 10 countries, making data consistency, sharing and accessibility, of great importance. Thus a project’s Data Management Plan (DMP), shared with all partners, has been elaborated and will be updated through the project’s life span. The DMP is vital for achieving the project’s general objective: developing a replicable marine restoration protocol that combine habitat, carbon immobilization and biodiversity regeneration with social engagement and economic benefits to all the local communities.
Data management serves the critical function of collecting, storing, analysing, sharing, processing, validating and safeguarding data to ensure its accuracy and accessibility. Within a consortium, it plays a vital role for various reasons, particularly in ensuring accessibility for all partnership members. First, data management inside a consortium refers to the process of handling and organizing data within a collaborative group involving multiple organizations. Implementing effective data management requires the establishment of protocols, standards, and governance structures to facilitate collaboration while ensuring the privacy and security of data. Secondly, effective data management ensures that all consortium members can efficiently utilize and benefit from the collected and shared data. Finally, the data generated within this project cab be particularly vulnerable due to its potential scientific impact on marine diversity, aiding its conservation efforts, and ensuring sustained maintenance over time. Thus, safeguarding and effectively managing this data are critical components for the project’s success.
