Marine Biological Association’s data centre receives prestigious international endorsement

Two women stand behind three people seated at a white desk, one man and two women, with two laptops open in front of them and a large window behind the group. All are smiling at the camera.

The Marine Biological Association’s UK Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data (DASSH) has achieved a significant international milestone, becoming one of only a few organisations worldwide to receive endorsement through the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO’s International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) Quality Management Framework (QMF).

The endorsement recognises DASSH’s commitment to the highest standards of marine data management, governance and stewardship, placing the MBA among a select group of trusted marine data centres internationally. To date, just 18 repositories have been endorsed through the QMF programme from a global network of more than 110 National Oceanographic Data Centres (NODCs) and Associate Data Units (ADUs).

The IODE Quality Management Framework provides a rigorous international benchmark for organisations responsible for managing oceanographic and marine environmental data. Endorsed centres must demonstrate robust quality assurance procedures, effective data management practices and a commitment to continuous improvement.

“This is UN-level endorsement of the MBA as a trusted data centre and is a hugely significant achievement for DASSH and for the MBA. Being awarded the IODE QMF accreditation means that we can be trusted to comply with standards on an international scale,” said Emma Seal, Strategic Projects Manager for DASSH.

The certification highlights the MBA’s long-standing role in supporting the collection, management and accessibility of marine biodiversity data, ensuring information remains discoverable, reusable and fit for future research and decision-making.

As one of a small number of organisations globally to achieve this recognition, DASSH joins an internationally respected network of marine data centres helping to support ocean science, environmental monitoring and evidence-based marine policy.

The achievement further strengthens the MBA’s position as a trusted custodian of marine data and reflects its continued commitment to excellence in marine science and data stewardship.

“The endorsement demonstrates that our data management practices meet internationally recognised standards and gives confidence to data providers, researchers, policymakers and partners that the information entrusted to us is managed to the highest quality,” added Emma.