Danis

For decades, Antarctic research has produced a wealth of marine biodiversity data, which is often scattered, barely accessible and/or vanishing. These data hold information which is critical in assessing the Southern Ocean biodiversity, potential impacts of environment variations, and for conservation, modelling and management purposes. Existing databases offer valuable information on Antarctic species of particular taxonomic groups, but coverage is generally limited to those groups. In order to integrate and optimize the use of existing data, SCAR-MarBIN has been endorsed as part of the new SCAR-EBA programme, as the information component of the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML; www.caml.aq), and as a prominent part of the International Polar Year (IPY; www.ipy.org). SCAR-MarBIN objectives are to: (i) compile, integrate and disseminate Antarctic marine biodiversity information (ii) help SCAR contribute to global biodiversity information initiatives, (iii) satisfy marine biodiversity information requirements from the Antarctic Treaty System and SCAR, and (iv) contribute to assess the state of knowledge and promote marine biodiversity research in Antarctica. Implementation of SCAR-MarBIN is in progress, and the presentation is intended to show users and data providers, in an interactive fashion, the evolution and the potential of the Network