SCOOP- Solutions for Cost-effective Ocean Observation Platform

As the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on marine ecosystems intensify, there is an urgent need for more comprehensive and accessible ocean observations. However, traditional marine monitoring methods are often costly and resource-intensive, limiting their application, particularly in regions with limited funding.

In order to make marine and oceanographic observations more affordable and accessible to a wider range of users, the global collaborative initiative ’Solutions for Cost-effective Ocean Observation Platform’ (SCOOP) was designed. SCOOP aims to connect cost-efficient device developers, data managers, data collectors and users (scientists, researchers, citizen scientists…) to encourage and motivate collaboration and to enhance the collection and sharing of marine data. SCOOP goal is to support the development, use, and sharing of low-cost marine observation technologies, fostering collaboration among various stakeholders to collect, manage, and integrate marine data in a more cost-effective and efficient manner.

SCOOP is an open-access web-platform (https://scoop-ocean.org/) providing access to a comprehensive catalogue of low-cost sensors and emerging technologies, and a mine of documentation and expertise for users to help them optimize their data collection and management practices. SCOOP ensures that collected data adheres to FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, Reusability) principles, facilitating its integration into global data infrastructures.

SCOOP is currently supported by developments in several European and global initiatives: LandSeaLot, EMODnet, JERICO, GOOS, Synchro and CoastPredict and was endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in July 2024.

In the long term, SCOOP's legacy will be a global network for continuous, reliable ocean observation, providing valuable data for the scientific community and local decision-makers, contributing to a healthier and more resilient ocean.