The private sector holds vast amounts of valuable ocean data, actively acquired through activities such as offshore energy exploration, marine infrastructure development, telecommunications, fisheries and scientific research.
The Ocean Decade Corporate Data Group aims to identify opportunities and develop solutions that will accelerate the unlocking and provision of open access to this privately held ocean data. A key challenge is that individual countries have different approaches to allowing and facilitating the sharing of data collected by private sector industries in waters under their national jurisdiction. These varying approaches can be restrictive and hinder private sector companies willing to unlock and share relevant ocean data they have collected.
To address this, the Corporate Data Group has developed a policy recommendation advocating for IOC Member States to support the sharing of data for all-ocean related data collection in waters under their national jurisdiction. This recommendation was adopted as part of IOC Decision A-33/3.4.2 by the 33rd session of the IOC Assembly held in Paris, 25 June – 3 July 2025.
