JERICO-NEXT

JERICO‐NEXT is the coastal component of the European marine observing system, and is funded by the H2020 program and recently extended from a FP7 awarded project (JERICO). In the continuity of JERICO (FP7), the objective of JERICO-NEXT consists in strengthening and enlarging a solid and transparent European network in providing operational services for the timely, continuous and sustainable delivery of high quality environmental data and information products related to marine environment in European coastal seas. The coastal area is the most productive and dynamic environment of the world ocean with significant resources and services for mankind.The main target of JERICO‐NEXT (33 organizations from 15 countries) is to provide the researchers with continuous and more valuable coastal data coupling physical and biological information by further developing, harmonizing and integrating nationally funded marine observing systems, collecting physical, chemical and biological parameters from different platforms (ferryboxes, fixed platforms, gliders, HF radars, benthic systems …). Such an integration requires new technological developments allowing continuous monitoring of a larger set of parameters. Other objectives are: Support the European coastal research communities by enabling free and open access to data and transnational access to the infrastructure, enhance the readiness of new observing platform networks by increasing the performance of sensors, showcase of the adequacy of the so-developed observing technologies and strategies, propose a medium-term roadmap for coastal observatories through a permanent dialogue with stakeholders.