The QUEST4D database

Introduction

The QUEST4D project is carried out in the framework of the ‘Science for Sustainable Development’ (SSD) research action, financed by the Belgian Science Policy. Detailed information is available on the homepage of the project.

The data gathered during the project are stored in the QUEST4D database, managed by the Belgian Marine Datacenter (BMDC). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the partners was agreed up on the 7 th of June 2007 . The headlines are:

• Data gathered during the project are owned by the Belgian State;
• All field data and meta-info collected during the project will be gathered by the BMDC;
• The BMDC will perform standard quality checks;
• The BMDC will import the data in the QUEST 4D database;
• The QUEST4D database can be consulted online;
• The author has free access to her/his data in the database;
• The promotor and the partners have access to the data of all other partners;
• The follow-up committee has access to the data of all partners;
• Any other person can have access to QUEST4D data after a written approval of the author of the requested dataset.

There is an embargo on the data of 24 months after the contractual date of transfer of a dataset to the BMDC.

(only for QUEST4D partners)