The Marine Environment Monitoring and Assessment National database (MERMAN) is a national database which holds and provides access to data collected under the Clean Safe Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP) formerly the National Marine Monitoring Programme (NMMP). The data collected are the responsibility of the Competent Monitoring Authorities (CMAs) who collect the samples from stations in UK waters using water sampling techniques, trawls, nets or grabs. The CMAs then send the collected samples to accredited laboratories where they are analysed. A weighting is calculated, based on the quality of the analysis. The weighting score incorporates the laboratory accreditation, reference material, inter-laboratory comparisons, detection limits, uncertainties and standard deviations. Where data do not meet a threshold score they are given a status of ‘FAIL’ and although they are stored they are not made available to external users. The contaminants and biological effects in biota data start in 1987 with greater use of the database occurring from 1997 onwards. Data are submitted by the CMAs annually and an annual submission may include updates to legacy data to provide additional data or improve data/metadata. The data held in MERMAN fulfils the UK's mandatory monitoring requirements under the Oslo and Paris Convention (OSPAR) Joint Assessments and Monitoring Programme (JAMP). These data are used in support of European Commission (EC) directives and national assessments, such as Charting Progress 2 and are also supplied to the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET).

This dataset includes high-definition video imagery, hydrographic and navigation data from the Isis remotely operated vehicle (ROV). These data were then used to perform a biometric and reproductive analysis on Kiwa tyleri sp. which also forms part of the dataset. Four hydrothermal vent and cold seep sites were sampled during thirty one ROV dives: south of Bird Island on the South Georgia shelf, the E2 and E9 segments of the East Scotia Ridge, and the Kemp Seamount. The dives were undertaken between 10th January 2010 and 12th February 2010 during the RRS James Cook research cruise JC042 (7th January - 24th February 2010). The Isis ROV was equipped with a high-definition video camera, a CTD package, an Ultra Short Baseline navigation system and a suction sampler. The data were produced as part of the NERC Consortium Grant project Chemosynthetic Ecosystems in the Southern Ocean (ChEsSo), which funded a total of four cruises (JR224, JC042, JC055 and JC080). The dataset contributed to the project aims to search for, identify and intensively study hydrothermal vent and cold seep sites in the eastern Scotia Sea. The existing dataset was produced by scientists from the University of Southampton and technicians from the National Oceanography Centre. Additional data for these cruises may become available in the future. Please note that the access restrictions for video imagery, hydrographic and navigation data are currently unknown. The biometric and reproductive analysis data are unrestricted and accessible through the Published Data Library.

The Marine Environment Monitoring and Assessment National database (MERMAN) is a national database which holds and provides access to data collected under the Clean Safe Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP) formerly the National Marine Monitoring Programme (NMMP). The data collected are the responsibility of the Competent Monitoring Authorities (CMAs) who collect the samples from stations in UK waters using water sampling techniques, trawls, nets or grabs. The CMAs then send the collected samples to accredited laboratories where they are analysed. A weighting is calculated, based on the quality of the analysis. The weighting score incorporates the laboratory accreditation, reference material, inter-laboratory comparisons, detection limits, uncertainties and standard deviations. Where data do not meet a threshold score they are given a status of ‘FAIL’ and although they are stored they are not made available to external users. The MERMAN dataset starts in 1987 with greater use of the database occurring from 1997 onwards. Data are submitted by the CMAs annually and an annual submission may include updates to legacy data to provide additional data or improve data/metadata. The data held in MERMAN fulfils the UK's mandatory monitoring requirements under the Oslo and Paris Convention (OSPAR) Joint Assessments and Monitoring Programme (JAMP). These data are used in support of European Commission (EC) directives and national assessments, such as Charting Progress 2 and are also supplied to the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET).