The Inter-Agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology (IACMST) is a Government Committee reporting to the Office of Science and Innovation, hosted by the National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton (NOCS) and funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC). The full IACMST Plenary meets three times a year under the Chairmanship of Professor Howard Dalton. The Plenary maintains an overview of activities in the various Member Departments, identifying and proposing issues for more detailed consideration. Minutes of Plenary meetings are available for downloading here. A diagram showing the organisational structure of IACMST can also be viewed here.

Additionally, the IACMST’s International Sub-Committee maintains an overview of UK Government Policy as represented to various intergovernmental marine-related agencies and has special responsibility for briefing the UK delegation to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC). Although the Committee does not formulate policy, (which is the responsibility of individual lead Departments), it does provide a mechanism for the exchange of information, allowing policy to be developed. The Committee also holds meetings, hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on special topics. See also JCOMM.

The IACMST National Marine Environmental Data Office, hosted by the NERC Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, Merseyside, maintains an inventory of all available UK sources of marine environmental data, facilitates data exchange and use, and co-ordinates the UK MED Network and Action Group (MEDAG). A complementary activity, the Marine Data and Information Partnership (MDIP), provides a coordinating framework for managing marine data and information to facilitate improved management of the seas around the UK.

As part of its commitment to foster and interact with the broader marine science and technology community, IACMST participates in the biennial Oceanology International exhibition. Other events include meetings for naval attaches and special technical meetings where IACMST requires a briefing on current issues and trends. Recent events have included a meeting on the Argo profiling float programme.

IACMST oversees the UK input into the Global Ocean Observing System, I-GOOS, and its European component, EuroGOOS, via its GOOS Action Group (GOOSAG). The Action Group also maintains an overview of all relevant marine observations made by UK authorities and their applications, and contributes to the UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment programme. Following publication of its report on underwater sound and its impact on marine life, IACMST now hosts a Forum to promote cross-sectoral dialogue on the report’s recommendations and related issues.

The IACMST has an ever-growing portfolio of information documents and reports that can be obtained from the IACMST Secretariat or downloaded from this web site. The list of documents and reports can be viewed here.