Recently, it has become increasingly clear that climate change affects marine ecosystems. Long-term changes on the scale
of 25-50 years have been seen in the catch amounts of sardines and anchovies, while more short-term changes related to
changing regime shifts have been seen in the catches of the Japanese common squid. To clarify the response mechanisms
in marine ecosystems to climate change, long-term data sets on marine organisms and oceanographic data are needed.
March 2005
Dr. Kohei Yamauchi
Japan Oceanographic Data Center (JODC) serves as the synthetic marine data bank, receiving marine data and information
observed by various oceanographic institutes, processing and managing them in an integrated manner, and making them
available for secondary use. In addition, JODC has been carrying out international services as the Responsible National
Oceanographic Data Center (RNODC), by supporting the activities of IOC/IODE (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
of UNESCO - International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange).
However, some of the data observed years ago have been either recorded only in literary documents such as written
reports or left unused in data storages. These valuable data are now in danger of loss with time, and without
appropriate management, the opportunity for making use of them could be forever lost. In view of this, IOC/IODE launched
and has been developing Global Oceanographic Data Archeology & Rescue (GODAR) Project, compiling databases of valuable
oceanographic data that are at risk of being lost. JODC has contributed to GODAR as the project office in the western
Pacific region, focusing on locating and rescuing historical oceanographic data in the region.
March 2005
Dr. Minoru Odamaki
Since 1957, Hokkaido University has carried out continuous oceanographic and fishery surveys, and the data collected
during these surveys are published annually in the "Data Record of Oceanographic Observations and Exploratory Fishing"
(No.1-No.45). To make these important data available to researchers around the world, in cooperation with the Japan
Oceanographic Data Center (JODC), we have assembled close to 50 years of biological and environmental data collected by
Hokkaido University on this CD. This valuable data set will help scientists better understand how bioresources fluctuate
over time and how they are affected by global environmental change.
Finally, I would like to thank the Japan Oceanographic Data Center for their help in producing this CD.
Dean
Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences & Faculty of Fisheries
Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University, fully understanding the role of JODC and the importance of GODAR project, has kindly provided a vast
amount of long-term data that were covered in "Data record of oceanographic observations and exploratory fishing Vol.1
(1957) - Vol. 45 (2001)." In collaboration with Hokkaido University, we have successfully digitized and published the
data as "Hokkaido University Long-Term Fisheries and Oceanographic Data Base (HUFO-DAT) Vol.1" We believe these data,
together with other observational data, will surely contribute to studies on long-term oceanic changes and global
environmental changes.
We greatly appreciate the cooperation we have received from Graduate School of Fisheries Science & Faculty of Fisheries,
Hokkaido University in the publication of this volume. We would appreciate further cooperation for the rescue and
effective use of valuable oceanographic data.
Director of Japan Oceanographic Data Center