In order to avoid any possible misunderstanding regarding the meaning of some key words used in the web pages of the EurOcean Portal, the definition of the words data, metadata, information and infobase is as follows:

1. "Data" is commonly used for observable and measurable raw "values" that are usually collected systematically and result from research or monitoring activities (including socio-economics). These values can be numerical (as in temperature or salinity measurements) or nominal (as in species lists for a particular region).

2. "Metadata" are descriptors related to data (e.g. by whom, at what time, where and how the results were collected).

3. "Information" refers to knowledge obtained from analytical processes of sets of data and descriptors in a manner suitable for dissemination and communication.

4. An "infobase" is an electronic set of information which has been aggregated on a coherent and useful manner for easy access by end-users.