The Marine Irish Digital Atlas (http://mida.ucc.ie) launched in 2005 is still increasing its user base. The figure shows how the total number of visits and the number of unique visitors increased into 2011. This is due to the ongoing effort of the MIDA team to ensure that the data in the atlas is up-to-date and that new data layers are being constantly added. This is in no small part due to the work of Ivan Portugues Molla and Hector Barco both of whom contributed to MIDA under funding from the EU’s Leonardo da Vinci programme, which offers graduates the possibility to get relevant work experience outside of their home country in another EU State.

A sunnier climate eventually called Iban and Hector back home to Spain and while we miss them greatly, we are delighted to welcome David Roig Cervera, who started a MIDA internship under the European Socrates Erasmus programme in March 2012. This year is shaping up to be equally exciting as Coastal and Marine Research Centre, University College Cork, Ireland (CMRC) received funding from IODE for a MIDA facelift and technology upgrade, and subsequent transfer of this technology package to ODINAFRICA. The ODINAFRICA-IV project will use this technology for Coastal Web Atlas development and upgrade in many coastal countries of Africa contributing to the African Marine Atlas.