The Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) has created a new, automated system to sort data about ocean life. This system helps scientists easily tell the difference between creatures that live on the seafloor (benthic) and those that swim in the open water (pelagic). This is a big step forward because it helps researchers understand the ocean better.
OBIS found that current ocean data has some problems. For example, there's more information about shallow waters, the Northern Hemisphere, and animals with backbones. The new system helps identify areas where we don't have enough information, showing scientists where to focus their research efforts.
This new tool supports important global goals, like the UN Decade of Ocean Science and the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 14. It also helps with the Kunming-Montreal 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework and the High Seas Treaty, all of which aim to protect and use marine life sustainably.