Both moderators of the first topic emphasized that the large part of the knowledge of the Baltic Sea, its biodiversity and changes, is hidden in the "grey literature" of non-congressional languages. I can hear very often my colleagues claiming that NAS countries possess a great value of data, which are underestimated, not cited and often neglected.
My answer is always the same - "go and get it into internet,
make your own local web page, show to the public the value of your data". Then the reply comes " well, who will pay for it ?" . In my eyes its the problem of local scientific community - do you want visibility and recognition ? do it yourself, and dont ask for money, before you have sold your product. Often NAS countries colleagues are asking for funds for "data archeology" to dig out and translate from local languages the old data. Once it is done, they ask for more funds to make these data available (through the internet or publication). So, we are trying at the same time get the recognition/respect for our merits, and force the others to pay for it:"Pay me and I will show you how good I am".
Some years ago an official in Russian goverment answered to the scientists claims for higher salaries "you are not worth to pay you more, the smart guys are already in Israel and USA, and you are the dumb ones". It is not the problem of France or Germany to make visible the results of marine biology founding fathers in the Baltic. It is our job and we are doing it exceptionally bad.
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