Marine Information & Advisory Service (MIAS)

The Marine Information and Advisory Service (MIAS) provides information, data and advice to organisations with interests in the marine environment, both in the UK and abroad.

MIAS operates from the prestigious National Oceanography Centre, Southampton; one of the world's leading centres for marine and earth sciences. MIAS uses the wealth of resources held by the UK National Oceanographic Library (NOL) also housed at the Centre and has access, not only to other NERC Marine Science Laboratories, but also to the research, teaching and training expertise of the University of Southampton.

Wave Data Reports: IOSDL (now NOC) made measurements over a period of a year or more at a number of locations in the UK and adjacent waters. Data reports are available through MIAS and most of the data on which these reports are based are held at BODC.


MIAS combines:

  • The National Oceanographic Library.
  • The expertise of the country's leading marine and earth scientists and marine technologists.

Advice and Consultancy

The NOCS has over 400 highly qualified scientists and engineers whose wealth of experience and expertise is available for advice and consultancy. MIAS can service a range of enquiries from requests for readily accessible information to problems needing several days of staff consultancy and facilities. Where appropriate, we can refer enquirers to other NERC Marine Science Laboratories such as the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory which houses the British Oceanographic Data Centre, or to areas of relevant expertise within the University.


National Oceanographic Library

The online Library catalogue WebCat is accessible by outside users over the Internet.

MIAS members receive use of the library as part of their subscription each year.


Information Technology

Southampton is the UK focus for the enabling technologies for the Information Superhighway and MIAS will be taking full advantage of the latest computer technology to provide services for its customers via in-house multi-media databases, on-line access and the burgeoning power of the Internet.


MIAS Subscription Service

MIAS offers a subscription service to its customers based on a multi-level system. This service provides a span of flexible and attractive options tailored to the demands of a wide range of customers - from those wishing to be kept abreast of new research and developments to those needing several days of Institute staff time and resources.

For further details contact MIAS at National Oceanography Centre,Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom, telephone +44 (0)2380 596111, or email MIAS@noc.soton.ac.uk for an information pack and application form.