Metadata · Governed datasets · Institutional control · Encrypted custody
Flexible pathways for representing, protecting, and sharing sensitive marine species data without requiring institutions to surrender raw data by default.
Pre-sharing screening
Support pre-sharing governance discussion before international access, download, API use, or governed visualization.
Blue Circle supports multiple governance pathways. Institutions can choose how their tracking data is represented within the platform according to their own policies, technical capacity, sensitivity concerns, and collaboration goals.
The data holder remains the starting point of governance.
The four pathways
Each institution can choose the pathway that best fits its scientific context, sensitivity requirements, and institutional policies.
The institution keeps the original dataset. Blue Circle only represents metadata, citation, contact, license, and discovery information.
The institution shares generalized, aggregated, or sensitivity-reviewed data products, while source device records remain non-public.
The institution provides a governance-ready copy with protected geometry, embedded attribution, and agreed access rules.
For selected projects, sensitive raw data may be encrypted before technical custody, with institution-held or rights-holder-controlled keys where applicable and explicit authorization rules. Technical custody does not transfer scientific authority, ownership, stewardship responsibility, or permission to authorize use.
How to decide
Does data need to be held by Blue Circle?
No — institution retains source custody and authority
Only a protected representation is needed
Yes, under explicit agreement, encryption and independent security review
Not the default pathway
What stays protected
Scientific authority and permission to authorize use remain subject to institutional or project agreement.
Technical hosting or custody does not by itself transfer ownership, stewardship responsibility, authorship, or authorization rights.
Attribution and acknowledgement are recorded separately from authorship.
Sensitive locations can be hidden, generalized, or permission-restricted.
From field to governance
Field observation
Movement records originate in research and field contexts.
Research institution
Data holders retain scientific authority, custody, stewardship, contractual and authorization boundaries.
Pathway selection
The institution chooses the governance pathway that fits its needs.
Governance rules
Display, masking, attribution, and sharing rules are agreed.
Blue Circle representation
The governed product is represented in the platform.
Public / Research / Authorized
Different views present different levels of detail.
Field observation
Movement records originate in research and field contexts.
Research institution
Data holders retain scientific authority, custody, stewardship, contractual and authorization boundaries.
Pathway selection
The institution chooses the governance pathway that fits its needs.
Governance rules
Display, masking, attribution, and sharing rules are agreed.
Blue Circle representation
The governed product is represented in the platform.
Public / Research / Authorized
Different views present different levels of detail.
Advanced option
Encrypted custody is an advanced option for selected projects. The current page demonstrates a technical mechanism prototype for how sensitive data could be encrypted before custody, while access remains governed by authorization, keys, and revocation rules.
This is not the default pathway for all partners and is not a production security assurance.
Explore encryption workflowBlue Circle helps institutions discuss how sensitive marine species data can be represented, protected, and shared without weakening scientific authority, custody, stewardship, authorization, attribution, or ecological safety.
See how Blue Circle adds governance, controlled collaboration and public representation without replacing the source system.
Explore Existing Platform Integration