CMarZ Policy on Use of Archived Samples
Samples collected during cruises of CMarZ Cooperating Projects are in principal available to any interested researcher. In practice, CMarZ Steering Group members and their staff and students have first priority for the use and analysis of the archived zooplankton samples and the specimens contained therein. In other words, CMarZ Steering Group members have the 'right of first refusal' for all zooplankton samples collected under the aegis of CMarZ. In the case of more than one CMarZ Steering Group member wishing to examine or analyze a sample, an agreement will be reached in consultation with the CMarZ P.I.s (Ann Bucklin, Shuhei Nishida, and Sigi Schiel).
When requests for particular samples or specimens are received from other researchers, CMarZ Steering Group members who are actively working on that taxonomic group or region should be notified prior to making samples available. Only with the prior approval of the relevant CMarZ Steering Group member(s) should samples be released to researchers outside of CMarZ.
CMarZ collections should be archived at the location of and in association with the investigator's laboratory. Moving archived samples should be done only as necessary to maintain a collection or when a museum or other permanent facility offers to archive and maintain the collection as a whole. When CMarZ samples are to be shared with outside users, it is most preferable to have the user travel to the location of the collection, to remove specimens of interest. If this is not practicable, identified specimens can be removed and sent to the requestor. Unsorted samples or portions of samples should be sent only as a last resort, in order to maintain the collection in as close to original condition and composition as possible.
(Draft Version 2 - July 2006)
Please direct comments on these draft policies to Dr. Ann Bucklin, Univ. of Connecticut