re ach ▁and ▁even ▁in ▁the ▁planning ▁phase ▁MAR - E CO ▁has ▁enjoyed ▁considerable ▁public ▁attention ▁and ▁support . ▁Ex ped itions ▁to ▁unknown ▁depth s ▁of ▁the ▁o ce ans ▁appear ▁to ▁have ▁great ▁appeal , ▁both ▁to ▁scient ists ▁and ▁the ▁interested ▁lay men ▁of ▁all ▁ages . ▁ ▁Management ▁The ▁MAR - E CO ▁management ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁Norwegian ▁secret ariat , ▁a ▁public ▁out re ach ▁group , ▁and ▁an ▁international ▁ste ering ▁group . ▁The ▁co - ordin ating ▁institutions ▁are ▁Institute ▁of ▁Marine ▁Research ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ber gen ▁in ▁Norway . ▁▁ ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁international ▁ste ering ▁group ▁are ▁experienced ▁scient ists ▁from ▁key ▁institutions ▁in ▁Norway , ▁I cel and , ▁Portugal ▁( Az ores ), ▁France , ▁Germany , ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁USA , ▁Russia ▁and ▁Brazil . ▁Chair : ▁O dd ▁A ks el ▁Berg stad , ▁Norway . ▁ ▁The ▁project ▁consists ▁of ▁ 1 0 ▁integrated ▁science ▁components ▁dealing ▁with ▁different ▁key ▁object ives , ▁each ▁with ▁dedicated ▁teams ▁and ▁principal ▁investig ators . ▁In ▁addition , ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁education ▁and ▁out re ach ▁components ▁facil it ates ▁dis sem ination ▁of ▁results ▁to ▁a ▁wide ▁audience . ▁▁ ▁Common ▁critical ▁tasks ▁are ▁fund ed ▁by ▁A . P . S lo an ▁Foundation ▁( USA ), ▁and ▁national ▁sources . ▁ ▁Public ▁Out re ach ▁Group ▁and ▁associ ates ▁The ▁Public ▁Out re ach ▁Group ▁is ▁based ▁in ▁Ber gen , ▁Norway , ▁but ▁has