Every human activity in, on or under the sea is influenced by the depth and shape of the seafloor.
80% of the world's sea and ocean area is unmapped, unobserved and unexplored. 50% of the worlds coastal waters are unsurveyed. We have significantly higher resolution maps of the Moon and Mars than most of the seas and oceans. An aspiration of the IHO is to locate every object on the seafloor larger than 100m by 2030.
The IHO, as indicated in its most recent Resolution on Improving the Availability of Bathymetric Data Worldwide, is pursuing several initiatives to dramatically improve mankind's currently very poor knowledge of the nature and shape of the seafloor and to continue to make the data publicly available as open-data.
The coverage of data available through the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) dataset will be increased and improved through several initiatives, and in particular:
- improving the IHO Data Centre for Digital Bathymetry (IHO-DCDB)to enable better data searching, uploading and downloading capabilities;
- encouraging IHO Member States and the scientific and the commercial sectors engaged in maritime activities to provide access to depth data previously obtained for purposes other than the improvement of navigation charts, but as yet, not made publicly available;
- the further development and use of satellite derived bathymetry to obtain depth measurements in shallow coastal waters, particularly in those areas
where no data currently exists;
- the use of crowd-sourcing by seafarers using existing ships equipment;
- the inclusion of the measurement of depth as a normal part of MetOcean observing programmes.
This commitment will support safety of navigation, safety of life at sea, the protection of the marine environment, significant improvement in tsunami and storm surge coastal inundation modelling, coastal zone management and the better management, exploitation and governance of the seas and oceans and its resources.
This commitment will also increase the economic benefits available to Small Island Developing States and least developed countries through sustainable management of such things as fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.
Progress reports
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Integrated Coastal Management
- Marine Spatial Planning
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Type of commitment
- Economic benefits from sustainable fisheries
- Economic benefits from sustainable tourism
- Economic benefits from sustainable aquaculture/mariculture
- Economic benefits from marine renewable energy
- Economic benefits from sustainable transport
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Type of commitment
- Data access and sharing
- Scientific cooperation
- Actions that support SIDS and LDCs
In-kind contribution
Commercial and recreational vessel operators already keen to supporting crowd-sourcing programmes wherever national restrictions do not apply
In-kind contribution
Global scientific and commercial hydrographic community is increasingly providing open-access to data at an appropriate resolution
Staff / Technical expertise
IHO Member States, Observer Organizations and Expert Contributors providing input for the development and maintenance of supporting standards and guidelines, the maintenance of the IHO-DCDB and the promotion of access to data through spatial data infrastr
In-kind contribution
USA-NOAA host and manage the IHO Data Centre for Digital Bathymetry on behalf of the IHO
2030
