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MACHC-IOCARIBE Seabed 2030 Project
This Project is a collaboration between the IOC of UNESCO Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (IOCARIBE) and the IHO Meso American –Caribbean Sea Hydrographic Commission (MACHC). The IOCARIBE and MACHC are sister regional organizations who have overlapping Member State membership. They produced the MACHC-IOCARIBE Seabed 2030 Strategy 2021-2030 that was approved by both organizations, along with an annual Work Plan that they are jointly implementing with their members, international, regional, non-governmental, academic and private sector partners. Work plan results are reviewed and adjusted on an annual basis at their respective meetings. Mexico provides the Regional Seabed2030/Crowdsourced Bathymetry Coordinator who helps advance the Work Plan activities with participating partners.
The priority Project outcome is to create an accurate, observation-based bathymetric map of the Tropical Americas and Caribbean Region through multi-sector partnerships and collaboration. This map is essential for the sustainable use of critical ocean resources and to inform and improve forecast capabilities, disaster risk reduction and response, environmental management and scientific investigation activities. A diverse region that has rich biodiversity and marine resources, many economies are dependent on coastal and marine tourism. The region is also extremely vulnerable to climate change and natural hazards. Extreme weather events are common in the region with nine Category 3 hurricanes and above occurring in 2019-2020. Currently 23% of the region is mapped according to the GEBCO 2021 Grid, an increase of 3% since 2020 when the IOCARIBE and the MACHC initiated this joint Project.
Creating this bathymetric map of the region is essential to help achieve the UN Goal (SDG) 14 – Life Below Water and the endorsed Nippon Foundation GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project. Completion of this map was also identified as a priority during the UN Decade of Ocean Science Regional Workshop for the Western Tropical Atlantic hosted by the Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM) and co-organized by the Government of Mexico with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) in April 2020, and countries at the Regional Kick-off Conference for the Tropical Americas and The Caribbean United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in December 2021 highlighted the importance of this information for a risk-informed sustainable development.
An application to have this regional SB2030 Project endorsed as a UN Decade action was submitted on January 21, 2022 by the MACHC Seabed2030 Coordinator Ms. Cecilia Cortina Guzman: cecilia.cortina@gmail.com
Key sources of information for this project
1. Information on the webinars, work plan, strategy, reports, contact points, etc. on the MACHC website: https://www.iho-machc.org/seabed2030.html
2. An interactive web application on the Seabed 2030 section on the MACHC Initiative website shows how much of the region has been surveyed and where the known gaps are. This interface presents several informational layers to promote collaboration and cooperation toward the goals of Seabed 2030. Layers are publicly available and managed by many partners. Authoritative layers are used whenever available and include:
- GEBCO 2020 Map & Coverage
- Known Data Coverage Layers
- Public Data (ssuch as singlebeam and multibeam data at IHO DCDB)
- Non-public Existing Data
- Planned Surveys (Member State, Industry and others)
Map of available and private data for the MACHC region: |
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Contacts, networks, steering committee / groups and partners of this project
The principal points of contact are the Member States of IOCARIBE and the MACHC and their industry, nongovernmental, academic and other regional partners. A list of those contacts can be found here:
https://www.iho-machc.org/documents/seabed2030/MACHC_Seabed2030_POC_E-Mail_lists_Rev_05-19-21.pdf
Examples of best practices concerning the project
The proposed regional baseline bathymetric map will be made freely available to all users through the Seabed 2030 / Regional Data Assembly and Coordination Center (RDACC) for the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The underlying data will also be accessible both through the RDACC and the IHO Data Center for Digital Bathymetry.
The Crowdsourced Bathymetry Initiative is a collaborative Project that support the General Bathymetric Chart of the Ocean (GEBCO), now jointly overseen by the IHO and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. It has produced maps of the ocean floor from depth measurements collected by vessels as they journeyed across the oceans and produced this manual of best practices (The IHO Crowdsourced Bathymetry Cookbook). Funds are available for interested regional partners to deploy data loggers to collect crowdsourced bathymetry.
The implementation of this strategy will be assisted by online tools, training and metrics that show the growth of data contributions of different stakeholders and sectors on an annual basis. Ocean mapping capacity will be built through collaborative mapping campaigns and training opportunities, with a special emphasis on expanding the expertise and knowledge of female hydrographers.
Major difficulties and challenges of the project
Most of the Coastal States of this region are limited by the procedures of the internal government to support ocean mapping, to organize and share the data generated at the national level, due to the lack of a hydrographic office that lacks equipment, vessels and software for the acquisition and processing of bathymetric data.
The willingness to work together to complete a map of this Region exists, as demonstrated by the agreement of IOCARIBE (32) and MACHC (28) Member States to initiate this Project. However, there are limited human, financial and technological resources. Fourteen Member States have operational national hydrographic services and are providing in-kind contributions for ship time, personnel, survey equipment, data processing, archive, and distribution, as the pandemic allows.
It is important to note that there is considerable existing non-public data, both acquired with ships and with satellite techniques, that has not yet been shared. If these data were to be shared and contributed it could yield significant cost savings on the order of 25-40%. Success in mapping the entire region will depend on cross-sectoral partnerships, the use of traditional and new force multiplier mapping technologies, and the development of human and financial capacity.
Capacity Development and Project Workplan for 2022-2023
Additional resources will be needed to support this Project in achieving its goals. Support to be provided by the global Seabed 2030 Project includes assistance with coordination and the sharing of tools and knowledge, as well as funds to deploy data loggers to collect crowdsourced bathymetry. Data processing tools, archiving and access support is also available through the Seabed 2030 Regional Data Assembly and Coordination Center (RDACC) for the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the IHO Data Center for Digital Bathymetry.
A goal of the strategy and work plan described below is to build capacity for mapping contributions and tools to assist with data submission. As technical or other challenges are identified that are obstacles to data collection and sharing, solutions will be sought to address them through training and tools. The Project will look to use innovative new technologies for data acquisition, synthesis and portrayal wherever possible.
Ocean mapping capacity will be built through collaborative mapping campaigns and training opportunities, with a special emphasis on expanding the expertise and knowledge of female hydrographers. Part of the strategy is to increase the contributions of women from the Wider Caribbean region in ocean mapping by providing opportunities for them to get at sea experience, mentoring and training.
Project Workplan
The Goals of this Project are to: 1) Contribute existing non-public Bathymetric Data 2) Increase Data Acquisition in Gap Areas and 3) Build Capacity for Ocean Mapping and Data Management. Therefore, the following discrete activities are already being carried out through the Project annual Work Plan which started in 2020 and will continue through the next few years (they will be modified in the future as the decade continues):
OBJECTIVE 1.1: Share existing bathymetric data in the MACHC region for inclusion in the GEBCO Grid and long-term preservation and public accessibility via the IHO DCDB.
OBJECTIVE 1.2: Identify existing non-public bathymetric data and create/share polygons delineating the extent of data coverage for integration into the Seabed 2030 - MACHC Web App.
OBJECTIVE 1.3: Advise stakeholders and partners to seek access to existing non-public bathymetric data sets that have been acquired and managed by scientific investigators, private industry and public organizations.
OBJECTIVE 2.1: Design, implement, and resource coordinated mapping campaigns based on identified data gaps.
OBJECTIVE 2.2: Encourage the acquisition of mapping data by academic and industry survey vessels during transits through the region to fill gaps in data coverage.
OBJECTIVE 2.3: Encourage the collection and contribution of crowdsourced bathymetry (CSB) data among volunteer commercial and non-commercial vessels.
OBJECTIVE 3.1: Expand and enhance the suite of IHO DCDB and Seabed 2030 RDACC tools available to support and assist data contributors through the packaging and provision of data at any resolution or access level.
OBJECTIVE 3.2: Simplify data submission workflows and user interfaces for data entry.