Progress report for
Creation of the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping
Achievement at a glance
The UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM) was established in June 2022 and unites UK organisations involved in the collection of marine geospatial data to improve collaboration, standards, accessibility and collection. With a core focus bathymetry and its associated data, as the foundation data-type for enabling a comprehensive understanding of the ocean environment for economic, environmental, societal security and prosperity. The Centre intends to increase the coverage, quality, availability, and awareness of seabed mapping data through enhanced UK collaboration - anywhere in the world.Challenges such as insufficient marine geospatial data and a lack of awareness towards the importance of consistently gathering information in the marine environment, the UK CSM aims to address these issues by bringing together its 30 (and counting!) member organisations to consolidate shared interests in seabed data collection.
This public-sector collaboration has now established Working Groups in data standards and specifications along with wreck surveying. The Centre is reviewing how the membership can optimise national and international seabed mapping activity to get the best possible coverage of data and to maximise the use of the taxpayer’s money.
The UK CSM continues to explore how its members can achieve the greatest value out of its data collection activity by discussing heritage, leisure, conservation, and habitat mapping alongside its main objective of increased access to appropriately surveyed bathymetry data. Through its online Planning Information Portal, the UK CSM shares planned data collection opportunities throughout its membership, providing opportunity to augment outputs of proposed seabed mapping.
UK CSM members have contributed to two UK Government inquiries on Blue Carbon and the Future of Ocean Technology within its first year. The centre seeks to expand this collaborative approach by inviting academia and ports to sign up in 2024. For more information, please email UKCSM@ukho.gov.uk
Challenges faced in implementation
- Sustainable funding- communicating the relevance of seabed mapping as a foundation dataset integral to all activity in the maritime domain
Next Steps
Hydrographic Programme Manager - UK Centre for Seabed MappingBeneficiaries
- all UK CSM Members
- the mariner
Actions
COLLABORATION - coordinating seabed data collection, pooling data collection resourceACCESSIBILITY - sharing information and better sign-posting existing information