Central Government
There has been a growing awareness and increased need across Government for access to marine geographic information to support a wide range of activities, from backdrop mapping and planning to detailed geographic and environmental assessment and implementation.
Traditionally, this need has been satisfied by paper navigational charts and other publications. However, with the introduction of new technologies and the realisation that navigational sources of data provide only a generalised subset of the information available, there is a growing requirement for more comprehensive datasets to be supplied in electronic formats compatible with Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
The historic difficulties of obtaining and accessing marine geographic information have been highlighted in the work undertaken by Defra and by stakeholder discussions with regard to the draft Marine Bill. Access to definitive, content rich, baseline information, is seen as a key component required to support marine spatial planning and coastal zone management. In addition, improved access to marine information will facilitate joined up working and support e-Government.
Digital Data Collective Agreement for Central Government
SeaZone have been working with Defra and the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office since November 2004 towards developing a collective agreement to make SeaZone HydroSpatial and Charted Raster datasets available to participating Departments and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs).
This work culminated in a preliminary or ‘pilot’ year for the collective agreement, which SeaZone is pleased to announce was commenced on 1 April 2006, with a growing membership including:
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Defra)
- English Nature
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
- Welsh Assembly Government
- Countryside Council for Wales (CCW)
- Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)
SeaZone is continuing discussions with central government departments and NDPBs throughout the pilot period, allowing for join up to the agreement as budgets and needs arise.
The Pilot Agreement includes departmental workshops and training days throughout the year. This provides for the promotion and awareness of both GIS and marine geographic information across government together with the facilities to ensure optimum use and benefits of SeaZone data products.
Next Steps
The pilot is an essential step in developing a wider licensing agreement that will run for a three year period from April 2007, enabling government departments to share information and cut costs.
If you are working in Central Government or NDPBs and are interested in in joining the collective agreement please contact us.
Case Studies
Coastal and Marine Atlas - MAGIC Website
SeaZone have been working closely with Defra’s GI Unit in Leeds in developing the Coastal and Marine Atlas incorporated into MAGIC in November 2005.
Originally launched in 2002 MAGIC is the web-based interactive map bringing together key environmental schemes and designations in one place. MAGIC is a partnership project involving eight government organisations who have responsibilities for rural policy-making and management and is available to anyone over the Internet.
The Coastal and Marine Resource Atlas was commissioned by the a group of 13 project collaborators in recognition of the need to update the 1990 Government and Industry sponsored coastal sensitivity maps produced by the Nature Conservancy Council. The Atlas contains environmental and other resource datasets covering the Great Britain coastline and marine areas of the UK Continental Shelf. The Atlas is designed as a web based tool to access a wide range of information on coastal and marine resources.
SeaZone have provided SeaZone offshore bathymetry data for inclusion in the which assist in providing context and background data to the associated reference information as a tool for Maritime Contingency Planning and Response.
Further SeaZone data is to be included in the next development phase.
Marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACS)
SeaZone data has been used to assist English Nature in identification and creation of new Marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), with publication of this derived data available on the Internet.
SACs are areas which have been given special protection under the European Union’s Habitats Directive. They provide increased protection to a variety of wild animals, plants and habitats and are a vital part of global efforts to conserve the world’s biodiversity.
In the UK there are over 600 designated SACs. There is currently 1 draft offshore SAC and a further 7 possible offshore SACs to be submitted to the European Commission for designation.
Mapping European Seabed Habitats (MESH)
Joint Nature Conservation Committee is leading an international marine habitat mapping programme entitled 'Development of a framework for Mapping European Seabed Habitats' (MESH), which started in spring 2004 and will last for 3 years. This includes a consortium of 12 partners across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and France and is funded by the EU INTERREG IIIB fund for an international marine habitat mapping programme. Drawing together scientific and technical habitat mapping skills, national data collation and management expertise, and experience in the use of habitat mapping in management and JNCC have used SeaZone data for the Irish Sea Pilot Study and recommendations for Marine SACs to DEFRA.
Spatial Information Repository (SPIRE)
The goal for SPIRE is to create a corporate database to provide definitive geographic information of required quality which is fit for purpose to users throughout the UK’s Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) and to Defra’s customers, irrespective of location. SeaZone HydroSpatial will sit alongside digital mapping from Ordnance Survey to create the base reference datasets required, thereby providing digital mapping for Defra for both its land and marine areas of responsibility.
