THIS CIRCULAR LETTER REQUIRES YOU TO VOTE
IHO File No. S3/2649 CIRCULAR LETTER 11/2019
25 January 2019
CALL FOR APPROVAL OF EDITION 2.0.0
OF IHO PUBLICATION B-12
CROWDSOURCED BATHYMETRY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT
Reference: IHO CL 49/2017 dated 29 August 2017 – Call for comments on the draft Edition 1.0.0 of new IHO
Publication B-12 – Crowdsourced Bathymetry Guidance Document.
Dear Hydrographer,
1. The 5th Extraordinary International Hydrographic Conference (EIHC5) recognized the need to examine how
best to incorporate, manage and use bathymetric data acquired by non-conventional means, such as through
crowdsourcing into the framework of the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) Project. It was
agreed that there was a compelling need to develop appropriate principles and guidelines to enable the consistent
collection and use of crowdsourced bathymetry for the benefit of all stakeholders interested in knowing the shape
and nature of the seafloor and its depths. As a result, Decision 8 of EIHC5 instructed the Inter Regional
Coordination Committee (IRCC) to:
… establish a Working Group to prepare a new IHO publication on policy for trusted crowd-sourced
bathymetry, taking into account EIHC5 PRO4 and the comments during the Conference. The WG should
comprise IHO MS and invited expert contributors, including members of IHO-IOC TSCOM. The WG
should seek advice and input from relevant HSSC Working Groups as required.
2. As instructed by EIHC5, the IRCC, at its 7th meeting in Mexico City in 2015, established a Crowdsourced
Bathymetry Working Group (CSBWG). In accordance with the CSBWG Terms of Reference, which were
endorsed by the IRCC, the CSBWG developed a draft guidance document on Crowdsourced Bathymetry that
provides general advice and technical information for those that may be considering collecting or using
crowdsourced bathymetry. The guidance document is not intended to be either prescriptive or authoritative, but
rather to enable effective conduct of CSB activities along the full process chain.
3. The Chair of the IRCC requested the IHO Secretariat to circulate the first draft Edition 1.0.0 of B-12 - IHO
Guidance Document on Crowdsourced Bathymetry - seeking comments from Member States, observer
organizations and stakeholders. This was undertaken under the reference with the feedback and comments
received being considered by the CSBWG at its 6th meeting (CSBWG6 – Monaco, 5-6 December 2017), after
which the document was submitted for endorsement by the IRCC at its 10th meeting (Goa, India, 4-6 June 2018)
and the IHO Council at its 2nd meeting (London, UK, 9-11 October 2018).
4. At the 2nd Council meeting concerns were raised which the Chair of Council and the Secretary-General
agreed should be addressed before the B-12 could be considered by Member States for approval. One of the items
was a need to highlight a statement that these guidelines do not supersede any national or international law and/or
regulations on the conduct of depth data gathering in the respective areas of jurisdiction. The following text was
agreed by the Council and has been inserted into the IHO Statement on Crowdsourced Bathymetry at the foreword
of the document:
“This document provides technical guidelines only that in no way supersede national
or international laws and regulations”
Hydrographic information driving marine knowledge
5. The second relevant outcome of the Council´s discussion on B-12 was the inclusion of a flow diagram
depicting the treatment of incoming CSB data to be incorporated into the IHO Data Centre for Digital Bathymetry
(DCDB) database. This flow diagram is designed to show the filter processes, including a geographical location
checking process and any subsequent masking actions to be applied to any incoming CSB data before ingestion
into the DCDB data base.
6. The two concerns explained under paragraph 4 and 5 of this Circular Letter have now been addressed in the
draft Edition 2.0.0 of B-12, which is available (in English only) on the IHO website at:
www.iho.int → Standards & Publications → Download → Draft Publications Awaiting Approval by Member
States.
7. The Guidance Document B-12, once approved, will deliver sound technical guidance and encouragement
for all stakeholders who are interested in contributing to the CSB process, while respecting Coastal States national
positions. As a matter of principle, no incoming CSB data set will be rejected except for technical reasons (e.g.
incompleteness or non-readability), but its incorporation into the DCDB data base and subsequent dissemination,
will be subject to the categorization of the respective data set through the aforementioned filter process. CSB data,
identified through the geographical location process as belonging to the high seas (according to UNCLOS “the
area”), will be ingested into the DCDB data base without restrictions on its further reuse.
8. The calibration of the filter process for CSB activities, potentially undertaken in waters of national
jurisdiction, requires explicit approval by the affected Coastal State. Annex B contains a Template Form to be
completed to indicate general consent and any potential caveats to be respected.
9. The filter calibration information to be received through the completion of Annex B will form the basis for
a list of Coastal States that support CSB activities within their respective national waters of jurisdiction as well as
highlighting any caveats articulated. This list will be maintained by the IHO Secretariat and, depending on the
individual consent of the particular Member State, published on the IHO website.
10. If and when compliant with the caveats articulated by each Coastal State, incoming CSB data will be
ingested into the DCDB to become part of the downloadable public domain datasets through the DCDB web portal.
If required, the affected Coastal State will be notified that new CSB data sets and metadata likely to cover their
waters of national jurisdiction have been received at the DCDB and that a copy can be forwarded, before ingestion,
for review and a release decision.
11. Member States are requested to take into account the endorsement of the IRCC and the IHO Council and
consider approving the Edition 2.0.0 of B-12 and to indicate their decision by returning the Voting Form, provided
in Annex A, no later than 5 April 2019.
12. Separately and unconnected to the approval of Edition 2.0.0 of B-12, Member States are also requested to
indicate whether they support the activity within their waters of national jurisdiction, including any caveats they
wish to apply by returning the Template Form, provided in Annex B, no later than 20 May 2019.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Mathias JONAS
Secretary-General
Annex A: Voting Form
Annex B: Template Form
Annex A to IHO CL 11/2019
IHO File S3/2649
APPROVAL OF EDITION 2.0.0 OF NEW IHO PUBLICATION B-12
CROWDSOURCED BATHYMETRY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT
VOTING FORM
(to be returned to the IHO Secretariat no later than 5 April 2019
E-mail:
[email protected] - Fax: +377 93 10 81 40)
Member
State:
Contact:
E-mail:
Do you approve the Edition 2.0.0 of new IHO Publication B-12?
Please tick the appropriate box:
YES NO
If you answer ‘NO’, please explain in the comment section below.
Comments (if required)
Annex B to IHO CL 11/2019
IHO File S3/2649
ACCEPTANCE OF CROWDSOURCED BATHYMETRY ACTIVITIES
IN NATIONAL WATERS OF JURISTRICITION –
SETTINGS FOR FILTER ALGORITHMS
TEMPLATE FORM
(to be returned to the IHO Secretariat no later than 20 May 2019
E-mail:
[email protected] - Fax: +377 93 10 81 40)
Please tick the appropriate boxes:
Question 1: Do you support CSB activity in your waters of national jurisdiction?
(Note that for the purpose of this template the term “waters of national jurisdiction” addresses
“territorial waters” and “EEZ” as nationally claimed and registered by recognized UN
instruments. In the case of disputed areas for both categories possibly covered by incoming
CSB data, those datasets will be masked through the filtering algorithm and not made
publically available.)
YES NO
If the answer to question 1 is NO, please stop here to go no further. If the answer to question 1 is YES:
Question 2: Do you support CSB activity unrestricted in all your waters of national jurisdiction?
YES NO
If the answer to question 2 is YES, please skip questions 3 and 4. If the answer to question 2 is NO:
Question 3: Do you support CSB activity unrestricted within your EEZ and with caveats within territorial
waters?
YES NO
If the answer to question 3 is YES, please skip question 4. If the answer to question 3 is NO:
Question 4: Do you support CSB activity unrestricted within the EEZ only but not within territorial waters?
YES NO
If the answers to questions 1 and 2 or the answers to questions 1 and 3 or the answers to questions 1 and 4 are
YES:
Question 5: Do you wish to be informed about the receipt of new CSB data sets covering your waters of
national jurisdiction?
YES NO
If the answer to question 5 is NO, please skip question 6. If the answer to question 5 is YES:
Question 6: Do you wish to review all incoming new CSB data sets covering your waters of national
jurisdiction before ingestion into the DCDB data base?
YES NO
Question 7: After ingestion of new CSB data sets covering your waters of national jurisdiction into the
DCDB database, do you wish to put caveats on the further dissemination of the data?
For use in GEBCO grids only to be provided by the DCDB web portal:
For download via the DCDB web portal as gridded data sets only:
For download as raw data:
Question 8: Do you agree that the IHO Secretariat aggregates an entry into a public list based on the
information given to question 1 to 7:
Coastal IHO General No Restrictions Seeking Review Caveats on
State Member support of restrictions in information of the further
State CSB in all territorial about incoming dissemination
activity waters of waters only arrival of new CSB of the
waters of national new CSB data sets ingested data
national jurisdiction data sets prior to
jurisdiction ingestion
into the
DCDB
data base
YES NO
Additional comments (if required)
Name : ……………………………………………………
Title/Position : …………………………………………….
Member State : …………………………………………….
Signature : ………………………………………………..
Date : ….…………………………………………………
From: CL-LC
To: Info
Subject: FINAL VERSION: CL 11/2019 - Deadlines 5 April and 20 May 2019
Date: Monday, January 28, 2019 5:21:33 PM
Attachments: dfpgngnopfellhkf.png
CL11_2019_EN_v1.pdf
CL11Voting Form.docx
CL11TempForm.docx
Dear Hydrographer
Please find attached the final version of CL 11/2019, canceling and replacing the one sent on
the 25th January.
Also attached, Voting and Template Forms in WORD versions.
With apologies,
Kind regards
Lorene Chavagnas
Office Assistant
International Hydrographic Organization
BP 445, 98011 Monaco
Tel : 00377 93 10 81 00
E-mail:
[email protected]
On 25/01/2019 13:36, CL-LC wrote:
Dear Hydrographer,
Please find attached herewith :
CL 11/2019 : CALL FOR APPROVAL OF EDITION 2.0.0 OF IHO
PUBLICATION B-12
CROWDSOURCED BATHYMETRY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT
Kind regards
IHO
--
Mireille Mollet
Registrar/Communications
International Hydrographic Organization
BP 445, 98011 Monaco
Tel : 00377 93 10 81 36
Fax : 00377 93 10 81 40
E-mail:
[email protected]
A nnex A to IHO CL 11 /201 9 IHO File S3/2649 APPROVAL OF EDITION 2.0.0 OF NEW IHO PUBLICATION B-12 CROWDSOURCED BATHYMETRY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT VOTING FORM ( to be returned to the IHO Secretariat no later than 5 April 2019 E-mail:
[email protected] - Fax: +377 93 10 81 40) Member State : Contact : E-mail : Do you approve the Edition 2.0.0 of new IHO Publication B-12 ? Please tick the appropriate box: 3200400 88265 0 0 865505 88265 0 0 YES NO If you answer ‘NO’, please explain in the comment section below. Comments (if required)
A nnex B to IHO CL 11 /201 9 IHO File S3/2649 ACCEPTANCE OF CROWDSOURCED BATHYMETRY ACTIVITIES IN NATIONAL WATERS OF JURISTRICITION – SETTINGS FOR FILTER ALGORITHMS TEMPLATE FORM ( to be returned to the IHO Secretariat no later than 20 May 2019 E-mail:
[email protected] - Fax: +377 93 10 81 40) Please tick the appropriate box es : Question 1: Do you support CSB activity in your waters of national jurisdiction ? (Note that f or t he purpose of this template the term “waters of national jurisdiction” addresses “t erritorial w aters ” and “EEZ” as nationally claimed and registered by recognized UN instruments. In the case of disputed areas for both categories possibly covered by incoming CSB data, those datasets will be masked through the filtering algorithm and not made publically available.) 3689960 7620 0 0 909396 7798 0 0 YES NO If the answer to question 1 is NO, please stop here to go no further. If the answer to question 1 is YES: Question 2: Do you support CSB activity unrestricted in all your waters of national jurisdiction ? 3682645 7416 0 0 872820 7798 0 0 YES NO If the answer to question 2 is YES, please skip questions 3 and 4. If the answer to question 2 is NO: Question 3: Do you support CSB activity unrestricted within your EEZ and with caveats within territorial waters ? 3682645 7416 0 0 872820 7798 0 0 YES NO If the answer to question 3 is YES, please skip question 4. If the answer to question 3 is NO: Question 4: Do you support CSB activity unrestricted with in the EEZ only but not within t erritorial waters ? 3690189 2439 0 0 864997 3429 0 0 YES NO If the answers to questions 1 and 2 or the answers to questions 1 and 3 or the answers to questions 1 and 4 are YES: Question 5: Do you wish to be informed about the receipt of new CSB data sets covering your waters of national jurisdiction ? 3682873 2438 0 0 872313 3429 0 0 YES NO If the answer to question 5 is NO, please skip question 6. If the answer to question 5 is YES: Question 6: Do you wish to review all incoming new CSB data sets covering your waters of national jurisdiction before ingestion into the DCDB data base ? 3682873 2438 0 0 872313 3429 0 0 YES NO Question 7: After ingestion of new CSB data sets covering your waters of national jurisdiction into the DCDB database, do you wish to put caveats on the further dissemination of the data ? 5520690 236220 0 0 For use in GEBCO grids only to be provided by the DCDB web portal: 5527904 206629 0 0 For download via the DCDB web portal as gridded data sets only: 5513273 170154 0 0 For download as raw data: Question 8 : Do you agree that the IHO Secretariat aggregates an entry into a public list based on the information given to question 1 to 7 : Coastal State IHO Member State General support of CSB activity waters of national jurisdiction No restrictions in all waters of national jurisdiction Restrictions in territorial waters only Seeking information about arrival of new CSB data sets Review of incoming new CSB data sets prior to ingestion into the DCDB data base Caveats on the further dissemination of the ingested data 3682873 2438 0 0 872313 3429 0 0 YES NO Additional c omments (if required) Name : …………………………………………………… Title/ Position : ……………………………………………. Member State : ……………………………………………. Signature : ……………………………………… ……….. Date : ….…………………………… ……………………