News in 2023
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The Annual International Federation of Hydrographic Societies was organized by the Italian Hydrographic Society.
Three members of the FIG Commission 4, Tanja Dufek from Germany, Gordon Johnston from UK and Denis Hains from Canada, attended the event and promoted the FIG in the poster area. Tanja made a Technical Presentation one “Exploration of hydrothermal venting sites and sulphide deposits using deep-towed multi-beam echo sounder data”, while Gordon as FIG member on the FIG/IHO/ICA International Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC) had strategically networked with many participants; Denis presented a Keynote Address on “Citizen Hydrospatial Sciences”, on “The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO, Seabed 2030”, and also chaired a technical session.
This event is important to demonstrate a presence, visibility and impact
of the FIG-Commission 4 in the global hydrographic and Hydrospatial
community. For more info: https://hydro2023.com/
or reach Tanja, Gordon or Denis directly.
FIG-Comm 4 Participant: Gordon Johnston, UK
This event marked the 120th anniversary of the commencement of GEBCO (the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans) and brought innovators, the GEBCO Guiding Committee, the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 project and various data and ocean experts together. The introduction by IHO Director Luigi Sinapi (who is planning to attend the FIG WW2024 in Accra), reminded the audience that less than 25% of the oceans have been surveyed to basic modern standards. A really critical parameter that must surely be rectified during this UN Decade of the Ocean.
The symposium featured many interesting and challenging speakers who enlightened and informed the audience of the mapping progress, challenges and opportunities related to ocean exploration. Highlights included: Victor Vescovo of Five Deeps Expedition who was famously first to visit each of the deepest trenches in each of the world’s oceans; Fabien Cousteau whose family association with diving and ocean exploration and preservation is legendary.
The event, at the historic Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, showcased many developments in ocean exploration and reminded the audience of the skills, innovation and professionalism of surveyors, cartographers and explorers in the quest to map our oceans.
For more info: https://www.mapthegaps.org/symposium or contact Gordon.
Gordon Johnston
December 2023
