FIG Commissions


Work plans – Commission 4

Title

Hydrography

Dennis St. Jacques, Chairperson of Commission 4

Terms of reference

  • Hydrographic surveying
  • Marine environment
  • Data processing and management
  • Nautical charting and bathymetric maps – analogue, digital and ENCs.

Mission statement

  • Promote the aims and objectives of FIG to hydrographers through the active involvement of national delegates from member associations and other interested parties in the activities of the commission.
  • Develop guidelines and standards that will assist hydrographers in the provision of their services.
  • Disseminate information relevant to the profession through participation in international meetings, conferences and committees.

Working Group 4.1

Title

Future technologies

Policy issues

  • Provision of information on new and emerging technologies.
  • Development of guidelines and standards.

Chair

Adam Greenland (UK).

Specific project(s)

Identify new and emerging technologies to be tracked and individual scanners to track them; prepare and distribute brief summaries of new developments; identify issues that may require further analysis by dedicated working groups.

Workshop(s)

Presentations at FIG working weeks.

Publication(s)

None expected. However, brief internal reports will be prepared.

Timetable

To be advised.

Beneficiaries

Commission delegates, commission officers and hydrographic surveyors.

Working Group 4.2

Title

Sustainable development in hydrography

Policy issues

  • Develop and promote sustainable development guidelines in hydrography.

Chair

Dennis St. Jacques (Canada).

Specific project(s)

  • Identify hydrographic activities that contribute to sustainable development with emphasis on the coastal zone and produce a summary report.
  • Input to the FIG task force on sustainable development.
  • Prepare guidelines for hydrographic surveyors.

Workshop(s)

None expected.

Publication(s)

Internal report to the FIG task force on sustainable development.

Timetable

To be advised.

Beneficiaries

Commission delegates, commission officers and hydrographic surveyors.

Working Group 4.3

Title

Electronic charts

Policy issues

  • Provision of information on new and emerging technologies.
  • Development of guidelines and standards.

Chair

To be advised.

Specific project(s)

  • Prepare guidelines for the collection of hydrographic data that is compliant with the S57 data standard.
  • Prepare guidelines for the transformation of existing data sets to the S57 data sets.
  • Provide input to FIG task force on standards.

Workshop(s)

Presentations at FIG working weeks.

Publication(s)

None expected.

Timetable

To be advised.

Beneficiaries

Commission delegates, commission officers and hydrographic surveyors.

FIG/IHO Committees

Commission 4 represents FIG in two FIG/IHO standing committees: the Technical Assistance and Co-operation Co-ordination Committee (TACC) and the International Advisory Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors.

The objectives of TACC are

  • to promote the importance of hydrography and nautical charting to all coastal states
  • to encourage the provision of technical and financial assistance to hydrographic development projects
  • to maintain an inventory of hydrographic projects involving technical assistance and co-operation.

During the work plan period Commission 4 will chair and actively participate in the activities of TACC. Its next meeting is scheduled from 26 - 29 April 1999 at the US hydrographic conference in Mobile, Alabama.

Commission 4 is seeking two additional members to represent FIG on TACC.

The role of the International Advisory Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors is

  • to develop and up-date international standards of competence for hydrographic surveyors
  • to review the academic programme of educational institutions that are seeking IHO accreditation of their hydrographic programmes.

Commission 4 delegates to the Advisory Board will participate actively in its work during the next five years. The commission is looking for a member from the off-shore survey industry to augment the FIG contribution to the Advisory Board.

Other activities

Maintain and develop the commission home page, linkages to other relevant home pages and new pages or other networks for special projects, to keep commission delegates, other FIG members, users of surveying services and the public involved in and informed about the work of the commission.

Sponsor a hydrographic session at the 6th annual south east Asian surveyors conference, Perth, October 1999.

Commission officers and chairs of working groups

Chair
Dennis St Jacques
867 Lakeshore Drive
P O Box 5050
Burlington, Ontario
Canada L7R 4A6
Email stjacquesd@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Tel 1 905 336 4537
Fax 1 905 336 8916

Vice-Chair
Adam Greenland
Port of London Authority
Hydrographic Section
Royal Pier Road
Gravesend, Kent DA12 21BG
UK
Email agreenland@linz.govt.nz
Tel 44 (0)1474 562207
Fax 44 (0)1474 562314

Secretary
Seppo H S Mäkinen
Finnish Maritime Administration
Hydrographic Surveys Division
P O Box 171
00181 Helsinki
Finland
Email seppo.makinen@fma.fi
Tel +358 20 448 4411
Fax +358 20 448 4453

Working Group 4.1

Chair Adam Greenland (see above)

Working Group 4.2

Chair Dennis St Jacques (see above)

Working Group 4.3

Chair to be advised.



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