New charts map seabed and marine ecosystems

(CNS): The newly completed seabed mapping survey of the Cayman Islands by the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) will support marine navigation safety and provide an invaluable source of information to support the management, protection and understanding of the local marine environment, according to a release from the Ministry of District Administration and Lands.

The new charts uncover information about the depth and nature of the seabed and its ecosystems. The UK has also supplied remote monitors to measure local sea-level rise. The data was officially presented to the Cayman Islands Government in June by UKHO Hydrographic Programme Manager Kerrie Howard, who said it covers both the land and sea for all three islands.

The Department of Lands and Survey is the custodian of the data but the information will also be useful to several other government departments, including the Department of Environment, Hazard Management Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands Coast Guard, the National Weather Service, the Maritime Authority and the Port Authority.

Premier and Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Wayne Panton said this mapping covered the shallow seabed from the shoreline out to the drop-off at approximately 130 feet and now provides a clear picture of the bottom structures, including coral, sand and seagrass beds.

“In addition to having such valuable information on the nearshore marine environment, the data will facilitate the creation of more comprehensive storm surge and flooding models, enabling effective mitigation strategies for the impacts of severe weather and climate change,” he said.

“The provision of this technical support is yet another example of the excellent partnership the Cayman Islands Government enjoys with the United Kingdom. We are grateful for the support of the Governor’s Office, the UK Hydrographic Office and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee for their collaboration on this project.”

The survey was undertaken in November last year by international geodata specialists as part of a £1 million cross-overseas territory project funded by the UK Government’s Overseas Territories (OTs) Seabed Mapping Programme. UKHO has also installed four tide gauges that remotely monitor sea-level change.

Lands Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly said the information was a “huge leap forward in filling a void in the mapping information” and will be of immense value to the government.

“We recognise that data gathering is an ongoing process to ensure the most up-to-date data is available,” she said, noting that Lands and Survey has aerial photography from the 1950s to the present day but there haven’t been any recent hydrographic surveys that cover the underwater environment of the three islands.

“This survey provides the accuracy needed to ensure world-class operations and service,” she said.

The Cayman Islands was included in the International III Code ‘Flag State’ audit of the UK and Overseas Territories last year which focused on SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea). Therefore, having current seabed mapping data to the required specification represents a very positive step forward, the release stated.

The latest coastal shipping charts will soon present the latest, most accurate GPS data for waters around the Cayman Islands, helping to make navigation in local waters safer.

As an Overseas Territory, the Cayman Islands Government is given the data but private entities and individuals can buy it from UKHO, which is funded through selling the data it collects to third-parties.

See here for more information about how to access and purchase the data.