Coastal Management Special Issue

The EU Directorate-General for Environment News Service has put out an interesting Special Issue on Coastal Management (377KB PDF). It summarizes the EU experience with Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) including costing economic benefits, the importance of participatory approaches and strategic planning and the use of GIS. (Thanks J. Townend)

Ocean Bathymetry Training

GEBCO/Nippon Foundation Training Programme 2010
(Courtesy K. Lance, GSDI)

The Nippon Foundation of Japan has provided funding for the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) to train a new generation of scientists and hydrographers in ocean bathymetry. The 12-month course, leading to a Postgraduate Certificate in Ocean Bathymetry (PCOB), has been held at the University of New Hampshire, USA, since 2004.

GEBCO produces bathymetric charts and digital grids of the world ocean by collating, interpreting and contouring, with the aid of directional fabrics revealed by satellite gravity, single and multibeam soundings collected by surface ships, submarines and other underwater vehicles.

Students for the PCOB will be selected by a competitive application process. Minimum qualifications for acceptance are a four year undergraduate degree in a related science or engineering discipline, and proof of ability to successfully complete graduate level courses conducted in English. The selection process will aim at choosing candidates from a wide geographic distribution of coastal countries.

There's certainly room for more knowledge and understanding about this vast area of the Region. The positions are fully funded and the Caribbean Sea is apparently an area of interest for GEBCO.

The closing date for applications is 22 March 2010.