Hydrographic Survey Standards
IHO: Standards for Hydrographic surveys (S-44)
Published by the
International Hydrographic Organization
Manuals and Links
IHO Resources
- International Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC)
UNCLOS & Canada’s Offshore Responsibilities
When Canada became signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the Fall of 1993, the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors (ACLS) recognized its responsibility to the people of Canada to ensure that the limits of Canada’s rights in the offshore are reliably and unambiguously defined.
ACLS has a responsibility to ensure that the limits are defined in a manner which facilitates the easy administration of the rights by the Government of Canada and the exploitation of those rights by developers.
This responsibility was realized because the Canada Lands Surveys Act defines Canada Lands to include, amongst other areas; Any lands under water belonging to His Majesty in right of Canada or in respect of any rights in which the Government of Canada has power to dispose.
Since Canada signed on to UNCLOS and began preparing its submission for the United Nations’ Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), the ACLS Offshore Committee actively monitored these developments. A dedicated UNCLOS Task Force was created to focus on this issue.
This Task Force prepared a position paper titled:
For more information on Canada’s extended Continental Shelf, click here
IBSC-Recognized S-5A and S-5B Academic Programs in Canada
The academic institutions listed offer programs currently recognized by the International Board on Standards of Competence (IBSC) under Categories S-5A and S-5B.
Graduates of these programs are well-positioned to pursue Hydrographic Certification—an essential credential for advancing in the field of hydrography
Note: Program recognition status may change annually. For the most current information, please refer to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) website.
| Institution | Program | IBSC Recognized Program |
|---|---|---|
| University of New Brunswick | Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering | Category S-5A |
| Marine Institute of Memorial University | Ocean Mapping | Category S-5B |
| Marine Institute of Memorial University | Master of Applied Ocean Technology (Ocean Mapping) | Category S-5A |
| IIC Academy | Hydrographic Surveying Program (Global Delivery) | Category S-5B |
| CIDCO | Category B Course | Category S-5B |
OFFSHORE BOOK & IMAGES
Canada’s Offshore. Jurisdiction, Rights and Management, 3rd Edition, by Bruce
Calderbank, Alec M. McLeod, Ted L. McDorman and David H. Gray, Trafford
Publishing, 2006, Colour, ISBN 1-4120-7816-4. 328 pp.
The last few years have seen major changes to the laws governing the offshore created by international agreements, Canadian legislation, and court decisions. This is the first Canadian book to deal comprehensively and systematically with these important issues pertaining to the jurisdiction, rights, and management in Canada’s offshore.
The laws dealing with Canada’s offshore have undergone considerable change and this book brings together various streams to provide an understandable overview.
This book covers the following:
- International practices, customs, laws, and treaties concerning the oceans, and their effects on Canada.
- Canada’s responses to international ocean-related events through Canadian legislation, regulations and practices.
- International treaties and conventions, Canadian court decisions, and the result of arbitration decisions concerning Canada, with specific emphasis on the resulting ocean boundary delimitations.
- The mechanics of describing and determining ocean boundaries, and interpreting ocean-related Canadian legislation.
- Practical issues related to Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry.
Read a review of the book: Review
Download a promotional flyer for this book: Flyer
To purchase a digital copy of this book, contact: hydrography@acls-aatc.ca
