The SYMPOSIUM is happening today and tomorrow, October 6-7! You may use this form to submit any written comments you want to share, before, during or after the event. Join the symposium using the GoToWebinar link (
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8278195966523873805) in the meeting agenda here:
https://iocm.noaa.gov/documents/Public-SOMP-Agenda-Oct-6-7-2020-v4.pdf. You can speak during the roundtable discussions and/or use the Chat box to provide comment. You can also submit comments via email to
iwgocm.staff@noaa.gov.
Background:
The National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (NOMEC) was published in June 2020 (available at
iocm.noaa.gov/about/strategic-plans.html). NOMEC sets forth five goals and related objectives for mapping, exploring, and characterizing the U.S. EEZ, and for enhancing opportunities for collaboration among interagency and non-United States Government entities with respect to those activities. Objective 2.1 of the strategy calls for federal agencies to develop a Standard Ocean Mapping Protocol (SOMP) in order to facilitate mapping the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
The intent of the SOMP is to guide all participants (federal, state, non-governmental) in mapping data acquisitions and processing to ensure the widest access to, and use of, the data, minimize duplication of effort, and efficiently collect, process, and publish as much data as possible into archives and databases. The SOMP will be a multisystem mapping operations document with an initial focus on ocean mapping 40m and deeper. SOMP-recommended standards, specifications and/or best practices are intended to improve communication, reduce costs, and prevent unnecessary/repetitive work.
This protocol will include strategic guidance for:
-- Timelines and protocols for data management and availability
-- Bathymetry data
-- Seabed backscatter acoustic imagery
-- Water column backscatter
-- Side-scan sonar imagery
-- Subbottom profiling, and
-- Magnetometer data.
The Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping (
iocm.noaa.gov/about/iwg-ocm.html) is holding a virtual SOMP Symposium on October 6-7, 2020. The purpose of the symposium is to enable non-federal stakeholders to learn about the SOMP protocol and provide an opportunity for comment on it. Academia, private sector, state/local government, and non-governmental organizations are invited to comment verbally via webinar at the symposium, and/or in writing.
In the form below, please find the ability to register for the symposium and brief summaries of each component of the SOMP. You may comment on any of the components and related topics, e.g. standards and specifications, procedures and best practices.
You may comment in writing using the form, or submit comments via email to
iwgocm.staff@noaa.gov. All comments will be shared with the SOMP writing team after the symposium.
Please begin here: