TRAINING IN MARINE RESOURCE DATA MANAGEMENT FOR NIGERIA

The inventory and collection of data available to coastal nations is vital to building their capacity for the marine resource management of their coastal waters. Effective management of offshore marine resources requires an understanding of the general morphology of the ocean and Seaforth Engineering of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, has had considerable experience in marine surveys, ocean mapping, and geographic information systems (GIS). They and their partner, CARIS of Fredericton, New Brunswick, were a logical choice, then, to carry out a contract with the Nigerian National Boundary Commission, Department of Oceanography, to assist Nigerians to acquire the tools necessary to manage the data relating to their coastal marine resources. 

With $70,000 from CIDA-INC in support of the contract, and using training resources and software developed by CARIS, Seaforth established a training office in Dartmouth, N.S., complete with all hardware, software, and materials necessary to transfer expertise in data assembly, analysis and subsequent report generation. Eleven Nigerian students, including one woman, came to Dartmouth to take part in the training. With the completion of the program, the training office was dismantled and shipped to Abuja, Nigeria, where it will provide the framework upon which Nigeria can now establish a turnkey Hydrographic Office.

In addition to increasing Nigeria's knowledge capacity, this training will contribute to the provision of safe charting for tankers, cargo ships, and other vessels; the creation of updated maritime zones as a stable framework for resource management, including migratory fish species; and, the provision of a stable environment for investment by oil/gas/mineral companies.

Seaforth Engineering has its head office, warehouse and laboratory facilities in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, offering consulting engineering services in the development and implementation of innovative marine engineering services and renewable energy technology. Seaforth provides solutions for its clients in project management, ocean mapping, and renewable energy systems; its pool of professionals includes engineers, geophysicists, geologists, hydrographers, geographic information systems (GIS) and computer aided design (CAD) technicians.

Based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, CARIS is a leading developer of software for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Information Management (SIM) solutions for marine applications. CARIS LOTS (Law of the Sea) software has been developed in response to the ever-increasing demand for proper tools to plan and prepare maritime boundaries. It has been purchased by 26 nations and is currently in use in North America (e.g. Canada, US, Mexico), South Carribbean & South America (e.g. Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, Brazil), Europe (e.g. Norway, UK, Spain), Africa (e.g. South Africa, Namibia), and Asia (e.g. Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia).

For more information contact: 
David Lombardi 
Seaforth Engineering Group 

(902) 468-3579 
dlombardi@seafortheng.ca