The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has completed a seabed mapping
survey for the Cayman Islands, uncovering information about the
depth and nature of the seabed and its ecosystems. The data from
the survey was presented to the islands’ government at an
official handover yesterday.
Geospatial data from the six-month study, launched in November
2021, was undertaken through the UK Government’s Conflict,
Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), under the Overseas
Territories Seabed Mapping Programme. Data was gathered over the
land and in the sea around the islands to depths of around 40
metres. The UKHO has worked across governmental departments
including the Ministry of District Administration and Lands, and
the Lands and Survey Department.
The data was shared with the Government of the Cayman Islands
during an official handover by HE The Governor, Martyn
Roper, to Hon. Juliana Y. O’Connor-Connolly, JP, MP, Minister for
Education and Minister for District Administration & Land.
The handover was conducted in the presence of Hon. G Wayne
Panton, JP, MP, Premier and Minister for Sustainability &
Climate Resiliency on behalf of the UKHO. The data will support
the islands’ maritime trade and economic growth by shedding light
on the seabed in the surrounding waters, enabling safe navigation
and helping to drive the territory’s sustainable blue economy.
Martyn Roper, Governor, commented:
I am pleased that the UKHO programming to the value of £1.1
million over the last six years has culminated in this
extensive survey project across all three islands. This data will
not only improve the safety of navigation and international
maritime compliance but can be used by a wide range of
stakeholders to support our understanding, management and
sustainable use of the marine environment, leading to informed
policy decisions. Importantly, the data is also key to supporting
the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. My thanks go to
the Ministry and Department of Lands and Survey for their
continued cooperation with the UKHO.
A small aircraft that used lidar data-gathering techniques was
deployed twice daily for up to four hours to collect the data.
The aircraft’s onboard survey equipment gathered information on
water depth and land heights, while also capturing
high-resolution images of the entirety of the three islands.
Meanwhile, the UKHO installed four tide gauges in the waters
surrounding the islands. These gauges will collect tidal data
that can be used by scientists to understand the impact of
climate change on sea levels and to assist in marine conservation
efforts.
The UKHO collaborated with the Joint Nature Conservation
Committee (JNCC) on this data collection project so that the data
can also support their requirements for coral and seabed mapping.
The data will also assist in the improvement of inundation
modelling accuracy and support environmental resilience and
security work in the Cayman Islands. This includes mapping the
Islands’ vulnerability to storm surge and inland flooding and
assessing the role and value of the natural environment (e.g.
coral and seagrass habitats) in mitigating impacts. The JNCC is a
public body that advises the UK Government on nature
conservation, both in the UK and overseas, including monitoring
and mapping the marine and terrestrial environment.
Recognising the benefits in working together, UKHO and JNCC
collaborated on the survey to ensure it met the needs of both
organisations for hydrographic data and habitat mapping. This not
only reduced the cost of the project, but also the carbon
footprint through doing just one survey and arranging travel for
only one team.
Amanda Gregory, Senior Overseas Territories Adviser at JNCC,
stated:
We were delighted to work together with UKHO and the Cayman
Islands as part of our CSSF programme to support the assessment
of how nature can support flood protection.
Commenting on the survey, Kerrie Howard, Hydrographic Programme
Manager at the UKHO, said:
The geospatial data collected provides scientists, marine
biologists and environmentalists a clearer picture of the Cayman
Islands’ marine environment and seabed. This information is vital
to supporting the territory’s blue economy, protecting the
underwater ecosystem and enabling safe navigation.
