Hydrography in Canada has evolved over the years, starting with the arrival of the Vikings and up until the modern era. Charting of Canadian waters began well before Canada became a country. But it wasn’t until the major shipping accident of passenger steamer Asia in the Great Lakes on 14th September 1882 that the Canadian government realised the serious need for a governmental organisation to undertake systematic hydrographic surveys of its waters. Subsequently, in 1883, the Canadian hydrographic programme under the Georgian Bay Survey was established. Later, in 1904, an Order-In-Council changed its name to the Hydrographic Survey of Canada, which in 1928 became the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS).
Like other similar services in many parts of the world, the Canadian Hydrographic Service is undergoing rapid change. Advancements in survey and GIS technology, multi-fold increase in computing power and realisation of the importance of hydrography in ecosystem science have made hydrography the foundation of marine sciences. The vision of CHS for the twenty-first century is thus based on this expanded role of the hydrographic service in providing the foundation infrastructure and expertise for:
- maritime transportation, required under the Canada Shipping Act
- sovereignty and security agenda, including requirements for UNCLOS, national defence and marine safety
- ocean mapping, particularly as part of the Canada’s Oceans Action Plan required under the Oceans Act
- tide/water-level monitoring and forecasting for transportation, ocean and climate-change research, and natural hazard warning and mitigation.
These are required to support Canadian priorities such as safe and accessible waterways, healthy and productive aquatic ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, and national security. The enhanced opportunities for CHS to contribute to these priorities arise from the fact that technologies such as multi-beam sounders are capable not only of delineating the bottom of the water column, but also of conducting bottom classification and benthic mapping. Thus the hydrographic programme is fundamental to the implementation of the Canada Oceans Act, particularly in the establishment and management of Marine Protected Areas. These are established through a step-by-step process that includes identification of an Area of Interest, a series of ecological, social and economic assessments and then extensive consultations and the development of a regulation to formally designate the area.
CHS has been moving towards these goals. However, in order to meet the rapidly changing demands for such support, CHS is in the process of significantly enhancing its scientific and technical expertise through rejuvenation of the workforce, collaboration with other federal and provincial departments, universities and industry, as well as through international collaboration.
Hydrography is indeed in a very exciting phase. |
