Ocean Decade Bathymetry Data Sharing Guideline

The document, prepared by the Ocean Decade Corporate Data Group (CDG), highlights the opportunities for industrial companies working in the marine environment to make their bathymetry data publicly available.

The CDG comprises private sector companies representing a wide variety of marine industries, including fisheries, energy, telecommunications, and marine contractors. The Working Group is focused on creating frameworks and mechanisms to make privately owned ocean science data publicly available for the benefit of humanity.

Making ocean data publicly available helps fill critical gaps in data, information and knowledge that is necessary for sustainable ocean management.

Bathymetry data – which includes information about the depths and shapes of underwater terrain - contributes to the creation of a comprehensive map of the world’s ocean floor and is a foundational layer for almost all scientific studies of the ocean.

By contributing their ocean datasets, private industry companies can reinforce their position as a key player in the blue economy supporting sustainable development, demonstrate their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility - and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14 in particular - as well as being seen as an employer of choice and an attractive prospect for potential investment.

The guidelines demonstrate what bathymetry data to share, where to share the data and how to share the data (important considerations and required action).