Joint Irish Bathymetric Survey (JIBS)

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has been given approval to undertake a Joint Irish Bathymetric Survey Project (JIBS) under the INTERREG IIIA Programme of work *,which is monitored by the Special EU Programmes Body.  The MCA is lead partner for the project and will be collaborating with the Marine Institute of Ireland as project partner.  The objective of the JIBS Project is to promote joint action to survey the seabed in such a way as to satisfy the needs of many organisations.

The INTERREG IIIA Steering Committee approved the project plan in September 2006, subject to economic appraisal.  A letter of offer was sent on the 3rd April 2007, which subsequently recommended grant aid of up to €2,133,508 under Priority 2 Measure 2.  The award was allocated on a calendar basis for 2007 (€1,274,948) and 2008 (€858,460).

The Marine Institute will enter into partnership with the MCA under a MoU and contract for services.

The JIBS project commenced on 10 April 2007 and will be completed by 30 June 2008.

Aims of the project

The main aims of the JIBS project proposal are as follows:

  • To provide, for the first time, comprehensive multibeam bathymetry data over prioritised areas within the 3nm coastal strip between Donegal Bay and Dundalk Bay.  The area initially proposed is the 3nm coastal strip from Malin Head to Rathlin Island.  The survey will be conducted to IHO "Order 1” standard (note the target areas will be refined after consultation with the stakeholder groups).  A total of 140 vessel days are expected.  Both MCA-appointed contractors and the Marine Institute R.V. Celtic Voyager will carry out the hydrographic survey.
  • To obtain ground-truthed, geocoded backscatter data for the surveyed area.  Ground truthing will be performed by grab-sample.
  • To provide seabed texture sheets for the surveyed area showing interpreted seabed types.
  • To serve up multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data as “Generic Sensor Format” files on the world-wide web.
  • To promulgate the results of the survey between all interested stakeholders.
  • To work co-operatively with the Marine Institute of Ireland to ensure results are compatible with the needs of both nations and to foster better technology and procedure transfer between the MCA and the Marine Institute.
  • To provide bathymetry data to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office to enable updating of nautical charts and publications in Northern Irish and Irish waters to improve safety for mariners.

Project Deliverables

The existing charts of most of the coastline of Northern Ireland are Victorian in vintage and compiled from leadline soundings with sextant positioning and are now severely outdated and are unsuitable for efficient marine stewardship.  A comprehensive multibeam survey will provide an extremely detailed foundation map that, in addition to fulfilling the National SOLAS requirements, will underpin all forms of marine data, including habitat and environmental data; permitting oceanographic modelling and marine spatial planning.  The key products arising from this programme will include digital data and maps illustrating:

  • 100% coverage of seabed bathymetry as an aid to navigation;
  • 100% coverage of acoustic backscatter to identify seabed bottom type;
  • marine geology derived from the above;
  • currents, tides, temperature and salinity measurements in the water;
  • identification of benthic habitats; and
  • underwater archaeological heritage.

Cooperation and data sharing within JIBS

The immediate benefits of this project are three-fold:

(a)  The generation of the foundation multibeam data set and derivative maps, as discussed above, to be made available to all interested parties.

(b)  The instigation of cross border cooperation.  The MCA has entered into partnership with the Marine Institute of Ireland for the JIBS project, as both organisations have experience in gathering hydrographic data and providing the data to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office for the update of nautical charts.  This project will help to unify the standards that both organisations employ and will help technology transfer between the two organisations.

(c)  In addition to the project partners, the JIBS project will provide a forum for north/south cooperation, via  Steering Group and stakeholder meetings.

Steering Group

The INTERREG IIIA grant has requested that the Project Management establish a Project Steering Group.  This group will be chaired by Claire Vincent of Water Management Unit, Environment and Heritage Service Department of the Environment (NI), and representatives of all strategic partners f:rom the following organisations have been invited to participate in the group:

The responsibilities of the Project Steering Group will include:  agreement of the technical content of work plans and reports; monitoring of project progress and deliverables; and monitoring and control of project expenditure.  The Steering Group will meet quarterly and the first meeting was held on Wednesday 1st August 2007 at EHS, Belfast.

Steering Group Documentation will be uploaded shortly

Prior to this meeting a questionnaire was circulated to all identified stakeholders requesting confirmation of target survey areas and approval of the proposed survey methodology.

A stakeholder consultation meeting was then held on the 2nd August 2007 in Belfast.  The target areas for survey were identified at this meeting.  Concurrently, the technical scope of work document was compiled and agreed.   Survey work commenced in November 2007. All work, including the web delivery portal and data processing must be completed by 30th June 2008.

Subsequent Steering Group Meetings have been/will be as follows:

  • 12 November 2007 at the Marine institute, Rinville, Ireland
  • 26 February 2008 at MCA, Spring Place, Southampton, United Kingdom
  • 13 June 2008, Geological Survey of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

To acess papers for the above meetings please navigate to the bottom of the page.

The Project Plan

Work Package 1 – Identification of prioritised areas
This will be achieved in the first three months of the project, as an initial data gathering phase; drawing in suitable data from government institutes, research organizations, universities and other sources.  The pertinent data will be assembled on an ArcGIS database and the selection of sites carried out in consultation with the key partners and by stakeholder consultation and questionnaire distribution.  Selection will be based on a series of criteria, including, but not restricted to, areas requiring survey, areas identified as cSAC’s, areas of strategic national importance and areas of intense use, that require a marine spatial management plan.  In design, this work package is intended to identify and prioritise the mapping requirements and provide costs for a survey

Work Package 2 – Scoping of the survey
The scope of work for the surveys will be designed on the findings of Work Package 1.  The foundation data set provided by this project will be multibeam soundings and backscatter.  The tools used to achieve the required level of accuracy will be investigated and costed.  Tidal control, ancillary data collection and ground truthing techniques, suitable for the Priority Areas must be clearly identified.  The data management tools and standards will be ascertained and identified within this work package.  Similarly data processing tools will be selected.  Work Package 2 will be delivered in the following manner:
Following successful identification of the Priority Areas identified by WP 1, a brief technical review of survey needs will be carried out in order to assess appropriate technology for carrying out inshore surveys.

Work Package 3 – The surveys
Work Package 3 will concentrate on the surveys themselves and the management of the vessels, including all timetabling, equipment provisions, personnel resourcing, communications and the day-to-day running of a survey.  Comprehensive data quality control must be achieved whilst on the vessel and checks will be designed and executed by the project management representative on the vessels.  A regular reporting structure will be established and the contents of a final operational report specified and agreed by the survey operator.

Work Package 4 – Data interpretation
The aim of this project is to produce seabed texture sheets for the surveyed area showing interpreted seabed types and marine landscape maps.  Work Package 4 will concentrate on the management of the data interpretation phase of the project, defining the structure of the deliverables and ensuring resources are allocated to complete the interpretation within the specified timeframe.  Biological and sediment sample analysis must also be incorporated in the final sheets.

Work Package 5 – Delivering the results
In addition to delivering sheet data, the project also aims to serve up multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data as “Generic Sensor Format” files on the world-wide web and to provide bathymetry data to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, enabling updating of nautical charts and publications in Northern Irish and Irish waters to improve safety for mariners.  Work Package 5 will identify the best methods for delivering the data to the www and design and construct portals.

Work Package 6 – Publicity
An integral component of the overall project will be to develop an effective communication and dissemination strategy with relevant stakeholders, from both the habitat mapping practitioner community (research institutes, agencies and commercial/industrial sector) and the end-user community (managers, planners, policy makers).

Work Package 7 – Project management
Work Package 7 is tasked with the overall project management of the proposed project, relating to the effective running and day to day co-ordination of partner activities.  The management team will provide the overall management for the project and act as the main link with the INTERREG secretariat

*INTERREG IIIA Programme addresses the economic and social disadvantages which can result from the existence of a border.  It does this by promoting the creation of cross border networks involving and benefiting local communities.  The Ireland/Northern Ireland INTERREG IIIA Programme covers all of Northern Ireland and the six border counties of Ireland

Please click on the link below to acess steering group meeting papers.