Marine GIS Applications:

Background

Marine GIS can cover a wide range of applications and can be categorised as coastal, oceanographic or fisheries GIS. An oceanographic GIS describes methods for the mapping and measurement of major ocean processes that greatly affect the state of marine environment while a fisheries GIS provides a framework for the facilitation of the complex fisheries management process.

However, there is a good deal of overlap among these three kinds of marine GIS. For example, a coastal fisheries GIS may require data on oceanographic processes. such as upwelling, to describe how fish populations and production are affected. The development of marine GIS is a multidisciplinary process and requires participation from many scientific disciplines.

The following examples provide an overview of the many types of marine GIS applications.

Fisheries Management and Planning

Coastal Atlas

Oil Spill Response