CoastGIS'99: geomatics and coastal environment
during prototype implementation or operational problem responsibility
or resolution.
Evans (1997) suggests that several organizational shifts are necessary
for agencies involved in data sharing. Data managers within organizations need to take responsibility for providing reliable data sets to
external users. Analysts and decision-makers need to depend on outside data for essential tasks. Organizations need to learn to live with
different data conventions. He goes further to suggest that to reap the
benefits of information sharing infrastructures “deeper-than-expected”
changes in organizations and inter-organizational relationships may be
required.
These are changes leading to a state of dynamic interdependence between
data sharing organizations.
From a review of the long lists of problems these authors have cited,
it is clear that interoperability both technical and organizational and
the task of putting together the coastal zone information puzzle are
challenging.
The Atlantic Canada Programmes
In this section our experiences and modest attempts to meet the challenge are described in terms of the development and implementation
of three programs from Atlantic Canada. The experiences are divided
into issue categories, issues which either inhibitecl or fostered the
processes of development and implementation.
The Nova Scotia Coastal Series
The Nova Scotia Coastal Series (NSCS) provides a single source of base
mapping for coastal mapping users, portraying information on both land
and water features of Nova Scotia’s coastline. The program is managed
by the Nova Scotia Department of Housing and Municipal Affairs
through the Nova Scotia Geomatics Centre. A portion of one of the maps
from the series is shown in figure 1. This three-year mapping initiative
is made possible through the funding cooperation of several provincial
government departments including Housing and Municipal Affairs, Economic Development and Tourism, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Natural
Resources, and Environment. Data for the series came from three
organizations. Topographic data came from the Provincial Department
of Housing and Municipal Affairs, forestry data from the Provincial
Department ofNatural Resources and electronic navigation chart (ENC)
data from the Canadian Hydrographic Service of the Federal Department
of Fisheries and Oceans. The map series is not authorized for navigational use although it resembles a hydrographic chart on the water side
of the shoreline. The terrestrial side of the shoreline is much richer in
thematic content than a hydrographic chart. The uses for this map
series include aquaculture planning and regulation, nearshore fisheries’
management, recreational and tourist facihty development and operation
and other coastal zone management activities.
82
during prototype implementation or operational problem responsibility
or resolution.
Evans (1997) suggests that several organizational shifts are necessary
for agencies involved in data sharing. Data managers within organizations need to take responsibility for providing reliable data sets to
external users. Analysts and decision-makers need to depend on outside data for essential tasks. Organizations need to learn to live with
different data conventions. He goes further to suggest that to reap the
benefits of information sharing infrastructures “deeper-than-expected”
changes in organizations and inter-organizational relationships may be
required.
These are changes leading to a state of dynamic interdependence between
data sharing organizations.
From a review of the long lists of problems these authors have cited,
it is clear that interoperability both technical and organizational and
the task of putting together the coastal zone information puzzle are
challenging.
The Atlantic Canada Programmes
In this section our experiences and modest attempts to meet the challenge are described in terms of the development and implementation
of three programs from Atlantic Canada. The experiences are divided
into issue categories, issues which either inhibitecl or fostered the
processes of development and implementation.
The Nova Scotia Coastal Series
The Nova Scotia Coastal Series (NSCS) provides a single source of base
mapping for coastal mapping users, portraying information on both land
and water features of Nova Scotia’s coastline. The program is managed
by the Nova Scotia Department of Housing and Municipal Affairs
through the Nova Scotia Geomatics Centre. A portion of one of the maps
from the series is shown in figure 1. This three-year mapping initiative
is made possible through the funding cooperation of several provincial
government departments including Housing and Municipal Affairs, Economic Development and Tourism, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Natural
Resources, and Environment. Data for the series came from three
organizations. Topographic data came from the Provincial Department
of Housing and Municipal Affairs, forestry data from the Provincial
Department ofNatural Resources and electronic navigation chart (ENC)
data from the Canadian Hydrographic Service of the Federal Department
of Fisheries and Oceans. The map series is not authorized for navigational use although it resembles a hydrographic chart on the water side
of the shoreline. The terrestrial side of the shoreline is much richer in
thematic content than a hydrographic chart. The uses for this map
series include aquaculture planning and regulation, nearshore fisheries’
management, recreational and tourist facihty development and operation
and other coastal zone management activities.
82