Ocean Data and Information Network of Africa

ODINAFRICA COORDINATORS FROM BCLME MEET IN WINDHOEK

The first ODINAFRICA regional meeting for the BCLME region took place on 17th and 18th of August 2010 at the United National house in Windhoek, Namibia. The meeting was attended by the national coordinators of Angola, Namibia and South Africa, the information managers of Angola and Namibia as well as the data and information manager of the Benguela Current Commission (BCC). The UNESCO office in Windhoek kindly provided logistical assistance.

Participants in the Windhoek meeting

Mr. Ernesto Fernandez-Polcuch, Programme Specialist for Sciences at the Windhoek UNESCO office, provided valuable insights in clarifying administrative processes within the organization.

The proposed work plan of ODINAFRICA IV was briefly revisited. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ODINAFRICA and BCC was also revisited and selected items flagged to be included in the work plans.

The information manager of Namibia, Mrs Ashilungu gave a short feedback presentation on the OceanTeacher courses she attended during the past year. Mr Gulekana, national coordinator of South Africa, presented the status of the information management in South Africa on behalf of the information manager. He further presented the unique challenges faced in South Africa regarding the establishment of a national ODINAFRICA working group.

The country questionnaires were revisited to identify training and equipment needs. Due to several training opportunities since the questionnaires were initially submitted, some training and software needs could be eliminated. A work plan, guided by the work plan for the African Marine Atlas was set up for all three countries. As there was a need to consult with colleagues and stakeholders on the final work plan in all three countries, a deadline of 15 September 2010 was set for submission of the national work plans to the regional coordinator, who will then forward these to the project management.

KMFRI HOSTS COASTAL ATLAS WORKSHOP.

Mombasa Atlas workshop participants The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) hosted the a workshop on the development of Coastal and Marine Atlases at the Sun n’ Sand Hotel in Mombasa, Kenya frm 26 July – 6 August 2010. 45 participants, representing more than 30 institutions from 22 countries participating in ODINAFRICA attended the workshop.

The workshop covered: Ocean Data Collection Development (including the use of GeoNetwork for preparing metadata records), Ocean Data Products and Synthesis, and Introduction to Marine GIS. The participants prepared products and related metadata records for a wide range of topics essential for the development of the atlases. These included:

Coastline and main country boundary
ETOPO1 national relief grid
Earthquakes and tsunamis
Sediment thickness
SST from WOA
SST from MODIS
Mixed Layer depth – LOCEAN
Marine Primary Production
Richardson Surface Current Drift
World Ocean Database of Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas for Africa (UNESCO)
Global land Cover Classification (UMD)
COADS air temperature (NetCDF)
World 10-min grids of average and extreme conditions
Undersea Feature names from GNS
Administrative Areas (GADM)
Marine Boundaries (VLIZ)
Population Densities (NASA NEO)
Roads (DIVA)

The participants were introduced to the Marine Irish Digital Atlas (MIDA). The MIDA engine will be used for the development of the ODINAFRICA National Coastal and Marine Atlases.

ODINAFRICA PLANNING FOR 2010 – STEERING COMMITTEE MEETS

The Steering Committee for ODINAFRICA-IV at it's first session held at the UNESCO/IOC's Project Office for IODE from 20 - 22 January 2010 reviewed the work plans and came up with a detailed implementation schedule for 2010. The Committee noted noted that though they will be requesting for an extension of the project to 31 July 2013 (from the current scheduled end date of 31 December 2012), the institutions participating in ODINAFRICA-IV will have to make an extra effort to ensure that all the planned activities are implemented and the project activities achieved. This means that 2010 will be a particularly busy year for ODINAFRICA. The meeting was also attended by Ms Cornelia Hauke, who will be assisting with the administrative tasks for all IODE projects at the IOC Headquarters in Paris, France.

The Steering Committee noted that ODINAFRICA-IV will dedicate substantial energies to development of products for integrated marine and coastal management, especially at the local and national level. The planned activities under each of the following “products clusters” were reviewed and optimal mechanisms for successful development of the products in the available time prepared:

Web-based data services (including catalogues and archives)

Web-based Information Services (including literature catalogues and repositories, institution and experts directories, inventories of projects)

Mapping, Forecasts (and predictions), and Scenario Development

National and regional portals, as well as project websites and national NODC websites

Communication tools: newsletters, policy and media briefs, African Oceans and Coasts books series

The revised implementation plan for ODINAFRICA-IV will be circulated to the ODINAFRICA National Coordinators, and also availed online.

Benguela Current Commission Holds Scientific Symposium

The Benguela Current Commission held its first Scientific Symposium in Swakopmund, Namibia from 23 – 25 November 2009. The ODINAFRICA National Coordinators for Angola, Namibia and South Africa, together with the ODINAFRICA Regional Coordinator for BCLME region and the Project Manager were among the participants, who included marine scientists from Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, and representatives of UNESCO/IOC, FAO, UNDP, ASCLME, and institutions in Germany, Norway and USA. The ODINAFRICA Coordinators used the opportunity to hold a meeting to review ODINAFRICA activities in the region.

TASK TEAM OUTLINES PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MARINE ATLASES.

The African Marine Atlas task Team met at the UNESCO/IOC Project Office for IODE from 12 - 14 October 2009 to plan the development of the African Marine Atlas and related mapping activities at the national and regional level.

[Access to videos of presentations made during the session]

The team identified the mapping needs, and the skills and tools that will be required to develop the atlas. Members of the African Marine Atlas Task Team include experts who worked in the earlier version of the atlas, representative of the LME projects being implemented along the African coasts, and invited experts who are involved in other coastal atlas programmes.

ODINAFRICA COORDINATORS FROM BCLME MEET IN WINDHOEK

KMFRI HOSTS COASTAL ATLAS WORKSHOP.

ODINAFRICA PLANNING FOR 2010 – STEERING COMMITTEE MEETS

Benguela Current Commission Holds Scientific Symposium

TASK TEAM OUTLINES PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MARINE ATLASES.

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