Goals and Objectives

This document fulfills a request from the 16th IHO Crowdsourced Bathymetry Working Group (Work Item G) to provide guidance for developing and operating a CSB program. It consolidates 10 years of several CSBWG member experiences developing CSB tools and programs and covers information on recruiting CSB participants, best practices for data collection, guidance on the use of data after collection, and an overview of current technologies that support these efforts.

How to use this manual

This document is designed as a guide for hydrographic organizations, non-governmental organizations, nonprofits, companies, and any other parties aiming to establish their own CSB program, or one that contributes to existing global mapping efforts. The contents of this manual are intended to provide guidance on all aspects of CSB program development and management - from stakeholder meetings and participant recruitment to logger installation and data processing tools. The final section contains a series of Templates provided by existing CSB programs to serve as a resource for new parties interested in joining this international initiative.