Map Once, Use Many Times

Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) is the practice of planning, acquiring, integrating, and sharing ocean and coastal data and related products so that people who need the data can find it and use it easily: Map Once, Use Many Times.

The IOCM zone of interest includes U.S. coasts, oceans and the Great Lakes. Ocean and coastal mapping data is broadly defined as the "physical, biological, geological, chemical, and archaeological characteristics and boundaries of ocean and coastal areas, resources, and sea beds through the use of acoustics, satellites, aerial photogrammetry, light and imaging, direct sampling, and other mapping technologies." (Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act of 2009, reauthorized in 2022 by Pub. L. 117-263).

To make the most of limited resources, IOCM outlines 4 key strategic best practices:

  • Data sharing
  • Coordinated survey planning
  • Standards development and implementation
  • Innovation and technological development

The coordination needed to implement these strategies is multifaceted and benefits from intra- and interagency collaborations, along with related national and international initiatives, to promote the goal to "map once, use many times." The Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping brings together federal ocean and coastal mapping agencies committed to this goal. NOAA has a complementary IOCM team within the agency working toward the same objectives.



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