Higher National Diploma in

Fisheries Science
for Mediterranean Countries.
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Malta),
in collaboration with University of Plymouth (UK) and COPEMED (FAO)

GIS in fisheries management

Malta, 12 - 15 March 2001
GIS in fisheries management Malta, 12 - 15 March 2001

Part 1 - GIS Definition

Information or data?
Data is a collection of attributes (numeric, alphanumeric,
figures, pictures) about entities (things, events, activities)
Information is the organization of data such that it is
valuable for analysis, evaluation, and decision making
Information Systems and Planning
Information systems are the means to transform data into
information.
Information systems are used in planning and managing
resources.

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What are Geographic Information Systems?.

Computer based systems including: Hardware, software, data and
personnel that allows the user to question and manipulate various layers of
spatial data . The data represents real-world entities (trees to woodlots to
forests to world scale) including both spatial (geo-referenced) and
quantitative attributes of these entities.

Functions of a GIS:

•Capture
•Store
•Check
•Manipulate
•Analyse Diagram by ESRI Inc.
•Model
•Display
Diagram showing the relationship of layers of data in a GIS.

Spatial and non spatial data are treated to create new information to be
displayed, generally in the form of a map but also as charts and/or tables.

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GIS versus other similar computer systems

GIS, CAC, CAD, DBMS, RS

Geographic Information Systems (GIS): information system which uses georeferenced

data to answer questions.

Computer Assisted Cartographic system (CAC): set of graphic elements for map display
and printing. Not a GIS!

Computer Assisted Drafting system (CAD): set of graphic elements for engineering and
architectural design. Some GIS elements in high-end software. Some have GIS modules as
add-ons

Database Management Systems (DBMS): developed to store and manipulate alphanumeric

data, but with scarce graphic capacities.

Image Analysis Systems (IAS): Classify the intensity of radiation emitted by the earth
surface (Remote sensing analysts) or aerial photography, but very reduced capacity of
analysis.

The current rapid emergence of GIS is part of a complex amalgam of

processes like:
• Proliferation of data: over the last two decades, there as been a surge
in the development of data gathering methodologies, plus the
increasing ability to electronically transfer data
• Reduction of computer cost and increase of computer capacities in
term of storage, processing speed, display and output devices
• Integration of parallel developments: CAD, Remote Sensing, spatial
and images analysis, digital cartography, surveying and geodesy,
etc…
• Increasing demand of GIS output, in public and private sectors

=> Ability and need to cope with vast amounts of data has grown
exponentially. Data must be captured, stored, transferred, shared,
maintained and generally managed.

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Most of GIS have many features in common with all other Systems as
GIS have evolved from them.

CAC IAS

GIS

DBMS CAD

Characteristics of GIS

1. Capacity of perform spatial operations : (Spatial search, and

overlaying are considered unique of GIS).
2. Generation and conservation of topological relationships
(Vicinity, inclusion, adjacency)
3. Generation of new cartography as result of analysis of the input
data.

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Questions that a GIS can answer

1. Location: What is at...?

2. Quantification: How big, How long ...?. How

many in ..?

3. Routing: Which is the best way to..?

4. Condition: Where is it...?

5. Trends: What has changed since...?

6. Patterns: What spatial patterns exist...?

7. Modelling: What if...?

The type of tasks for which the GIS are suited

The first question simply seeks to find what exists at a particular location
Example: a landing site

The second requires the GIS to calculate areas or perimeters

The third one is a route finding task. GIS allow for the optimising of any
specific route

The fourth question requires to the GIS to identify the location where
certain specific conditions may be meet

The question five allows for the spatial differences to be shown and
calculated between any given time period: spatio-temporel analysis

Question six allows for more sophisticated geographic pattern to be

displayed

The last question is related to simulation

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Here is a movie, using ArcView GIS to answer a question.

The results are shown on a map highlighted in yellow.

Demo: This demo is in the file gisdemo.avi

1 - Display the Roads layer

2 - Select one type of Soil

3 - Display the wet lands

4 - Select the wetlands which are completely contained in an area having

the selected type of soil

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Why use Geographic Information Systems in Natural

Resources?

•Increasing understanding of the complexity of ecosystems

•Appreciation for the influence of spatial factors.
•Need for fast and efficient manipulation of large data sets.
•Outputs in a form easy to understand by a wide variety of
professionals
•GIS can reveal time trends and spatial patterns of the
resources distribution.
•Formulation of hypothesis and elaboration of predicting
models that will aid in a final process of Decision-Making.
(More details in doc “Why use GIS in Natural Resources? “)

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GIS Components

A GIS comprises of a collection of integrated computer hardware and

software which together is used for inputting, storing, manipulating,
analysing and presenting a variety of geographical data.

It is also useful to include in this definition the requisite geographical

database and skilled GIS personnel.

A GIS can then represent a set of working practices, management

structures and data organise so as to utilise the spatial data handling
functions of a software/hardware package.

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Part 2 - Data collection

Data Collection for a Marine Fisheries Resources GIS

Data to be collected

- Resource and Habitat

- Fishing Zone

- Fishing Vessels and Gears

- Ports

- Infrastructures

- Coast

- Human activities (socio-economic data)

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Data Collection for a Marine Fisheries Resources GIS

Methods (1)

- Interviews, questionnaires, form filling

(Cf. Doc Maltese form for Inventory of commercial Fishing Units)

- Photography, measurements,meteorological data gathering,

trawl surveys

- Electronic automatic measurement devices and distance measuring

instruments

- Multimedia devices (video, sounds, ....)

- Data loggers

In practice, interviewing fishermen is often the only means of obtaining

certain sorts of data. The disadvantage is that the data obtained could be
very subjective and could be rarely converted in a mappable or statistical
form

Data collected through a questionnaire and standard form, since

presented as structured and methodically administered, are easier to
transfer to a structured electronic format for management and analysis

Trawl surveys are used as a major source of information on species

distributions and abundance. To obtained valid data, trawl surveys must be
designed seriously in a way which ensure the acquisition of statistically
valid information.

Now days, data loggers are often automatic devices which are placed in
some location where data needs to be constantly and regularly gathered
(weather variables, water quality, etc...)

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The acquisition of data for a marine Trawl Survey : Fishing Log Form
Fisheries Resources GIS
Data Collection

Data Collection:

Sampling Station during a trawl survey. The location is given by:

• The latitude and the longitude, with an accuracy of one minute.

• A sector code showing the geographical sub region a station belongs

to. The sector code is specific to the survey. The code may indicate
the stratum issued from the stratification plan used for the survey
(Coastal divisions, main fishing areas, etc). The sectors are used for
the analysis of the data, computing statistics on the stations
belonging to each stratum and analysing the difference between each
stratum.

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The acquisition of data for a marine

Fisheries Resources GIS
Data Collection

IR-RIMJIET
TAL-LAMPUKI

Data Collection:

Fishing Zones: sectors delimited using compass

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Data Collection for a Marine Fisheries Resources GIS

Methods (2)

- Global Positioning System (GPS)

- Acoustic Sonar devices :

- underwater mapping
- location of fish schools or other under water objects

- Satellite remote sensing

- water temperature, waves height and direction, sediment or
phytoplanckton concentration

- Aerial photography
- more detail on land use or on sea-based activities

Recently, digital cameras have been developed, which authorise a direct

acquisition in digital format of aerial photography into a GIS. The
problem of aerial photography is that there could be many sources of
distortion that may be corrected using stereoscopic aerial photography

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Global Positioning System

Devices which allow the user to very accurately establish his location on the earth ‘s surface

In Review: Triangulating

1. Position is calculated from distance measurements (ranges) to satellites.

2. Mathematically we need four satellite ranges to determine exact position.

3. Three ranges are enough if we reject ridiculous answers or use other tricks.

4. Another range is required for technical reasons ....

With the use of GPS, it is now possible for fishing or survey

vessels to accurately determine where trawl hauls were made,
where underwater obstacle occur, where water quality samples
were taken, etc...

The future => remote surveillance systems

Learn More about How GPS works at

http://www.trimble.com/gps/howgps/gpsfram1.htm

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Acoustic Sonar Systems

Two Main Purposes:

- under water Mapping
- locate fish or other underwater objects
Mechanical
Transducer Echo sounder Computer
Vibrations

SidescanSonar System

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Satellite Remote Sensing Systems

Measure of marine parameters :

- Water temperatures,
- Wave height and direction
- bathymetry
- ocean currents and water colour
ÞSediment concentration
ÞPhytoplankton standing stock
ÞTurbidity patterns
ÞCurrent speed and direction
ÞLight attenuation coefficients

Example:
A wind field map of western Pacific ocean
Arrows show wind direction and velocity,
which is colour coded for emphasis:
blue<4m/s; yellow > 14 m/s; land is shown in
black

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Data acquisition of already formatted data

for a Marine Fisheries Resources GIS
International Organizations responsible for Collecting Marine data :

•NOAA: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration of the USA

URL: http://www.noaa.gov/
•IOC : International Oceanographic Commission
URL: http://ioc.unesco.org/iocweb/default.htm
•BODC: British Oceanographic Data Centre
URL: http://www.bodc.ac.uk/

Hydrographic Maps and Charts produced by national maritime authority

Typically show coastline, bathymetry (isobaths), isolated depth sounding, obstacles,
navigation buoys and light and other relevant navigational information
Scale : from 1:50 000 upwards to 1:10 000 000
Topographic Maps
produced by national agencies
Scale: from large scales (1:1 250 to 1:25000) up to small scales (> 1:200 000)

Thematic Maps
Usually derived from Topographic maps

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Part 3 - Maps

Map as Model: The Abstraction of Reality

Models are simplifications - not miniature versions of

the reality.
Maps are a type of geographic model.
Maps must be abstraction from reality.

Purpose of Cartography
Cartography is the art and science of mapmaking.
Communication is the traditional objective.
Analysis has become an important objective with the
development of GIS.

(More details in "Informes& Estudios COPEMED no 4. P.3 )

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Analog Map vs. Digital Map

An analog map is a printed drawing on a piece of paper or a
scanned image of a map. It is static.
A digital map is a data set stored in a computer in digital form
(not as a picture.) It is not static, and the flexibility of digital
maps is vastly greater than paper maps. Inherent in this concept is
the point that data on which the map is based is available to
examine or question.
Analysis capabilities are much greater with digital maps, and
reporting outputs are available in more formats, and faster.
(more details in doc. “Analog Map vs. Digital Map“)...

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Map Scale

Map scale defines the amount of reduction of reality.Scale is expressed

in three primary ways

1.Verbal Scale : "one inch equal (represents) to 63,360 inches"

"eight inches equal 1 mile"
2.Representative fraction (RF): “1:2,000” Expressed as an ratio in the same units
means that one inch (or one meter) on the map represents2,000
inches (or meters) on the ground.
3.Graphic scale (bar) : Remains accurate after mechanical enlargement of map, printed
ratio or printed scale will be wrong after "zooming" the page
on the copy machine.

(more details in doc. “Map Scale.“)...

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Map Scale
• Scale defines the precision of the location and the level of
detail
1. Be care when using small scale maps as input and then enlarging
2. Rule of Thumb: It is always better to reduce a map after analysis than to
enlarge it for analysis.

Map Scale: Small vs. Large

• Small scale refers to the RF ratio. A 1:250,000 scale is small
compared to a 1:2,000.The ratio is small and the amount of
reduction is large, producing a map of a large area.
• Large scale means less reduction and a map covering a small
area.

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Map Scale

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Legend

The reference area on a map

that lists the colours, symbols,
line patterns, shadings and
other annotation used on the
map, and their meanings.
The legend often includes the
map's title, scale, origin,
orientation and other
information.

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Spatial Measurement Levels

Level Description Example

Nominal Names/labels Port of St Julian’s Bay

Ordinal Ordered/Rank Large, small
Interval Measured Miles, feet
Ratio Measured Density

Ratio is an interval measure with an absolute starting point.

Example :
% of sand in a Soil is a ratio (0 means that there is no sand)
temperature is an interval (since zero temperature varies
according to the units of measurement).

(more details in doc. “Spatial Measurement Levels: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.“)...

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Spatial objects and Spatial Measurement Levels

Interval/ratio:

Utilisation of density pattern: number of points / surface unit increase with the value of
the attribute
Continuous variable: plot of interval limits (example: isobaths)
Transformation to ordinal measurement by classification

Ordinal:

1 symbol with graduated colour

1 symbol with graduated size

Nominal

Different symbols
Different colours

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Part 4 - Geographic coordinate Systems

Spatial Location and Reference

To locate entities requires a reference system. The reference

system allows:
1. the location of entities,
2. to establish a fixed relationship between the position on the
map and the real world

The most basic reference system is the spherical grid.

Longitude (measures distance east - west) and
Latitude (measures distance north - south) and measured in
degrees
This system do not use any projection, thus it is not accurate
to measure distances, but it is useful to identify locations
anywhere on the earth surface.

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Geographic coordinate system

spherical grid.

The length of one degree of longitude varies depending upon the

latitude, will be 111 km at equator, but converges to 0 at the poles.
This system of reference, measures angles from the centre of the
earth rather tan distances on the earth surface, it is not a planar
coordinate system.

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Map Projections and Coordinate systems

Techniques to depict the

spherical earth in two
dimensions.
"Projection" comes from the
idea of shining a light from
the centre of the earth and
projecting the image of the
earth's features on a flat
surface.

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Type of projection

Attending to the type of surface the spherical volume is projected,

there are three type of projections.

Planar projection

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Projection Characteristics
Shape
When the scale of a map at any point on the map is the same in any direction,
the projection is conformal. Shape is preserved on conformal projections.

Distance
A map is equidistant when its distances are equal in any place from the center
of the projection to any other place on the map. Distances are preserved in
equidistant projections.

Direction
A map preserves direction when azimuths (angles from a point on a line to
another point) are portrayed correctly in all directions. This projection is
called azimuthal.

Area
When a map portrays areas over the entire map so that all mapped areas have
the same proportional relationship to the areas on the Earth that they
represent, the map is an equal-area map. Areas are conserved in equal-area
projections.

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Projection

For an effective use of distances and spatial relationships

in a map it is necessary to know the projection in which it
is deployed. Different projections are appropriate for
specific tasks depending of what characteristic it
preserves. (Area, distance, angle, shape).

Nautical maps are in MERCATOR which is cylindrical

and conformal, the shape is preserved, and the distances
distort toward poles, while area and direction are not
preserved.

For different purposes and depending of the world area

we are working with are convenient different projections.

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Examples of some map projections characteristics

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UTM for Malta area

Zone 33 :
- central Meridian 15 East
-Reference latitude : 36 North

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Part 5 - Create a digital geographical database: data input

WORKFLOW IN A GIS PROJECT

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TYPE OF INFORMATION IN A GIS DATABASE

A. Spatial data: Located features that represents tangible entities of the real
world with a geographic reference (i.e. a pair of coordinates) . For instance a
river an island or a boat, that are represented in GIS or in an analog map by
spatial elements such as a line, a polygon or a point respectively with its
geographical position indicated by pairs of coordinates.

(More details in doc. “Spatial Elements: points, lines, polygon data”)

B. Aspatial data: Descriptive information about the features. Usually

qualitative or quantitative attributes of the spatial features. (Salinity,
biomass, name, date) and all this kind of information that describe the
geographically referenced spatial elements.

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CREATE A DIGITAL GEOGRAPHICAL DATABASE

Source Of Geographical Data

• Digital data supplier

Ex: distributor of remotely sensed data

• Analogue data : graphical representation of the distribution of

spatial phenomena
Ex: maps

• Field Survey : record sample values at known location

Ex : sampling stations of a trawl survey

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CREATE A DIGITAL GEOGRAPHICAL DATABASE

Acquiring Digital Datasets From A Data Supplier :

Are the data compatible with my application ? We must know :

• Currency of the data
• Format description
• Georeferencing system used
• Data collection technique and sampling strategy
• Quality
• Data classification and interpolation methods used
• Size and shape of the individual mapping unit

The data that has been collected will be in numerous formats. Though some
of it may be already suitable for immediate input in the GIS, the majority of
it will require conversion to a suitable digital format.

Data heterogeneity may be also a problem and standardisation time

consuming:
• Images: different resolutions, different sensors
• Vector: different scales, different legends, different coordinate
systems

Each GIS Software uses is own format for data storage, but may includes
some importation / exportations procedures.

When working with GIS, what we are doing essentially is manipulating

models of the real world. Since the map is a simplification of the real
world, transformations like generalisation, classification.
Data quality is very important and may be controlled through standard
procedures for the collection and the transfer.

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CREATE A DIGITAL GEOGRAPHICAL DATABASE

Creating Digital Datasets by Manual Inputs

A - Entering spatial data

B - Verification and Edition

C - Entering attribute data

D - Link spatial objects to attributes data

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CREATE A DIGITAL GEOGRAPHICAL DATABASE

Georeferencing

All spatial data in a GIS are located with respect to a common

frame of reference : same coordinate system

Apart from local studies, use of a geodesic coordinate system :

position on the earth’s surface.

Locations are projected from an ellipsoid onto a plan surface :

orthogonal Cartesian coordinates

Positioning systems : use of GPS, which use satellites to define

the geographical position and altitude anywhere of the earth’s
surface.

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REPRESENTATION OF SPATIAL INFORMATION

1. VECTOR DATA MODELS Features on the Earth’s surface are
mapped on flat, two-dimensional maps as points, lines, and areas. An
x,y (Cartesian) coordinate system is used to reference map locations to
ground locations.Each point is recorded as a single x,y location. Lines
(arcs) are recorded as a series of ordered x, y, coordinates. Areas are
recorded as a series of x,y coordinates defining arcs that enclose an area.

Track

Island
Buoy
(3,6)
(1, 6)
Line
(1, 5) (7, 7.5)
(2.5, 4.5) (7,4)
Vectorial representation Point
Polygon
of spatial elements (3, 3.5) (6, 3.5)

(3, 1)

In the vector data structure points, lines and polygons are all recorded in
terms of the geographic x and y coordinates. The vector data structure is
thus concerned with boundaries

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VECTOR DATA MODEL

Each spatial object (point, line or polygon) will have a unique identifier

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RASTER DATA MODEL

In this model, the total surface of the map is divided into equal size
square cells (known as pixels). Each cell contains a value of an attribute
that may represent different things depending of the layer we are
working with. The main characteristic of these cells is that exactly
match with cells in other layers what enables overlaying operations.

The Raster data structure is concerned not with boundaries but whit the
space between boundaries. All areas of the map must be allocated an
attribute or a value coding for this attribute.
It is sometimes called the grid model because data is stored in a matrix of
cells, which themselves may be called pixels. These cells are usually square
but they may be rectangular, triangular, etc...

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VECTOR VERSUS RASTER DATA MODEL

RASTER VECTORIAL

Memory requirements + -
Database management - +
Continuous variables + -
Discrete variables - +
Between layers analysis + -
One layer analysis - +
Graphic output - +

See more details in Doc "A Comparison of Raster and Vector Data
Models"

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ENTERING SPATIAL DATA BY MANUAL IMPUTS

• Import objects coordinates from field survey datasets

• Input devices : semi-automatize spatial data input

Digitizer Scanner
Points
- identifier
- X, Y

Polylines
- Identifier
- Starting Node
- Intermediate points
- Ending Point

Use of snapping distance

to connect nodes together
1 4 Scannerization
2
3
6 5
Vector Vectorization Raster

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SPATIAL DATA INPUT :

IDENTIFY AND CORRECT ERRORS

• Positional error
• Missing Entities
• Improper placement
• Disordered entities

=> Produce a print out

=> Use of integrated GIS functions to check or correct errors

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DATA CONVERSION : VECTOR / RASTER CONVERSIONS

VECTOR -> RASTER : RASTERISATION

. . . . . . . . . . 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 4 4 4
1 4 . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
. . . . . . . . . . 1 1 3 4 4 4 4 2 2 4
. . . . . . . . . . 1 1 3 3 4 4 2 2 2 3
. . . . . . . . . . 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
2 . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 2 2 2 6 3 3 3 5
3 . . . . . . . . . . 6 6 6 6 6 3 3 3 5 5
5 . . . . . . . . . . 6 6 6 6 3 3 5 5 5 5
6 . . . . . . . . . . 6 6 3 3 3 5 5 5 5 5

RASTER -> VECTOR : VECTORISATION

3
1 4
2

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DATA CONVERSION : PROJECTION AND

COORDINATES UNIT CHANGES

• From Cartesian to projected system.

• From One projection system to another projection.

• Basic issues - data expression

Degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS)

Decimal degrees (DD) =

degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600

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Aspatial data or attributes

The supplementary information along with the spatial data that constitutes
the GIS database. Attributes can be either quantitative or qualitative, and
refers always to the located features. They can be analysed independently
by using non-spatial arithmetic operators.

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ENTERING ATTRIBUTE DATA AND LINK TO

SPATIAL OBJECTS
• Entering Attribute data :
- manually entered
- imported (using standard format : TXT, CSV, ASCII, ...)
• Link spatial objects to attributes data
Use of a common unique identifier shared by the spatial
element and its attributes
Spatial data attribute data file
1 4 Id. Attr1 Attr2 Attr3 ...
VECTOR
1 xxx yyy zz
2 2 ggg ddd dd
3
6 5
1 1 1 1 4 4 4 4 4 4
1 1 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
1 1 3 4 4 4 4 2 2 4
1 1 3 3 4 4 2 2 2 3
RASTER 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 6 3 3 3 5
6 6 6 6 6 3 3 3 5 5
6 6 6 6 3 3 5 5 5 5
6 6 3 3 3 5 5 5 5 5

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ATTRIBUTE ERRORS: VECTOR DATA

Attribute error
1.Miss-labelled or miss-identified attributes
2. Typing errors in data entry
3.Involve misspelling and coding

Þ you can plot the data using the attribute to verify as legend

Þ you can list the tabular data and see the entities missing
attributes.

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ATTRIBUTE ERRORS IN RASTER DATA

Missing attributes can sometimes be seen as holes in the

data set

Incorrect Attributes can be identified as abnormal attributes

when examining 3-dimensional view of surface data or
along margins of different attributes.

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