July 15, 2009
San Diego, California—The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - Fisheries and Aquaculture Department received a Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award today at the 2009 ESRI International User Conference (ESRI UC) in San Diego, California. The organization received this honor for its vision, leadership, and innovative use of ESRI's geographic information system (GIS) technology. The FAO – Fisheries and Aquaculture Department was selected from more than 300,000 organizations worldwide and recognized during today's SAG awards ceremony for making extraordinary contributions to our global society.
All the information organized and disseminated by the FAO – Fisheries and Aquaculture Department includes a geographic dimension. GIS and remote sensing are used to map the distribution of aquatic resources, aquatic environments, fishery management units, and production systems. Furthermore the technologies are helping the organization improve the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture. Spatial issues such as site and zoning and habitat quality and quantity linked to plant and animal abundance and distribution can be resolved using GIS, remote sensing, and mapping.
The organization’s GISFish Web site was developed to improve the sustainability of aquaculture and inland fisheries through easy access to comprehensive information on applications and training opportunities. FAO field projects, missions, and training courses have provided the organization an opportunity to interact directly with experts and students from different countries around the world. In several field missions, current efforts are being made to use GIS to assist in the development of master plans for aquaculture and/or inland fisheries development. Training materials are based on the experiences gained in the field and are being used in many developing countries.
"Our world is being challenged by rapid change," says Jack Dangermond, ESRI president. "GIS technology is increasingly being deployed as a way to understand the issues facing our society. At ESRI, we are always extremely impressed with the work of our users and want to recognize their efforts with our Special Achievement in GIS Award. Their work is a great example of using GIS to improve our world."
GIS combines computer hardware, software, and data to collect, manage, and analyze geographic information. Virtually any information can be linked to a geographic location, helping people see that information as part of a complete picture. With GIS, users can view relationships, processes, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. Whether they are selecting routes to transport ethanol or studying landslides, GIS helps them see how the world works and changes. More than one million people across the globe rely on GIS to solve problems and make better decisions by thinking and planning geographically.
Other organizations being honored at the ESRI UC include Artesia Water Company, Montana State Library, NASA Langley Research Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Yosemite National Park, City of Madrid, DHL Express, Polytechnic of Namibia, Victoria Police in Australia, and the Grammar School at Leeds.
To learn more about the 2009 SAG Award winners and to view their photos and project descriptions and images, visit www.esri.com/sag. More information about ESRI and its GIS solutions can be found at www.esri.com.
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