Arctic floor map, 1971

The Toronto Star reports that ”an audit by Canada’s environment commissioner in 2014 noted the area has been ‘inadequately surveyed and charted,’ with some Arctic maps dating back to the early 1970s. Canadian coast guard data indicates that between 2002 and 2013 there were about 100 small, mostly oil and gasoline spills in the Arctic.”

The Canadian government announced Friday that $22 million will be spent over five years to improve the safety of marine transportation in the Arctic.

A news release says some of the money is to buy and install four multi-beam sonar systems aboard Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers for sea-floor surveying.

The report noted that growth in marine shipping in the Arctic has meant a spike in demand for more accurate, detailed surveys and maps.

Coast guard data indicates that between 2002 and 2013 there were about 100 small, mostly oil and gasoline spills in the Arctic.

More at the Toronto Star