The coastal zone forms a narrow but critical “white ribbon” between land and sea, where, despite intense pressures from natural processes, infrastructure, ecosystems, and human activity, data coverage is often sparse or inconsistent. Offshore seabed mapping investment and sophistication have increased; the white ribbon persists less because of technical limitations than lack of coordination.
Examining challenges associated with fragmented approaches to coastal and marine seabed mapping, jurisdictional boundaries, differing mandates, inconsistent standards, and siloed programs, result in duplicated efforts and significant gaps in areas. Without coordination, valuable datasets are not always discoverable, interoperable, or applied beyond their original purpose, limiting their value for understanding seabed processes and marine geohazards.
We question assumptions that technology is the primary constraint. Advances in shallow-water survey systems, autonomous platforms, satellite derived products, and data integration techniques are progressing faster than governance, planning, and collaboration frameworks. When mapping programs are designed around what is familiar or convenient rather than what is possible, the white ribbon persists.
By highlighting challenges, we aim to prompt discussion on how the seabed mapping community can better align objectives, share knowledge, and work collectively to support hazard assessment, coastal resilience, and sustainable management across the land–sea interface.