Subsequent query/explanation(s) re copyright of NGA nautical charts (UKHO mentioned, too).

Francis Herbert

Hi all,

Many of the NGA maps are made with data supplied by foreign allied countries that do not consider their geographic data in the public domain.  Their agreements with NGA may not allow for public distribution of the resulting materials in the same manner that we distribute government collected information. There have been gaps in what foreign nautical charts were distributed online because of that.  It may be that they were all taken down because it has become a manpower drain to parse out which can be made available from which ones can’t.

On a side note, if you look at your paper nautical charts of non-US waters, you will see copyright notices on some.  I seem to recall that charts made with information provided by the United kingdom Hydrographic Office  are subject to copyright.

Kathy Stroud