Description: The Deepwater Port Licensing Program is the application process designed to promote the construction of LNG and oil deepwater ports. This license system was established by the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, as amended by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. MARAD DOT assesses the financial capability of potential licenses, prepares the project Record of Decision, and issues or denies the deepwater port license.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Description: Structures intended to assist a navigator to determine position or safe course, or to warn of dangers or obstructions to navigation. This dataset includes lights, signals, buoys, day beacons, and other aids to navigation.
These data are not to be used for navigation.
Copyright Text: NOAA's Ocean Service, Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Name: Madison Swanson, Steamboat Lumps, The Edges FMA
Display Field: Name
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: These data represent the geographic area described in Title 50 CFR Part 622.34(a)(1), Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic, Subpart B - Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico, Seasonal and area closures designed to protect Gulf reef fish, Closure provisions applicable to the Madison and Swanson sites, and Steamboat Lumps, and the Edges, as of 07/01/13.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Amanda Frick, GIS Coordinator
Description: Structures intended to assist a navigator to determine position or safe course, or to warn of dangers or obstructions to navigation. This dataset includes lights, signals, buoys, day beacons, and other aids to navigation.
These data are not to be used for navigation.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Description: In 1972, Congress enacted the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA, also known as the Ocean Dumping Act) to prohibit the dumping of material into the ocean that would unreasonably degrade or endanger human health or the marine environment. Virtually all material ocean dumped today is dredged material (sediments) removed from the bottom of waterbodies in order to maintain navigation channels and berthing areas. Other materials that are currently ocean disposed include fish wastes, human remains, and vessels.
Ocean dumping cannot occur unless a permit is issued under the MPRSA. In the case of dredged material, the decision to issue a permit is made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, using EPA's environmental criteria and subject to EPA's concurrence. For all other materials, EPA is the permitting agency. EPA is also responsible for designating recommended ocean dumping sites for all types of materials.
Copyright Text: epartment of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Description: Since 1997, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) geoscientists have identified and mapped over 12,000 seafloor seismic amplitude anomalies (areas of anomalously high or low reflectivity response over background response) in the deep water Gulf of Mexico (GOM) using 3-D time migrated seismic surveys, with most areas having overlapping coverage by two or more surveys (a total of 156,000 square miles were interpreted). The water bottom horizon was completely mapped over these surveys using hand inerpreted seed lines, and Geoframe's automatic picking program to fill in the gaps. The seismic amplitude was then displayed in plan view. Anomalously high positive and low positive/negative amplitudes were identified and outlined using polygons. The amplitude maps were cross checked with the vertical seismic profiles to verify the interpretation. Below most of the amplitude anomalies, blanking and/or visible migration pathways are visible in vertical seismic profiles in the subsurface up to the water bottom. Well over 100 of the anomalies have been confirmed as seeps using submersible, ROV, AUV, and camera sled surveys,
piston cores and trawls, by BOEMRE, NOAA, and industry contractors.
Copyright Text: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), Office of Leasing and Environment,
Description: This data set contains OCS block outlines and delineated polygons in ESRI ArcGIS shape file format for the BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region that contain sediment resources and areas of disposal in support of the Marine Minerals Program. Coastal restoration, beach nourishment, and levee reconstruction are crucial to mitigate future coastal erosion, land loss, flooding, and storm damage in the Gulf of Mexico. The success of that long-term effort depends on locating and securing significant quantities of OCS sediment resources that are compatible with the target environments being restored. Offshore sand resources, like upland sources, are extremely scarce where most needed. Additionally, vast areas of these relatively small offshore sand resources are not extractable because of the presence of oil and gas infrastructure, archaeologically sensitive areas, and biologically sensitive areas. Since the use of OCS sediment resources is authorized by the BOEM through its Marine Mineral Program, the bureau is implementing several measures to help safeguard the most significant OCS sediment resources, reduce multiple use conflicts, and minimize interference with oil and gas operations under existing leases or rights-of-way.
Copyright Text: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Leasing and Plans, Mapping and Automation Section
Description: The Cetacean Density and Distribution Mapping Working Group identified Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) for 24 cetacean species, stocks, or populations in seven regions (US East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, West Coast, Hawaiian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea, and Arctic [encompassing the northeastern Chukchi and western Beaufort seas]) within US waters. BIAs are reproductive areas, feeding areas, migratory corridors, and areas in which small and resident populations are concentrated. BIAs are region-, species-, and time-specific. Information provided for each BIA includes the following: 1) a written narrative describing the information, assumptions, and logic used to delineate the BIA; 2) a map of the BIA; 3) a list of references used in the assessment; and 4) a metadata table that concisely details the type and quantity of information used to define a BIA, providing transparency in how BIAs were designated in a quick reference table format. BIAs were identified through an expert elicitation process. The delineation of BIAs does not have direct or immediate regulatory consequences. Rather, the BIA assessment is intended to provide the best available science to help inform regulatory and management decisions under existing authorities about some, though not all, important cetacean areas in order to minimize the impacts of anthropogenic activities on cetaceans and to achieve conservation and protection goals. In addition, the BIAs and associated information may be used to identify information gaps and prioritize future research and modeling efforts to better understand cetaceans, their habitat, and ecosystems.
Copyright Text: Van Parijs, S. M., Curtice, C., & Ferguson, M. C. (Eds.). (2015). Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters. Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1), 1-128.
Description: Critical habitat constitutes areas considered essential for the conservation of a listed species. These data identify, in general, the areas of Sargassum critical habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment of Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), providing notice to the public and managers of the importance of the areas to the conservation of this species. Special protections and/or restrictions are possible in areas where Federal funding, permits, licenses, authorizations, or actions occur or are required. We describe the physical and biological features (PBF) of Sargassum habitat as developmental and foraging habitat for young loggerheads where surface waters form accumulations of floating material, especially Sargassum. Primary constituent elements (PCEs) that support this habitat are the following: (i) Convergence zones, surface-water downwelling areas, the margins of major boundary currents (Gulf Stream), and other locations where there are concentrated components of the Sargassum community in water temperatures suitable for the optimal growth of Sargassum and inhabitance of loggerheads; (ii) Sargassum in concentrations that support adequate prey abundance and cover; (iii) Available prey and other material associated with Sargassum habitat including, but not limited to, plants and cyanobacteria and animals native to the Sargassum community such as hydroids and copepods; and (iv) Sufficient water depth and proximity to available currents to ensure offshore transport (out of the surf zone), and foraging and cover requirements by Sargassum for post-hatchling loggerheads, i.e., >10 meters depth.
Copyright Text: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service's Office of Protected Resources.
Description: These data represent the critical habitat for elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and staghorn coral (A. cervicornis) as designated by 73 FR 72210, November 26, 2008, Rules and Regulations.
Description: This GIS data set depicts a combination of the Outer EEZ from NOS sources, and the Inner EEZ from BOEM sources, producing the geographic regulatory boundaries in federal waters, or Magnuson Stevens Act area. Outer EEZ: NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is responsible for generating the Three Nautical Mile Line, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Traditionally, these maritime limits have been generated by hand from the low water line depicted on paper, U.S. nautical charts. Upon final approval by the U.S. Baseline Committee, these legally-binding maritime limits are applied to the next edition of nautical charts produced by the Marine Chart Division of OCS. Due to new cartographic production processes and the availability of digital products such as Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs), the Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is generating more accurate, digital maritime limits. Through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software such as CARIS' LOTS and ESRI's ArcGIS, the latest vector representations of these limits will be available to NOAA cartographers and the public. To create digital limits, the charted low water line is digitized from the largest-scale raster nautical charts and used as input to CARIS' LOTS: Limits and Boundaries software for the designation of a baseline. Other parts of the EEZ include maritime boundary agreements and/or unilateral claims as noted in Federal Register Notice, Volume 60, No. 163, Wednesday August 23, 1995. Once the limits are created, they are exported to a shapefile using CARIS' "Import SHP File" utility. Digital limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone for the Atlantic coast of the United States are contained within a zipped file. Within the zipped file is a shapefile and a text file detailing the individual coordinates. Inner EEZ (SLA): The Submerged Lands Act (SLA) of 1953 grants individual States rights to the natural resources of submerged lands from the coastline to no more than 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) into the Atlantic, Pacific, the Arctic Oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico. The only exceptions are Texas and the west coast of Florida, where State jurisdiction extends from the coastline to no more than 3 marine leagues (16.2 km) into the Gulf of Mexico. This data set contains the Submerged Lands Act (SLA) boundary line (also known as State Seaward Boundary (SSB), or Fed State Boundary) in ESRI shapefile formats for the BOEM Atlantic Region. The SLA boundary defines the seaward limit of a state's submerged lands and the landward boundary of federally managed OCS lands. In the BOEM Atlantic Region it is projected 3 nautical miles offshore from the baseline. Further information on the SLA and development of this line from baseline points can be found in OCS Report MMS 99-0006: Boundary Development on the Outer Continental Shelf http://www.boemre.gov/itd/pubs/1999/99-0006.pdf. Due to slight differences in process and purpose, NOAA's 3 nautical mile line depicted on its charts may differ in some areas from the SLA boundary depicted on BOEM maps and OPDs and should not be confused with the SLA boundary. Therefore this boundary is the only boundary that should be used to depict state/federal seperation of jurisdiction for submerged lands. Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, these GIS files are considered to be approximate and are NOT an OFFICIAL record for the exact Submerged Lands Act Boundary. The Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs) serve as the legal definition for offshore boundary coordinates and area descriptions.
Copyright Text: NOAA's Ocean Service, Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Description: Various shipping zones delineate activities and regulations for marine vessel traffic. Traffic lanes define specific traffic flow, while traffic separation zones assist opposing streams of marine traffic. Precautionary areas represent areas where ships must navigate with caution, and shipping safety fairways designate where artificial structures are prohibited. Recommended Routes are predetermined routes for shipping adopted for reasons of safety. Along certain zones of the East Coast of the United States, ships are required to reduce speeds to 10 knots or less over ground during seasonal periods within designated endangered species areas, such as the North Atlantic Right Whales. Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas need special protection because of their vulnerability to damage by international maritime activities. Areas to be avoided are within defined limits where navigation is particularly hazardous or it is exceptionally important to avoid casualties and should be avoided by all ships or certain classes of ships.
Copyright Text: NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey (OCS)
Description: This dataset, released by DoD, contains geographic information for major installations, ranges, and training areas in the United States and its territories. This release integrates site information about DoD installations, training ranges, and land assets in a format which can be immediately put to work in commercial geospatial information systems. Homeland Security/Homeland Defense, law enforcement, and readiness planners will benefit from immediate access to DoD site location data during emergencies. Land use planning and renewable energy planning will also benefit from use of this data. Users are advised that the point and boundary location datasets are intended for planning purposes only, and do not represent the legal or surveyed land parcel boundaries.
Description: An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, control erosion, block ship passage, or improve surfing.
Many reefs are built using objects that were built for other purposes, for example by sinking oil rigs (through the Rigs-to-Reefs program), scuttling ships, or by deploying rubble or construction debris. Other artificial reefs are purpose built (e.g. the reef balls) from PVC or concrete. Shipwrecks may become artificial reefs when preserved on the sea floor. Regardless of construction method, artificial reefs generally provide hard surfaces where algae and invertebrates such as barnacles, corals, and oysters attach; the accumulation of attached marine life in turn provides intricate structure and food for assemblages of fish.
The presence and location of these artificial reefs are not considered to be exact, and have been derived from multiple state websites.
Copyright Text: NOAA's Ocean Service, Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Description: This data set contains point locations for oil and gas platforms (structures) located in the Gulf of Mexico federal waters. Note: Platforms are being added or modified continuously; obtaining updates of this database are required to know the true distribution of platform data.
Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, these GIS files are considered to be approximate and are NOT an OFFICIAL record.
Copyright Text: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Gulf of Mexico Regional Office, Field Operations
Description: Unexploded ordnance (or UXOs/UXBs, sometimes identified as UO) are explosive weapons (bombs, bullets, shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, etc.) that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded. While "UXO" is widely and informally used, munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) is the current preferred terminology within the remediation community. This is NOT a complete collection of unexploded ordnance on the seafloor, nor are the locations to be considered exact. The presence and locations of the unexploded ordnance have been derived from graphical representations recorded on NOAA Raster Navigation Charts. These data are intended for coastal and ocean planning. Not for navigation.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Description: These data depict the occurrence of submarine cables in and around U.S. navigable waters. The geographic extent of these data is greater than the "NASCA Submarine Cables" dataset. The purpose of these data products are to support coastal planning at the regional and national scale. These data are derived from 2010 NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) and 2009 NOAA Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs). Abandoned cables, or cables that have been removed may appear within this data set. Features defined as cables were compiled from the original sources, exclusive of those features noted as 'cable areas'.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office for Coastal Management (OCM)
Description: This polyline data set contains the locations of oil and gas pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf federal waters that are associated with the oil and gas industry's pipeline infrastructure. Note: Pipelines are being added or modified continuously; obtaining updates of this data are required to know the true distribution of pipeline data.
Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, these GIS files are considered to be approximate and are NOT an OFFICIAL record.
Copyright Text: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Gulf of Mexico Regional Office, Field Operations
Description: The National Marine Sanctuary Program manages a system of sanctuaries and other managed areas around the country. The legal boundaries of these sanctuaries are defined within the Code of Federal Regulations, at 15 C.F.R. Part 922 and the subparts for each national marine sanctuary. The GIS compatible digital boundary files for each national marine sanctuary are representations of those legal boundaries and are based on the best available data. Thesee files are available for public use at locations defined in this metadata record.
Copyright Text: NOAA / National Marine Sanctuaries Program
Description: These data represent the geographic area described in Title 50 CFR Part 622.74(a), Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic, Subpart D - Coral and Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico, Area closures to protect Gulf corals, West and East Flower Garden Banks HAPC, as of 07/01/13
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Amanda Frick, GIS Coordinator
Description: These data represent the geographic area described in Title 50 CFR Part 622.74(e), Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic, Subpart D—Coral and Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico, Area closures to protect Gulf corals, Stetson Bank HAPC, as of 07/01/13.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Amanda Frick, GIS Coordinator
Description: These data represent the geographic area described in Title 50 CFR Part 622.74(c), Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic, Subpart D—Coral and Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico, Area closures to protect Gulf corals, Tortugas Marine Reserves HAPC, as of 07/01/13.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Amanda Frick, GIS Coordinator
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) regulations encourage regional fishery management councils to designate habitat areas of particular concern (HAPC) within areas of EFH in order to focus conservation priorities on specific habitat areas that play a particularly important role in the life cycles of federally managed species based on four criteria: (1) importance of the ecological function; (2) extent to which the habitat is sensitive to human-induced degradation; (3) extent development activities are or will stress the habitat; and, (4) the rarity of the habitat type. In the Gulf of Mexico the following areas are identified as HAPCs: the North and South Tortugas Marine Reserves, East and West Flower Garden Banks, Florida Middle Grounds; Madison-Swanson Marine Reserve; Pulley Ridge and the following reefs and banks of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Stetson Bank; 29 Fathom; MacNeil; Rezak Sidner Bank; Rankin Bright Bank; Geyer Bank; McGrail Bank; Bouma Bank; Sonnier Bank; Alderice Bank; and Jakkula Bank.
Copyright Text: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. 2004. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Amendment to the following fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico: Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Red Drum Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Coral and Coral Reef Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, The Commons at Rivergate, 3018 U.S.Highway301 N., Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619.
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) for Gulf of Mexico Corals consists of the following waters and substrate areas in the Gulf of Mexico: the total distribution of coral species and life stages throughout the Gulf of Mexico including: coral reefs in the North and South Tortugas Ecological Reserves, East and West Flower Garden Banks, McGrail Bank, and the southern portion of Pulley Ridge; hard bottom areas scattered along the pinnacles and banks from Texas to Mississippi, at the shelf edge and at the Florida Middle Grounds, the southwest tip of the Florida reef tract, and predominant patchy hard bottom offshore of Florida from approximately Crystal River south to the Florida Keys. Essential fish habitat (EFH) consists of known distributions of species in the fishery management unit (GMFMC 2004). Location of coral, dated 2014, is based on the 2005 identification and description of EFH for Coral and Coral Reefs.
Copyright Text: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. 2004. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Amendment to the following fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico: Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Red Drum Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Coral and Coral Reef Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, The Commons at Rivergate, 3018 U.S.Highway301 N., Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619.
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) for Gulf of Mexico Spiny Lobster consists of the following waters and substrate areas in the Gulf of Mexico: from Tarpon Springs, Florida, to Naples, Florida, between depths of 5 and 10 fathoms; and Cape Sable, Florida, to the boundary between the areas covered by the GMFMC and the SAFMC out to depths of 15 fathoms. Essential fish habitat (EFH) consists of areas of higher species density, based on the NOAA Atlas (NOAA 1985) and the functional relationships analysis in the EIS (GMFMC 2004).
Copyright Text: Essential fish habitat (EFH) for Gulf of Mexico Spiny Lobster consists of the following waters and substrate areas in the Gulf of Mexico: from Tarpon Springs, Florida, to Naples, Florida, between depths of 5 and 10 fathoms; and Cape Sable, Florida, to the boundary between the areas covered by the GMFMC and the SAFMC out to depths of 15 fathoms. Essential fish habitat (EFH) consists of areas of higher species density, based on the NOAA Atlas (NOAA 1985) and the functional relationships analysis in the EIS (GMFMC 2004).
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) for Gulf of Mexico Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources consists of the following waters and substrate areas in the Gulf of Mexico: all estuaries; the US/Mexico border to the boundary between the areas covered by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) from estuarine waters out to depths of 100 fathoms. Essential fish habitat (EFH) consists of areas of higher species density, based on the NOAA Atlas (NOAA 1985) and the functional relationships analysis in the EIS (GMFMC 2004).
Copyright Text: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. 2004. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Amendment to the following fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico: Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Red Drum Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Coral and Coral Reef Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, The Commons at Rivergate, 3018 U.S.Highway301 N., Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619.
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) for Gulf of Mexico Red Drum consists of the following waters and substrate areas in the Gulf of Mexico: all estuaries; Vermilion Bay, Louisiana, to the eastern edge of Mobile Bay, Alabama, out to depths of 25 fathoms; Crystal River, Florida, to Naples, Florida, between depths of 5 and 10 fathoms; and Cape Sable, Florida, to the boundary between the areas covered by the GMFMC and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) between depths of 5 and 10 fathoms. Essential fish habitat (EFH) consists of areas of higher species density, based on the NOAA Atlas (NOAA 1985) and the functional relationships analysis in the EIS (GMFMC 2004).
Copyright Text: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. 2004. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Amendment to the following fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico: Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Red Drum Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Coral and Coral Reef Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, The Commons at Rivergate, 3018 U.S.Highway301 N., Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619.
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) for Gulf of Mexico Shrimp consists of the following waters and substrate areas in the Gulf of Mexico: all estuaries; the US/Mexico border to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, from estuarine waters out to depths of 100 fathoms; Grand Isle, Louisiana, to Pensacola Bay, Florida, between depths of 100 and 325 fathoms; Pensacola Bay, Florida, to the boundary between the areas covered by the GMFMC and the SAFMC out to depths of 35 fathoms, with the exception of waters extending from Crystal River, Florida, to Naples, Florida, between depths of 10 and 25 fathoms and in Florida Bay between depths of 5 and 10 fathoms. Essential fish habitat (EFH) consists of areas of higher species density, based on the NOAA Atlas (NOAA 1985) and the functional relationships analysis in the EIS (GMFMC 2004).
Copyright Text: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. 2004. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Amendment to the following fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico: Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Red Drum Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Coral and Coral Reef Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, The Commons at Rivergate, 3018 U.S.Highway301 N., Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619.
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) for Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish consists of the following waters and substrate areas in the Gulf of Mexico: all estuaries; the US/Mexico border to the boundary between the areas covered by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) from estuarine waters out to depths of 100 fathoms. Essential fish habitat (EFH) consists of areas of higher species density, based on the NOAA Atlas (NOAA 1985) and the functional relationships analysis in the EIS (GMFMC 2004).
Copyright Text: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. 2004. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Amendment to the following fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico: Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Red Drum Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Stone Crab Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Coral and Coral Reef Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico, Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, The Commons at Rivergate, 3018 U.S.Highway301 N., Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619.
Description: Essential fish habitat (EFH) regulations encourage regional fishery management councils to designate habitat areas of particular concern (HAPC) within areas of EFH in order to focus conservation priorities on specific habitat areas that play a particularly important role in the life cycles of federally managed species based on four criteria: (1) importance of the ecological function; (2) extent to which the habitat is sensitive to human-induced degradation; (3) extent development activities are or will stress the habitat; and, (4) the rarity of the habitat type. In the Gulf of Mexico the following areas are identified as HAPCs: the North and South Tortugas Ecological Reserves, East and West Flower Garden Banks, Florida Middle Grounds; Madison-Swanson Marine Reserve; Pulley Ridge and the following reefs and banks of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Stetson; McNeil; Bright Rezak; Geyer; McGrail; Bouma; Sonnier; Alderice; and Jakkula.
Copyright Text: MRAG Americas and GIS Solutions, Inc. completed the GIS analysis and produced maps for the EIS and Amendment.
Description: The National Marine Sanctuary Program manages a system of sanctuaries and other managed areas around the country. The legal boundaries of Thesee sanctuaries are defined within the Code of Federal Regulations, at 15 C.F.R. Part 922 and the subparts for each national marine sanctuary. The GIS compatible digital boundary files for each national marine sanctuary are representations of those legal boundaries and are based on the best available data. Thesee files are available for public use at locations defined in this metadata record.
Copyright Text: NOAA / National Marine Sanctuaries Program
Description: These data represent the geographic area described in Title 50 CFR Part 622.74(f), Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic, Subpart D—Coral and Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico, Area closures to protect Gulf corals, McGrail Bank HAPC, as of 07/01/13.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Amanda Frick, GIS Coordinator
Description: These data represent the geographic area described in Title 50 CFR Part 622.74(b), Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic, Subpart D—Coral and Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico, Area closures to protect Gulf corals, Florida Middle Grounds HAPC, as of 07/01/13.
Copyright Text: Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Amanda Frick, GIS Coordinator
Description: This data set contains OCS block outlines (clipped) to the GOM Planning Area Boundary in ArcGIS shape file format for the BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region. OCS blocks are used to define small geographic areas within an Official Protraction Diagram (OPD) for leasing and administrative purposes. These blocks have been clipped along the Submerged Lands Act (SLA) boundary and along the Continental Shelf Boundaries. Additional details are available from: http://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/Oil_and_Gas_Energy_Program/Mapping_and_Data/99-0006.pdf
Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, and because shapefiles cannot represent true arcs, these GIS files are considered to be approximate and are NOT an OFFICIAL record for the exact block coordinates or areas. The Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs) serve as the legal definition for BOEM offshore boundary coordinates and area descriptions.
Copyright Text: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Mapping and Boundary Branch
Description: This data set contains the outlines for active federal oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region. The file is updated on a monthy basis on or about the first of each month. The lease outlines represent a close approximation, but might not be the exact coordinates for those leases. For official coordinates please refer to the OPD or SOBD for the lease. All leasing in the GOM OCS Region is captured on a NAD27
Copyright Text: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region; Office of Leasing & Plans, Mapping & Automation Section