New assessment techniques developed, in part, by NCCOS will be used by the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program’s research in St. Thomas and St. John, USVI. The new techniques will be used to collect data on seafloor habitat types in the region, and stony coral populations and condition. NCCOS scientists met with other scientists from [...]
A new interactive map, “Mapping America’s Coral Reefs,” gives casual observers an engaging overview of the nearly 3 million acres of sea floor habitat mapping data produced by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and its partners. This “story” map complements a recent report summarizing NOAA shallow-water coral reef mapping outcomes and results, which [...]
To support a watershed restoration initiative in Guanica Bay, researchers from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science released new shallow-water (less than 30 meters deep) sea floor habitat maps for the Guanica Bay/La Parguera region and Finca Belvedere Natural Reserve in the southwest part of the island. Furthermore, the maps will support ongoing management of [...]
Since 2000, the National Ocean Service and its partners have mapped more than 3 million acres (12,100 km2) of shallow-water (0-30 meters) coral reef habitats spanning the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean. The results of this body of work are summarized in a new report released by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), National Summary [...]
NOAA researchers recently published An Integrated Biogeographic Assessment of Reef Fish Populations and Fisheries in Dry Tortugas: Effects of No-take Reserves, an analysis of both biological and socioeconomic changes resulting from the remote Florida marine reserve during its first five years. The report indicates that there seemed to be an early increase in certain fish species within [...]
Staff from the Connecticut Congressional delegation requested a visit from NOAA researchers from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) to discuss recent seafloor mapping efforts and how they can be used in marine spatial planning, as well as general resource management, in Long Island Sound. They provided the delegation with details about NCCOS’s [...]
Maps and geospatial data are now available for the St. Thomas East End Reserve (STEER) Coastal Use Mapping Project. The maps, created using a participatory GIS mapping method that involves local users of the area, stakeholders, and resource managers, showcase the dominant and general use patterns for the marine reserves, also known as the STEER. The maps and [...]
In October, NOAA scientists and partners collected seafloor photos and videos from over 355 locations around the St. Thomas East End Reserve, and in the Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. These new data will support management practices such as permitting, restoration, fisheries, climate change and scientific research; the depth [...]