This Southern Florida Shallow-water Coral Ecosystem Mapping Implementation Plan (MIP) presents a framework for the development of shallow-water ( -0-40 m; 0-22 fm) benthic habitat and bathymetric maps of critical areas in southern Florida. It also discusses the need to develop moderate-depth ( -40-200 m; 22 -109 fm) bathymetric maps for all of Florida. The plan has been developed with extensive input from universities, state regulatory and management agencies, federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations involved in the conservation and management of Florida’s coral ecosystems. A list of organizations that provided input to the development of this MIP is provided in Appendix 1. Appendix 3 briefly presents the outcomes of two meetings where the development of this MIP was discussed. This MIP has been developed to complement the Coral Reef Mapping Implementation Plan (2nd Draft) released in 1999 by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force’s Mapping and Information Synthesis Working Group. That plan focused on mapping the U.S.’s shallow-water (then defined as <30 m) coral reefs of the U.S. by 2007 using primarily visual interpretation of aerial photography and satellite imagery. This MIP focuses on mapping the shallow-water (now defined as 0-40 m, rather than 0-30 m) coral ecosystems of southern Florida using a suite of technologies and map development procedures. This MIP also discusses the need for shallow-water bathymetry information of southern Florida. Both this South Florida MIP and the 1999 National MIP support the goals of the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs (U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, 2000). This MIP presents a framework for mapping the coral ecosystems of southern Florida and should be considered an evolving document. As priorities change, funding varies, new data are collected, and new technologies become available, the information presented herein will change.
DATA/REPORT DETAILS
Mapping southern Florida’s shallow-water coral ecosystems: An implementation plan
- Published on:
- Science Area(s): Coral, Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments, Habitat Mapping, Marine Spatial Ecology, Seagrasses
- Region(s) of Study: Atlantic Ocean, Florida, Gulf of Mexico, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
- Primary Contact(s): mark.monaco@noaa.gov
Citation:
Rohmann, S.O., and M.E. Monaco
Rohmann, S.O., and M.E. Monaco
Data/Report Type:
NOAA Technical Memorandum
NOAA Technical Memorandum
Description
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