The NCCOS Coastal Aquaculture Siting and Sustainability Program showcased new tools for siting offshore industries at the World Aquaculture Society Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana (March 8–10, 2019). Pictured are NCCOS's Dr. Ken Riley (center) and Dr. Marc von Keitz (left, U.S. Department of Energy). Credit: NOAA.

NCCOS scientists demonstrated emerging technologies for siting offshore industries at last month's World Aquaculture Society Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The team showcased two, spatial analysis tools: the National AquaMapper, designed specifically for the aquaculture sector; and OceanReports, which has applicability to all ocean industries.

The National AquaMapper provides aquaculture-relevant data for offshore waters of the United States in one easy-to-use map viewer. The tool is designed to support and inform screening of coastal ocean areas for aquaculture development. Users can view multiple data layers simultaneously, measure areas and distances, add data from other sources, draw objects on the map, and print and share maps. NCCOS developed the National AquaMapper in partnership with www.marinecadastre.gov.

OceanReports, to be launched later this month, provides custom automated spatial analyses of authoritative ocean data. The tool is designed to streamline permitting, decrease costs, and increase transparency for all ocean industries, including energy, shipping and transportation, aquaculture, fisheries, and seabed mining. The mapping application uses over 100 data sets, including information on energy, minerals, natural resources, transportation, infrastructure, oceanographic and biophysical conditions, and the local ocean economy. OceanReports is the only tool that generates comprehensive spatial reports for the entire U.S. coastal ocean. NCCOS developed OceanReports in partnership with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and NOAA's Office for Coastal Management.