Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals Critical Habitat

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.

The purpose of these data is to visually represent the critical habitat areas for GIS analysis and display.

Loaded by FGDC Metadata Uploader, batch 4534, 03-06-2013 15:19

The following FGDC sections are not currently supported in InPort, but were preserved and will be included in the FGDC export:

- Entity Attribute Information (FGDC:eainfo)

- Spatial Reference Information (FGDC:spref),

- Spatial Data Organization Information (FGDC:spdoinfo)

web page, or web map

FID and Shape are attributes created internally with Esri software. Id is the identification number for the polygons, AREA is the area in square kilometers, CH_AREA_NO is the unit number for the critical habitat, CH_AREA_NM is the unit name for the critical habitat, COMNAME is the common name for the species.

Entity attribute citation for FID and Shape is Esri.

Users be advised that the accuracy of this data set is completely dependent upon the accuracy of the shoreline and bathymetric data used in the creation process. For more details on this process, see the process description. The text description in 73 FR 72210 is always the one, true definition of Acropora critical habitat. These or any other depictions are for information purposes only and shouldn't be relied on for regulatory purposes.

none

none

critical habitat data is to be made public when the final rule is published

none

None

Users be advised that the accuracy of this data set is completely dependent upon the accuracy of the shoreline and bathymetric data used in the creation process. For more details on this process, see the process description. The text description in 73 FR 72210 is always the one, true definition of Acropora critical habitat. These or any other depictions are for information purposes only and shouldn't be relied on for regulatory purposes.

none

none

Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.1.3000

Users be advised that the accuracy of this data set is completely dependent upon the accuracy of the shoreline and bathymetric data used in the creation process. Both bathymetry and shoreline are dynamic in the real world and this fact needs to be considered when consulting on a project within or near the designated critical habitat.

Bathy and shoreline data are both between 1:20,000- 1:80,000 scale.

no analysis

Both bathymetric and shoreline data were created by other offices and they do not have accuracy statements associated with their data.

Both bathymetric and shoreline data were created by other offices and they do not have accuracy statements associated with their data.

not applicable to this data

not applicable to this data

not applicable to this data

New data is being collected all of the time and will be evaluated to continue to use the best available bathymetric and shoreline data.

Bathy and shoreline data are both between 1:20,000- 1:80,000 scale.

Bathy and shoreline data are both between 1:20,000- 1:80,000 scale.

not applicable

not applicable

not applicable

The accuracy of this data set is completely dependent upon the accuracy of the shoreline and bathymetric data used in the creation process. Bathymetry: NGDC Coastal Relief Model for Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands (Vol. 9), and Florida and Eastern Gulf of Mexico (Vol. 3). Used detailed shoreline for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands from NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), by selecting 'Land' and 'mangrove' polygons. Used NOAA medium resolution vector shoreline for Florida to create land polygon. Erased the bathymetry polygons with the land/mangrove polygons . For Florida shoreline, or shoreward side of the critical habitat polygon, used Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC) for nearshore bathymetry (digitized from NOAA nautical charts) for the 6 ft depth to Government Cut, FWC 1:24,000 scale shoreline, COLREG lines, and intercouncil boundary between South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils at the mouths of bays and inlets, and information from the U.S. Navy for exclusions. The polygon that included to the 30 meter contour was erased with the appropriate data for the shoreward side.

Users be advised that the accuracy of this data set is completely dependent upon the accuracy of the shoreline and bathymetric data used in the creation process. Both bathymetry and shoreline are dynamic in the real world and this fact needs to be considered when consulting on a project within or near the designated critical habitat.

visual comparison of imagery and various shorelines with bathymetric data for shallow water boundaries.