Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Boundary (polygon)
Data Set (DS) | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS)GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:40079 | Updated: March 4, 2026 | Published / External
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Summary
Short Citation
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, 2026: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Boundary (polygon), https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/40079.
Full Citation Examples
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a national network of underwater parks encompassing both marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments. Few places on the planet can compete with the diversity of the National Marine Sanctuary System, which protects America's most iconic undersea natural and cultural resources. The system works with diverse partners and stakeholders to promote responsible, sustainable ocean uses that ensure the health of our most valued ocean and Great Lake places. By investing in innovative solutions, we strengthen these iconic places to address 21st-century challenges while supporting America's commerce and tourism. These unique locations inspire people to visit, value, and steward our nation's iconic ocean and Great Lakes places.
The legal boundaries of the national marine sanctuaries are defined within the Code of Federal Regulations, at 15 C.F.R. Part 922 and the subparts therein. 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.
These files are provided to promote an understanding of the boundaries, locations, and extents for each national marine sanctuary. They are based on the legal definition of each sanctuary as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, at 15C.F.R. Part 922 and the subparts therein as stressed previously. These digital files are not intended and should not be relied upon for use in navigation or for legal purposes. For legal questions relating to the digital boundary files, please contact NOAAâs Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the information provided in this metadata record.
Data Access & Downloads
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Shapefile
Multiple shapefiles and Google Earth files are available to the public depicting the boundaries of each individual national marine sanctuary site. The zipfiles available for download contain these file types as well as a locator map and metadata.
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ESRI REST Service
A publicly available feature layer hosted online (REST Service)
None
NOT FOR LEGAL USE; NOT FOR NAVIGATION
Users must assume responsibility to determine the appropriate and relevant use of these data. This geospatial information is not to be used as LEGAL representations of the sanctuary boundaries. The digital boundaries were created with the most recent and accurate geospatial information available at the time of publication, but their overall extent, area, and/or proportions may change due to natural land changes along shorelines, as well as sanctuary boundary site modifications and expansions, as well as updated source data that is the basis of the boundary. Therefore, the currentness or accuracy of these digital boundaries that are provided to the public cannot be guaranteed.
Controlled Theme Keywords
boundaries
URLs
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Boundary file for Monterey Bay NMS
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A publicly accessible online feature layer depicting all sanctuary sites
Child Items
| Type | Title |
|---|---|
| Entity | Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Boundary |
Contact Information
Point of Contact
GIS Coordinator
sanctuaries@noaa.gov
(301) 713-3125
Metadata Contact
GIS Coordinator
sanctuaries@noaa.gov
(301) 713-3125
Extents
-123.14009° W,
-121.103558° E,
37.881632° N,
35.55327° S
2004-12
Item Identification
| Title: | Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Boundary (polygon) |
|---|---|
| Short Name: | mbnms_py |
| Status: | Completed |
| Publication Date: | 2004-12 |
| Abstract: |
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a national network of underwater parks encompassing both marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments. Few places on the planet can compete with the diversity of the National Marine Sanctuary System, which protects America's most iconic undersea natural and cultural resources. The system works with diverse partners and stakeholders to promote responsible, sustainable ocean uses that ensure the health of our most valued ocean and Great Lake places. By investing in innovative solutions, we strengthen these iconic places to address 21st-century challenges while supporting America's commerce and tourism. These unique locations inspire people to visit, value, and steward our nation's iconic ocean and Great Lakes places. |
| Purpose: |
The legal boundaries of the national marine sanctuaries are defined within the Code of Federal Regulations, at 15 C.F.R. Part 922 and the subparts therein. 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. These files are provided to promote an understanding of the boundaries, locations, and extents for each national marine sanctuary. They are based on the legal definition of each sanctuary as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, at 15C.F.R. Part 922 and the subparts therein as stressed previously. These digital files are not intended and should not be relied upon for use in navigation or for legal purposes. For legal questions relating to the digital boundary files, please contact NOAAâs Office of National Marine Sanctuaries at the information provided in this metadata record. |
| Notes: |
1357 |
| Other Citation Details: |
none |
Keywords
Theme Keywords
| Thesaurus | Keyword |
|---|---|
| ISO 19115 Topic Category |
boundaries
|
| UNCONTROLLED | |
| NOS Data Explorer Topic Category | Marine Boundaries |
| NOS Data Explorer Topic Category | Nautical Charting |
| None | CFR |
| None | Code of Federal Regulations |
| None | marine protected area |
| None | MPA |
| None | National Marine Sanctuary |
| None | NMS |
| None | ONMS |
Spatial Keywords
| Thesaurus | Keyword |
|---|---|
| UNCONTROLLED | |
| None | California |
| None | Marine |
| None | Monterey Bay |
| None | Pacific Ocean |
Physical Location
| Organization: | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries |
|---|---|
| City: | Silver Spring |
| State/Province: | MD |
Data Set Information
| Data Set Scope Code: | Data Set |
|---|---|
| Maintenance Note: |
Continually on varying schedule |
| Data Presentation Form: | vector digital data |
| Distribution Liability: |
Users must assume responsibility to determine the appropriate and relevant use of these data. This geospatial information is not to be used as LEGAL representations of the sanctuary boundaries. The digital boundaries were created with the most recent and accurate geospatial information available at the time of publication, but their overall extent, area, and/or proportions may change due to natural land changes along shorelines, as well as sanctuary boundary site modifications and expansions, as well as updated source data that is the basis of the boundary. Therefore, the currentness or accuracy of these digital boundaries that are provided to the public cannot be guaranteed. |
Support Roles
Data Steward
| Date Effective From: | 2004-12 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Position): | GIS Coordinator |
| Address: |
1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| Email Address: | sanctuaries@noaa.gov |
| Phone: | (301) 713-3125 |
| Fax: | (301) 713-0404 |
Distributor
| Date Effective From: | 2004-12 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Organization): | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) |
| Address: |
1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| ROR: | https://ror.org/04bgwn153 |
| URL: | https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/ |
Distributor
| Date Effective From: | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Organization): | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) |
| Address: |
1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| ROR: | https://ror.org/04bgwn153 |
| URL: | https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/ |
Metadata Contact
| Date Effective From: | 2004-12 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Position): | GIS Coordinator |
| Address: |
1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| Email Address: | sanctuaries@noaa.gov |
| Phone: | (301) 713-3125 |
| Fax: | (301) 713-0404 |
Point of Contact
| Date Effective From: | 2004-12 |
|---|---|
| Date Effective To: | |
| Contact (Position): | GIS Coordinator |
| Address: |
1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| Email Address: | sanctuaries@noaa.gov |
| Phone: | (301) 713-3125 |
| Fax: | (301) 713-0404 |
Extents
| Currentness Reference: | 200412 |
|---|
Extent Group 1
Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1
| W° Bound: | -123.14009 | |
|---|---|---|
| E° Bound: | -121.103558 | |
| N° Bound: | 37.881632 | |
| S° Bound: | 35.55327 |
Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1
| Time Frame Type: | Discrete |
|---|---|
| Start: | 2004-12 |
Spatial Information
Spatial Representation
Representations Used
| Vector: | Yes |
|---|
Vector Representation 1
| Complex Object Present?: | Yes |
|---|---|
| Complex Object Count: | 1 |
Access Information
| Security Class: | Unclassified |
|---|---|
| Data Access Procedure: |
Digital boundary files are available for public consumption from the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in hard copy or digital formats. See Distributor Contact Information for contact details.; |
| Data Access Constraints: |
None |
| Data Use Constraints: |
NOT FOR LEGAL USE; NOT FOR NAVIGATION Users must assume responsibility to determine the appropriate and relevant use of these data. This geospatial information is not to be used as LEGAL representations of the sanctuary boundaries. The digital boundaries were created with the most recent and accurate geospatial information available at the time of publication, but their overall extent, area, and/or proportions may change due to natural land changes along shorelines, as well as sanctuary boundary site modifications and expansions, as well as updated source data that is the basis of the boundary. Therefore, the currentness or accuracy of these digital boundaries that are provided to the public cannot be guaranteed. |
Distribution Information
Distribution 1
| Download URL: | https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/library/imast_gis.html |
|---|---|
| Distributor: | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) (2004 - Present) |
| File Name: | NOAA"S National Marine Sanctuary Boundaries |
| Description: |
Multiple shapefiles and Google Earth files are available to the public depicting the boundaries of each individual national marine sanctuary site. The zipfiles available for download contain these file types as well as a locator map and metadata. |
| Distribution Format: | Shapefile |
Distribution 2
| Download URL: | https://services2.arcgis.com/C8EMgrsFcRFL6LrL/arcgis/rest/services/NMS_Boundaries_02032022/FeatureServer |
|---|---|
| Distributor: | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) (2004 - Present) |
| File Name: | NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Boundaries |
| Description: |
A publicly available feature layer hosted online (REST Service) |
| File Date/Time: | 2026-02-01 00:00:00 |
| Distribution Format: | ESRI REST Service |
URLs
URL 1
| URL: | https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/library/imast_gis.html |
|---|---|
| Name: | mbnms_py |
| URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
| File Resource Format: | ZIP/SHP |
| Description: |
Boundary file for Monterey Bay NMS |
URL 2
| URL: | https://services2.arcgis.com/C8EMgrsFcRFL6LrL/arcgis/rest/services/NMS_Boundaries_02032022/FeatureServer |
|---|---|
| Name: | NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Online Hosted Feature Layer |
| URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
| Description: |
A publicly accessible online feature layer depicting all sanctuary sites |
URL 3
| URL: | https://montereybay.noaa.gov/media/img/20250506-mbnms-map-400.jpg |
|---|---|
| Name: | Monterey Bay NMS Locator Map |
| URL Type: |
Browse Graphic
|
| File Resource Format: | jpg |
| Description: |
Monterey Bay NMS Locator Map |
Activity Log
Activity Log 1
| Activity Date/Time: | 2010-10-18 |
|---|---|
| Description: |
Date that the source FGDC record was last modified. |
Activity Log 2
| Activity Date/Time: | 2017-04-05 |
|---|---|
| Description: |
Converted from FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (version FGDC-STD-001-1998) using 'fgdc_to_inport_xml.pl' script. Contact Tyler Christensen (NOS) for details. |
Activity Log 3
| Activity Date/Time: | 2017-08-14 |
|---|---|
| Description: |
Partial upload of Maintenance Note field only. |
Activity Log 4
| Activity Date/Time: | 2017-09-13 |
|---|---|
| Description: |
Partial upload of Spatial Info section only. |
Activity Log 5
| Activity Date/Time: | 2017-11-01 |
|---|---|
| Description: |
Replaced entire Lineage section to populate new Source Contribution field. |
Activity Log 6
| Activity Date/Time: | 2018-02-08 |
|---|---|
| Description: |
Partial upload of Positional Accuracy fields only. |
Technical Environment
| Description: |
Microsoft Windows 2000 Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 8.3.0.800 |
|---|
Data Quality
| Accuracy: |
Attributes were standardized by feature type (point, line, and polygon)across all sanctuary boundaries. The values recorded for each attributewere quality assured and believed to be accurate. |
|---|---|
| Horizontal Positional Accuracy: |
Positional accuracy will vary depending on source |
| Vertical Positional Accuracy: |
Positional accuracy will vary |
| Completeness Report: |
Where possible, the entire boundary for the sanctuary is represented by this digital file. |
| Conceptual Consistency: |
The data were topologically cleaned. |
Lineage
Sources
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 15, Volume 3
| Contact Name: | US Federal GovernmentUS Department of CommerceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
|---|---|
| Publish Date: | 2003-01-01 |
| Extent Type: | Range |
| Extent Start Date/Time: | 1996 |
| Extent End Date/Time: | 2003 |
| Source Contribution: |
The depicted shoreline of the sanctuary boundary wasderived in part from information contained within the CFR. | Type of Source Media: online |
Raster Coastal Map Series Showing Hydrography and Topography Found on NOAA's Charted Nautical Charts for All Near-Shore Geographic Areas of the U.S.
| Contact Name: | NOAA Office of Coast Survey (OCS) |
|---|---|
| Publish Date: | 2001-01-10 |
| Extent Type: | Continuing |
| Extent Start Date/Time: | 1995-01-01 |
| Citation URL: | https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/csdl/ctp/cm_vs.htm |
| Source Contribution: |
All information in Coastal Maps is derived from the Source Nautical Chart. | Source Geospatial Form: raster digital data | Type of Source Media: Raster Images |
Process Steps
Process Step 1
| Description: |
The geographic boundary coordinates listed within the United StatesCode of Federal Regulations (CFR) were converted to decimal degreesand a text file was created. A point coverage was then generatedusing ArcInfo GIS. The coverage was projected into the GeographicCoordinate System and overlaid on large scale nautical charts andanalyzed with additional data such as adjacent sanctuaries andshorelines. Specific attention was given to analysis ofinconsistencies between textual descriptions and listedcoordinates. The polyline files were created using a combination of thecoordinate list from the CFR and applicable shoreline vector files. Forpoint files, two methods were used. If the sanctuary had a shorelinecomponent, a polyline to point script was used to create a point foreach vertice. If a shoreline component was not present, then theoriginal coordinates from the CFR were used to create a point shapefile.Polygon files were created by converting polylines to polygons. Formore detailed process description, please use contact information below. |
|---|---|
| Process Date/Time: | 2004-12-01 00:00:00 |
Child Items
Rubric scores updated every 15m
|
|
Type | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Entity | Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Boundary |
Catalog Details
| Catalog Item ID: | 40079 |
|---|---|
| GUID: | gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:40079 |
| Metadata Record Created By: | Tyler Christensen |
| Metadata Record Created: | 2017-04-05 14:27+0000 |
| Metadata Record Last Modified By: | SysAdmin InPortAdmin |
| Metadata Record Last Modified: | 2026-03-04 19:17+0000 |
| Metadata Record Published: | 2018-02-08 |
| Owner Org: | ONMS |
| Metadata Publication Status: | Published Externally |
| Do Not Publish?: | N |
| Metadata Last Review Date: | 2018-02-08 |
| Metadata Review Frequency: | 1 Year |
| Metadata Next Review Date: | 2019-02-08 |
