Name: Regulated Navigation Areas
Published: 2022-08-19

Short Citation
Office for Coastal Management, 2025: Regulated Navigation Areas, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54194.
Full Citation Examples

Abstract

Regulated Navigation Areas (RNA) as outlined in 33 CFR Part 165 are established to regulate vessels and their movement within a specific area. The District Commander can issue an RNA to control vessel traffic in a place determined to have hazardous conditions. RNAs usually prescribe what type or size of vessels may enter an area or in what manner they must navigate. RNAs differ from Safety and Security Zones in two respects. First, only District Commanders are authorized to establish RNAs while Coast Guard Captains of the Port may not. Second, Safety and Security Zones are typically transitory in nature, responsive to a temporary safety or security concern on the water. They are meant to control access to an area, but they could also be used to control access based on compliance with specified temporary operating conditions within the Safety or Security Zone necessary for the purpose of the zones creation. RNAs are usually created where a more permanent solution to a safety or environmental concern is required. They principally regulate the operation of vessels permitted inside the area, but may also establish control of access to an area if necessary.

Purpose

To support ocean planning activities pursuant to the Executive Order Regarding the Ocean Policy to Advance the Economic, Security, and Environmental Interests of the United States, the Energy Policy Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Rivers and Harbors Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act.

https://marinecadastre.gov/data/

Marine Cadastre Data Registry
https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/mc/RegulatedNavigationArea.zip

Use Constraints:

For coastal and ocean planning

boundaries, ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE/MANAGEMENT, oceans, transportation

Type

Title

Entity

Regulated Navigation Areas

Point of Contact
NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
coastal.info@noaa.gov
(843) 740-1202
https://coast.noaa.gov

Geographic Area 1

-158° W, 145.75° E, 61.25° N, 13.25° S

Time Frame 1
2022-08-19

publication date

Title:	Regulated Navigation Areas
Status:	Completed
Publication Date:	2022-08-19
Abstract:	Regulated Navigation Areas (RNA) as outlined in 33 CFR Part 165 are established to regulate vessels and their movement within a specific area. The District Commander can issue an RNA to control vessel traffic in a place determined to have hazardous conditions. RNAs usually prescribe what type or size of vessels may enter an area or in what manner they must navigate. RNAs differ from Safety and Security Zones in two respects. First, only District Commanders are authorized to establish RNAs while Coast Guard Captains of the Port may not. Second, Safety and Security Zones are typically transitory in nature, responsive to a temporary safety or security concern on the water. They are meant to control access to an area, but they could also be used to control access based on compliance with specified temporary operating conditions within the Safety or Security Zone necessary for the purpose of the zones creation. RNAs are usually created where a more permanent solution to a safety or environmental concern is required. They principally regulate the operation of vessels permitted inside the area, but may also establish control of access to an area if necessary.
Purpose:	To support ocean planning activities pursuant to the Executive Order Regarding the Ocean Policy to Advance the Economic, Security, and Environmental Interests of the United States, the Energy Policy Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Rivers and Harbors Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act.
Notes:	The following updates are available in the Code of Federal Regulations and have NOT yet been added to this data set as of 2022-08-19. D1 165.101 Kittery ME 84 FR 7813, Mar. 5, 2019 D5 165.T05-0466 Regulated Navigation Area, Oregon Inlet Channel, Marc Basnight Bridge, Dare County NC 87 FR 40727, July 8, 2022 D5 165.501 Chesapeake Bay Entrance and Hamton Roads, VA and adjacent waters VA 85 FR 6806, Feb. 6, 2020 D7 165.726 Miami River, Miami FL 85 FR 8173, Feb. 13, 2020 D7 165.756 Savannah River GA 85 FR 20598, Apr. 14, 2020 D7 165.775 Launch Area Offshore Cape Canaveral FL 87 FR 23449, Apr. 20, 2022 D7 165.790 Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip, Miami Beach FL 86 FR 66191, Nov. 22, 2021 D8 165.815 Ohio River at Louisville KY 85 FR 8173, Feb. 13, 2020 D8 165.821 Ohio River at Cincinnati OH 85 FR 8173, Feb. 13, 2020 D8 165.823 Allegheny River, Monongahela River, and Ohio River, Pittsburgh PA 85 FR 2307, Jan. 15, 2020 D8 165.838 Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, New Orleans LA 84 FR 7813, Mar. 5, 2019 D9 165.944 Straits of Mackinac MI 83 FR 49283, Oct. 1, 2018 D13 165.1329 Thea Foss, Middle Waterway, and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma WA 85 FR 214, Jan. 3, 2020 D13 165.1321 Lake Washington, Seattle WA 84 FR 71824, Dec. 30, 2019 D13 165.1343 NW Natural PGM Site, Willamette River, Portland OR 87 FR 1356, Jan. 11,2022 D14 165.1405 Designated Escorted Vessels-Philippine Sea and Apra Harbor Guam, and Tanapag Harbor, Saipan CNMI 87 FR 48446, Aug. 9, 2022 D14 165.1413 Southern Oahu Tsunami Evacuation, Honolulu HI 84 FR 7813, Mar. 5, 2019
Supplemental Information:	Bureau Code: 006:48, Program Code: 006:055

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus

Keyword

Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords

EARTH SCIENCE > HUMAN DIMENSIONS > ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE/MANAGEMENT

ISO 19115 Topic Category

boundaries

ISO 19115 Topic Category

oceans

ISO 19115 Topic Category

transportation

UNCONTROLLED

None

coastal

None

planning

None

renewable energy

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus

Keyword

Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

UNCONTROLLED

None

Outer Continental Shelf

None

Territorial Sea

None

United States of America

City:	Charleston
State/Province:	SC

Data Set Scope Code:	Data Set
Maintenance Frequency:	As Needed
Data Presentation Form:	Map (digital)
Entity Attribute Overview:	section, location, stateUSPS, regulation
Distribution Liability:	https://www.marinecadastre.gov/about/disclaimer.html
Data Set Credit:	U.S. Coast Guard

Point of Contact

CC ID: 787799

Date Effective From:	2018-06
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization):	NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
Address:	2234 South Hobson Ave Charleston, SC 29405-2413
Email Address:	coastal.info@noaa.gov
Phone:	(843) 740-1202
URL:	https://coast.noaa.gov

Currentness Reference:	Publication Date

Extent Group 1

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 787803

W° Bound:	-158
E° Bound:	145.75
N° Bound:	61.25
S° Bound:	13.25

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 787802

Time Frame Type:	Discrete
Start:	2022-08-19
Description:	publication date

Spatial Representation

Vector Representation 1

CC ID: 901221

Complex Object Present?:	No
Composite Object Present?:	No
Curve Object Present?:	Yes
Point Object Present?:	No
Solid Object Present?:	No
Surface Object Present?:	No

Reference Systems

Reference System 1

CC ID: 901222

Coordinate Reference System

CRS Type:

Geographic 2D

EPSG Code:

EPSG:4269

EPSG Name:

NAD83

▾ See Full Coordinate Reference System Information

Datum Name:

North American Datum 1983

Ellipsoid:

GRS 1980

Semimajor Axis:

6378137.0

Flattening Ratio:

298.257222101

Axis: Geodetic Latitude

Order:	1
Abbreviation:	Lat
Units:	degree
Orientation:	north

Axis: Geodetic Latitude

Order:	1
Abbreviation:	Lat
Units:	degree
Orientation:	north

Axis: Geodetic Longitude

Order:	2
Abbreviation:	Lon
Units:	degree
Orientation:	east

Axis: Geodetic Longitude

Order:	2
Abbreviation:	Lon
Units:	degree
Orientation:	east

Security Class:	Unclassified
Data Use Constraints:	For coastal and ocean planning

Distribution 1

CC ID: 787807

Download URL:	https://marinecadastre.gov/data/
Distributor:
Description:	Marine Cadastre Data Registry

Distribution 2

CC ID: 787806

Download URL:	https://marinecadastre.gov/downloads/data/mc/RegulatedNavigationArea.zip
Distributor:

Description:	Microsoft Windows, ArcGIS Pro

Accuracy:	Untested
Horizontal Positional Accuracy:	Compiled to meet 10 meters horizontal accuracy at 95% confidence level
Completeness Report:	Untested
Conceptual Consistency:	These data are logically consistent

Sources

Aids to Navigation

CC ID: 787790

Contact Name:	marinecadastre.gov
Extent Type:	Discrete
Extent Start Date/Time:	2016-02-28
Citation URL:	ftp://ftp.coast.noaa.gov/pub/MSP/AidsToNavigation.zip
Citation URL Name:	Source Online Linkage
Citation URL Description:	URL where the source data were originally accessed.
Source Contribution:	Used as reference layer to create RNA data

Maritime Boundaries

CC ID: 787787

Contact Name:	NOAA Office of Coast Survey
Extent Type:	Discrete
Extent Start Date/Time:	2017-04-05
Citation URL:	https://maritimeboundaries.noaa.gov/downloads/USMaritimeLimitsAndBoundariesSHP.zip
Citation URL Name:	Source Online Linkage
Citation URL Description:	URL where the source data were originally accessed.
Source Contribution:	Used as reference layer to create RNA data

North America Water Polygons

CC ID: 787788

Contact Name:	ESRI Data and Maps
Extent Type:	Discrete
Extent Start Date/Time:	2018-04-10
Citation URL:	http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=1630b19fafbe4c9589306d967e418088
Citation URL Name:	Source Online Linkage
Citation URL Description:	URL where the source data were originally accessed.
Source Contribution:	Used as reference layer to create RNA data

Raster Nautical Charts

CC ID: 787789

Contact Name:	NOAA Office of Coast Survey
Extent Type:	Discrete
Extent Start Date/Time:	2017-04-05
Citation URL:	https://seamlessrnc.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/arcgis/rest/services/RNC/NOAA_RNC/ImageServer
Citation URL Name:	Source Online Linkage
Citation URL Description:	URL where the source data were originally accessed.
Source Contribution:	Used as reference layer to create RNA data

Regulated Navigation Areas and Limited Access Areas

CC ID: 1182346

Contact Role Type:	Originator
Contact Type:	Organization
Contact Name:	U.S. Coast Guard
Extent Type:	Discrete
Extent Start Date/Time:	2022-08-19
Citation URL:	https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-33/chapter-I/subchapter-P/part-165
Citation URL Name:	Code of Federal Regulations
Source Contribution:	Original description of the regulated navigation areas

Regulated Navigation Areas and Limited Access Areas

CC ID: 787791

Contact Name:	US Government Publishing Office
Extent Type:	Discrete
Extent Start Date/Time:	2017-07-01
Citation URL:	https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2017-title33-vol2/xml/CFR-2017-title33-vol2-part165.xml
Citation URL Name:	Source Online Linkage
Citation URL Description:	URL where the source data were originally accessed.
Source Contribution:	Coordinate data and area descriptions from the CFR were used to compile this data layer

USA States (Below 1:3m scale)

CC ID: 787792

Contact Name:	ESRI Data and Maps
Extent Type:	Discrete
Extent Start Date/Time:	2018-02-05
Citation URL:	http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=1a6cae723af14f9cae228b133aebc620
Citation URL Name:	Source Online Linkage
Citation URL Description:	URL where the source data were originally accessed.
Source Contribution:	Used as reference layer to create RNA data

Process Steps

Process Step 1

CC ID: 787793

Description:

• Go to https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2017-title33-vol2/xml/CFR-2017-title33-vol2-part165.xml and record all RNA info into a word document

• For each area with coordinates, copy lat/long data into a spreadsheet

• Import sheets into ArcGIS, convert to xy coordinates, and export to point feature classes using projection specified in CFR

• NOTE: Areas from the following locations were not included in mapping: 165.810 - area not in RNC to locate 165.815 - area is inland 165.817 - area is inland 165.821 - area is inland 165.830 - area is inland 165.1171 - area not in RNC to locate

• Create polygon features from point files, or specified areas in CFR

• Use the USA States, Water Polygons, ATONs, Maritime Boundaries and RNCs to help locate areas that have unclear or no coordinate data

• Delete all superfluous fields

• Check geometry and project data into WGS 1984 Auxiliary Sphere

Process Date/Time:

2018-08-01 00:00:00

Process Step 2

CC ID: 896140

Description:	Modified the Long Island Sound Marine Inspection and Captain of the Port Zone feature (165.153) to limit the extend to the 12 nm territorial sea rather than the Exclusive Economic Zone
Process Date/Time:	2020-01-01 00:00:00

Process Step 3

CC ID: 1182347

Description:

1) Update and replace the geometry for the Neptune and Northeast Gateway Deepwater Ports, and the Los Angeles Deep Water Pilot Area

2) Execute the REPAIR GEOMETRY command to resolve geometry validation errors

3) Update the metadata to list the 17 pending updates that need to be added to make this data set complete and current

Rubric scores updated every 15m

Type

Title

Entity

Regulated Navigation Areas

Catalog Item ID:	54194
GUID:	gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:54194
Metadata Record Created By:	Anna Verrill
Metadata Record Created:	2018-10-16 17:59+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By:	SysAdmin InPortAdmin
Metadata Record Last Modified:	2025-05-15 19:16+0000
Metadata Record Published:	2018-10-16
Owner Org:	OCM
Metadata Publication Status:	Published Externally
Do Not Publish?:	N
Metadata Last Review Date:	2018-10-16
Metadata Review Frequency:	1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date:	2019-10-16

Summary

Distribution Information

Controlled Theme Keywords

Child Items

Contact Information

Extents

Item Identification

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Spatial Keywords

Physical Location

Data Set Information

Support Roles

Point of Contact

Extents

Extent Group 1

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

Spatial Information

Spatial Representation

Vector Representation 1

Reference Systems

Reference System 1

Coordinate Reference System

Axis: Geodetic Latitude

Axis: Geodetic Latitude

Axis: Geodetic Longitude

Axis: Geodetic Longitude

Access Information

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

Distribution 2

Technical Environment

Data Quality

Lineage

Sources

Aids to Navigation

Maritime Boundaries

North America Water Polygons

Raster Nautical Charts

Regulated Navigation Areas and Limited Access Areas

Regulated Navigation Areas and Limited Access Areas

USA States (Below 1:3m scale)

Process Steps

Process Step 1

Process Step 2

Process Step 3

Child Items

Catalog Details