gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:54895 eng UTF8 dataset GIS Files Office of Response and Restoration resourceProvider ESI Program Manager 7600 Sand Point Way NE Seattle WA 98115 orr.esi@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:18 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) geometryOnly complex 2717 EPSG::4269 Louisiana and Lower Mississippi River 2014 ESI BENTHIC Polygons 2013-12 publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 54895 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54895 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/resources/esi-guidelines WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ESI Guidelines Guidelines for developing ESI data content and overview of ESI data structure. Useful for data collectors and users requiring more in depth information on the ESI process. download https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ESI Overview Overview of ESI data content and uses. download mapDigital Prepared by Research Planning, Inc., Columbia, South Carolina for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service, Office of Response and Restoration, Emergency Response Division, Seattle, Washington. This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for submerged aquatic vegetation, seagrass, oyster reefs and deep sea corals in Louisiana. Vector polygons in this data set represent aquatic vegetation, seagrass, oyster reefs and deep sea coral distribution. Species specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI data for Louisiana. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. The ESI data were collected, mapped, and digitized to provide environmental data for oil spill planning and response. The Clean Water Act with amendments by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires response plans for immediate and effective protection of sensitive resources. This project was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R), Emergency Response Division (ERD), Seattle, Washington, and The Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard Office of Incident Management and Preparedness, Washington, D.C. completed ESI Program Manager 7600 Sand Point Way NE Seattle WA 98115 orr.esi@noaa.gov pointOfContact ESI Program Manager 7600 Sand Point Way NE Seattle WA 98115 orr.esi@noaa.gov custodian asNeeded Data content is considered static once published. However, if issues with the Geodatabase linkages or table contents are identified, the Geodatabase and/or the associated Map Document may be updated. Assure most current data is being used by downloading from https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi_download and/or comparing modification dates provided at this site. https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/ESI-Browse-Graphic.pdf Depicts the relationships between the spatial data layers and the attribute data tables for the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi River ESI data. pdf EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC EARTH SCIENCE > HUMAN DIMENSIONS > ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS > OIL SPILLS theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 17.0 CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > LOUISIANA OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA place Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords 20.8 Coastal Resources Coastal Zone Management ESI Environmental Monitoring Environmental Sensitivity Index Oil spill planning Sensitivity Maps theme Gulf of Mexico Mississippi River place DOC/NOAA/NOS/ORR > Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Louisiana and Lower Mississippi River, 2014 project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Office of Response and Restoration, [Date of Access]: Louisiana and Lower Mississippi River 2014 ESI BENTHIC Polygons [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54895. NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None otherRestrictions Use Constraints: DO NOT USE MAPS FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES. Management boundaries are not to be considered legal boundaries. Edges may have been altered for cartographic processes. Besides the above warnings, there are no use constraints on these data. Note that the ESI database should not be used to the exclusion of other pertinent data or information held by state or federal agencies or other organizations. Likewise, information contained in the database cannot be used in place of consultations with environmental, natural resource, and cultural resource agencies, or in place of field surveys. Recognize that the information contained in the ESI database represents known concentration areas or occurrences of natural, cultural, and human-use resources, but does not necessarily represent the full distribution or range of each species or resource. This is particularly important to recognize when considering potential impacts to protected resources, such as endangered species, wetlands, etc. Acknowledgment of the originators, publishers, contributors, and sources listed would be appreciated in products derived from these data. otherRestrictions Distribution Liability: Although these data have been processed and used successfully on a computer system at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA regarding the utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. NOAA warrants the delivery of this product in computer-readable format, and will offer a replacement copy of the product when the product is determined unreadable by computer input peripherals, or when the physical medium is delivered in damaged condition. unclassified NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 54895 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/orr/dmp/pdf/54895.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference vector textTable eng; US biota environment The software packages used to develop the atlas are Environmental Systems Research Institute's ARC/INFO(R) (version 10.2) and SQL SERVER(R) (version 2005). The hardware configuration is PC's with Windows Operating System 7. -94 -88.0002 25.6169 31.1273 This geographic extent includes the entire coastal Louisiana and Lower Mississippi River ESI study area. The spatial extent of individual layers or feature classes may vary. The coastal Louisiana data were compiled 2012-2013, The Lower Mississippi River data were compiled in 2014. The atlas was published in 2014. | Currentness: Publication Date 2012 2014 false eng false BENTHIC 2019-04-04 publication BREED_DT 2019-04-04 publication SOURCES 2019-04-04 publication BIOFILE 2019-04-04 publication ESRI File Geodatabase Zip Office of Response and Restoration 1305 East-West Highway Silver Spring MD 20910 https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ORR Home Page Website listed for Office of Response and Restoration information distributor https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi_download WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Louisiana_2014_GDB.zip This feature class is part of the downloadable Esri Arc Geodatabase. download dataset Accuracy A multi-stage error checking process is used to verify both attribute accuracy and logical consistency throughout data production. The process includes a standardized data entry methodology, hardcopy data review by in-house and external resource experts, a final Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) process, and multiple automated logical consistency checks. Quantitative data (such as densities, counts, abundances, or concentrations) provided by resource experts for inclusion in the data set may vary widely in attribute accuracy, depending upon the methodology used to collect and compile such data. For a more detailed evaluation of source data attribute accuracy, contact the sources listed in the Lineage section. Horizontal Positional Accuracy Spatial components for the biological data layers can come from expert interviews, hardcopy, or digital sources. Some of the spatial components of the biological data layers may have been developed using regional experts who estimate concentration areas. It is difficult to estimate the positional accuracy of such data, except to state that they are compiled on hardcopy base maps with a scale of 1:24,000. Some of the spatial components of the biological data sets are developed from pre-existing digital or hardcopy sources and reflect the positional accuracy of these original data. Note that biological resource data by their very nature are considered "fuzzy", and this should be understood when considering the positional accuracy of vector digital objects representing these resources. See the Lineage and Process_Description sections for more information on the original source data and how these data were integrated or manipulated to create the final data set. Completeness Report These data represent a synthesis of digital data describing aquatic vegetation, seagrass, oyster reefs and deep sea coral distribution. These data do not necessarily represent all benthic occurrences in Louisiana. The following species are included in this data set: (Species_ID, Common Name, Scientific Name [n/a if not applicable]): 85, Seagrass, n/a; 609, Submerged aquatic vegetation, n/a; 1183, Deep sea coral, n/a; 1184, Oyster reef, n/a. Conceptual Consistency A multi-stage error checking process, described in the above Attribute Accuracy Report, is used to verify both attribute accuracy and logical consistency throughout data production. This process includes multiple automated logical consistency checks that test the files for missing or duplicate data, rules for proper coding, GIS topological consistencies, and SQL SERVER(R) to ArcGIS(R) consistencies. A final review is made by the GIS manager, before the final Geodatabase and metadata are created. After the data are delivered to NOAA, they are again subjected to a several consistency checks, and processed into the final delivery format. The mapping extent was dependent upon information availability and location of mapped coastal habitats and shorelines. Digital data were provided by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), NOAA's Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA) Biogeography Branch, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Aquatic vegetation: Polygonal beds of aquatic vegetation were obtained from the 2008 National Wetlands Inventory dataset. For the purpose of this atlas, they were classified as "Seagrass", which is composed of higher salinity grasses and "Submerged aquatic vegetation", which represents brackish-freshwater species. Polygons smaller than 1500 square meters were not included in the atlas. Species likely present in seagrass areas include Thalassia spp., Halodule spp., Syringodium spp., Halophila spp., and Ruppia spp.. Species likely present in SAV beds include Millfoil spp., Hydrilla spp., Coontail spp., Ruppia spp., and Potamogeton spp. LDWF provided anecdotal information identifying areas that were likely to have aquatic vegetation that was unmapped by the NWI. These areas are noted by the presence of an icon on the paper maps, but are not reflected in the digital data. 2013-12-01T00:00:00 ESI Program Manager orr.esi@noaa.gov processor Oyster reefs: Locations of oyster reefs were provided by LDWF and are mapped as the species "Oyster reef". Please note that not all areas of the state are surveyed, so reefs may exist in other areas. Also, while the presence of live oysters on oyster reefs is highly likely, areas mapped as oyster reefs do not necessarily indicate that live oysters will be present. 2013-12-01T00:00:00 ESI Program Manager orr.esi@noaa.gov processor Deep sea coral: Predicted habitat suitability models for 18 species of deep sea coral were provided by the NOAA Coastal Center for Monitoring and Assessment. All species were combined and mapped as Deep sea coral in the Louisiana ESI BENTHIC feature class. Areas had a high or very high likelihood of containing any species of deep sea coral are combined into the ESI concentration "highly likely". Areas that are categorized as having medium-low to medium likelihood are combined into the ESI concentration "potential". The species aggregated as deep sea corals include Lophelia pertusa, Madrepora spp., Madracis spp., Callogorgia spp., Bebryce spp., Hypnogorgia spp., the families Ellisellidae, Gorgoniidae, Paramuriceidae, Plexauridae, the orders Alcyonacea, Scleractinia (except Oculina spp.), and Antipatharia. 2013-12-01T00:00:00 ESI Program Manager orr.esi@noaa.gov processor The above digital and/or hardcopy sources were compiled by the project biologist using the process steps described to create the BENTHIC data layer. Depending on the type of source data, three general approaches are used for compiling the data layer: 1) information gathered during initial interviews and from hardcopy sources are compiled onto U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 topographic quadrangles and digitized; 2) hardcopy maps are digitized at their source scale; 3) digital data layers are evaluated and used "as is" or integrated with the hardcopy data sources. See the Lineage section for additional information on the type of source data for this data layer. The ESI, biology, and human-use data are compiled into the standard ESI digital data format. A second set of interviews with participating resource experts are conducted to review the compiled data. If necessary, edits to the BENTHIC data layer are made based on the recommendations of the resource experts, and final hardcopy maps and digital data are created. 2013-12-01T00:00:00 ESI Program Manager orr.esi@noaa.gov processor Source Contribution: BENTHIC INFORMATION | Source Geospatial Form: vector digital data | Type of Source Media: CD-ROM NATIONAL WETLANDS INVENTORY (NWI) - HABITAT 2010-01-01 publication U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) 2008 Source Contribution: BENTHIC INFORMATION | Source Geospatial Form: vector digital data | Type of Source Media: disc OYSTER REEFS PER SIDESCAN SONAR 2013-01-01 publication LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES (LDWF) 2013 Source Contribution: BENTHIC INFORMATION | Source Geospatial Form: vector digital data | Type of Source Media: EMAIL PREDICTED LIKELIHOOD OF SUITABLE HABITAT FOR DEEP SEA CORALS IN THE U.S. GULF OF MEXICO (THRESHOLDED CATEGORIES) 2013-01-01 publication KINLAN, B.P., POTI, M., ETNOYE,R P., SICELOFF, L., JENKINS, C., DORFMAN, D., CALDOW, C. https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/projects/detail?key=35 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Source Citation URL Source Citation URL information 2013 Source Contribution: BENTHIC INFORMATION | Source Geospatial Form: document | Type of Source Media: online SEAGRASS ECOLOGY ALONG THE COASTS OF ALABAMA, LOUISIANA, AND MISSISSIPPI 1987-01-01 publication ELEUTERIUS, LIONEL N. http://research.myfwc.com/engine/download_redirection_process.asp?file=87eleuterius_0511.pdf&objid=35408&dltype=publication WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Source Citation URL Source Citation URL information 1987