NOAA Fisheries, SFD, West Coast Region Groundfish Conservation Areas Geodatabase

This geodatabase contains spatial data for NOAA's West Coast Region (WCR) Groundfish Conservation Areas (GCA). GCA's are conservation areas created or modified and enforced to control catch of groundfish or protected species (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-660/subpart-C/section-660.11).

The geodatabase contains the following feature datasets, each containing feature classes that depict the spatial representation of a GCA:

YRCA - Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas

GEA -Groundfish Exclusion Areas

CCA - Cowcod Conservation Areas

RCA - Rockfish Conservation Areas

Within each feature dataset, the feature class naming convention reflects the 1) type of area (YRCA, GEA, CCA, or RCA), 2) the name of the area and 3) the date (YYYYMMDD) that the conservation area was published in the Federal Register (FR). For example GEA_Potato_Bank_20231201

Last Update: 06/2026

The purpose of this geodatabase is to provide spatial data representing NOAA's West Coast Region (WCR) Groundfish Conservation Areas (GCAs). These GIS feature classes serve as approximate visual representations and do not constitute official legal records for regulated area boundaries. For complete and legally binding descriptions of each conservation area, including regulatory text that may modify or clarify these maps, users must consult the Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR 660).

Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, these GIS files are considered to be approximate representations and are NOT an OFFICIAL record for the exact regulated area boundaries. For information on the official legal definition refer to theCode of Federal Regulations (eCFR 50 CFR 660.70) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-660/subpart-C/section-660.70These data were produced by NOAA and are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. NOAA waives any potential copyright and related rights in these data worldwide through the Creative Commons Zero 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (CC0 1.0)

This geodatabase includes spatial representations of federally recognized Groundfish Conservation Areas (GCAs) within the U.S. West Coast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that were active as of January 1, 2026. The spatial features are fully representative of federal closures but explicitly exclude state-managed conservation areas (0-3 nautical miles from shore). Polygons were derived from official bounding coordinates published in the Federal Register. Because the boundaries were digitized at a 1:100,000 scale, the data is highly representative for regional-scale ecological modeling and spatial planning, but it may not accurately represent micro-scale coastal features necessary for site-specific navigational compliance.

This geodatabase was developed in 2025 by NOAA Fisheries GIS staff. The spatial boundaries for each Groundfish Conservation Area (GCA) were generated using GIS software by plotting the official coordinates published in the Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR 660). Any subsequent boundary modifications established through final regulatory rules have been incorporated into these spatial features.