This shapefile denotes the transect points of the underwater video and photos that were collected by NOAA scientists using a Spectrum Phantom S2 ROV (remotely operated vehicle). Photos and/or video were collected between 4/08/2012 to 4/20/2012 along transects from the North East Reserve, Puerto Rico in the U.S. Caribbean. These photos and videos will be manually classified into different habitat classes, and integrated with the abiotic data collected by the acoustic sonar (sound navigation and ranging) systems to develop a benthic habitat map for the U.S. Caribbean. Habitat maps describe the location of habitat features (in relation to the shoreline), their physical composition and the types of organisms that colonize them. Fundamentally, habitat maps provide critical information about the extent, health and composition of marine resources, which is vital for communicating information about the distribution and abundance of species to resource managers, scientists and the public. Habitat maps also support an increasing number of landscape ecology studies, as well as the process of marine spatial planning, including the design and evaluation of marine protected areas (MPAs).

This shapefile denotes the location of underwater photos and/or video that were collected by NOAA scientists using a MiniBat towed underwater system. Photos and/or video were collected between 02/22/2004 and 03/01/2004 along 1 transect north of St. Croix and along 6 transects south of St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. These photos and videos will be manually classified into different habitat classes, and integrated with the abiotic data collected by the acoustic sonar (sound navigation and ranging) systems to develop a benthic habitat map for the U.S. Caribbean. Habitat maps describe the location of habitat features (in relation to the shoreline), their physical composition and the types of organisms that colonize them. Fundamentally, habitat maps provide critical information about the extent, health and composition of marine resources, which is vital for communicating information about the distribution and abundance of species to resource managers, sc ientists and the public. Habitat maps also support an increasing number of landscape ecology studies, as well as the process of marine spatial planning, including the design and evaluation of marine protected areas (MPAs).

This shapefile denotes the location of underwater photos and/or video that were collected by NOAA scientists using a drop camera system. Photos and/or video were collected between 04/14/2007 and 04/24/2007 at 84 locations around Isla de Mona in Puerto Rico and west of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in the U.S. Caribbean. These photos and videos will be manually classified into different habitat classes, and integrated with the abiotic data collected by the acoustic sonar (sound navigation and ranging) systems to develop a benthic habitat map for the U.S. Caribbean. Habitat maps describe the location of habitat features (in relation to the shoreline), their physical composition and the types of organisms that colonize them. Fundamentally, habitat maps provide critical information about the extent, health and composition of marine resources, which is vital for communicating information about the distribution and abundance of species to resource managers, scientists and the public. Habitat maps also support an increasing number of landscape ecology studies, as well as the process of marine spatial planning, including the design and evaluation of marine protected areas (MPAs).

This shapefile denotes the location of underwater video that was collected by NOAA scientists using a SeaViewer drop camera system. For more information about this drop camera system, see: http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/projects/detail?key=263. Photos and/or video were collected between 03/18/2010 and 04/05/2010 at 104 locations within two selected areas of seafloor south of St. Thomas and St. John, USVI. These videos will be manually classified into different habitat classes, and integrated with the abiotic data collected by the acoustic SoNAR (sound navigation and ranging) systems to develop a benthic habitat map for the U.S. Caribbean. Habitat maps describe the location of habitat features (in relation to the shoreline), their physical composition and the types of organisms that colonize them. Fundamentally, habitat maps provide critical information about the extent, health and composition of marine resources, which is vital for communicating information about the distribution and abundance of species to resource managers, scientists and the public. Habitat maps also support an increasing number of landscape ecology studies, as well as the process of marine spatial planning, including the design and evaluation of marine protected areas (MPAs).

This dataset contains a line shapefile showing the trackline of various Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) underwater video transects in the US Virgin Islands.NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Team, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) underwater video data in the US Virgin Islands from 2/1/05 to 2/12/05. Data was acquired with a Phantom S2 ROV operated by NOAA's National Undersea Research Program (NURP) and georeferenced and visually interpreted by CCMA employees. Data is in UTM zone 20N, datum WGS84.

This image represents a 4 meter resolution backscatter mosaic of a seamount/bank East of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Team, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired multibeam bathymetry data in and around the Northeast Reserve from 3/05/2013 to 3/29/2013. Data was acquired with a hull mounted Kongsberg EM1002 multibeam echosounder (95 kHz) and processed by a NOAA contractor using CARIS HIPS software, applying all relevant correctors (attitude, sound velocity, absorption coefficient). Data is in UTM zone 20 north, datum NAD83. The backscatter component of the bathymetry data were geometrically and radiometrically corrected in CARIS HIPS Mosaic Editor. Acoustic backscatter mosaics are an important piece of information when characterizing surficial seafloor features and delineating benthic habitats. The project was conducted to meet IHO Order 1 and 2 accuracy standards, dependent on the project area and depth. All users should individually evaluate the suitability of this data according to their own needs and standards.

This image represents an 8 meter resolution backscatter mosaic of a seamount/bank east of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Team, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired multibeam bathymetry data in and around the Northeast Reserve from 3/05/2013 to 3/29/2013. Data was acquired with a hull mounted Kongsberg EM1002 multibeam echosounder (95 kHz) and processed by a NOAA contractor using CARIS HIPS software, applying all relevant correctors (attitude, sound velocity, absorption coefficient). Data is in UTM zone 20 north, datum NAD83. The backscatter component of the bathymetry data were geometrically and radiometrically corrected in CARIS HIPS Mosaic Editor. Acoustic backscatter mosaics are an important piece of information when characterizing surficial seafloor features and delineating benthic habitats. The project was conducted to meet IHO Order 1 and 2 accuracy standards, dependant on the project area and depth. All users should individually evaluate the suitability of this data according to their own needs and standards.

This image represents an 8 meter resolution backscatter mosaic of a reef shelf/bank and the steep slopes and canyons of the NE Reserve, offshore of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Team, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired multibeam bathymetry data in the Northeast Reserve during 2012 and 2013. Data was acquired with a Hull mounted Kongsberg EM1002 multibeam echosounder (95 kHz) and processed by a NOAA contractor using CARIS HIPS software, applying all relevant correctors (attitude, sound velocity, absorption coefficient). Data is in UTM zone 20 north, datum NAD83. The backscatter component of the bathymetry data were geometrically and radiometrically corrected in CARIS HIPS Mosaic Editor. Acoustic backscatter mosaics are an important piece of information when characterizing surficial seafloor features and delineating benthic habitats. The project was conducted to meet IHO Order 1 and 2 accuracy standards, dependant on the project area and depth. All users should individually evaluate the suitability of this data according to their own needs and standards.

This image represents an 8 meter resolution backscatter mosaic of a reef shelf/bank south of Vieques, Puerto Rico. NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Team, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired multibeam bathymetry data in and around the Northeast Reserve from 3/05/2013 to 3/29/2013. Data was acquired with a hull mounted Kongsberg EM1002 multibeam echosounder (95 kHz) and processed by a NOAA contractor using CARIS HIPS software, applying all relevant correctors (attitude, sound velocity, absorption coefficient). Data is in UTM zone 20 north, datum NAD83. The backscatter component of the bathymetry data were geometrically and radiometrically corrected in CARIS HIPS Mosaic Editor. Acoustic backscatter mosaics are an important piece of information when characterizing surficial seafloor features and delineating benthic habitats. The project was conducted to meet IHO Order 1 and 2 accuracy standards, dependant on the project area and depth. All users should individually evaluate the suitability of this data according to their own needs and standards.

This image represents a 1 meter resolution backscatter mosaic of the bathymetry of a reef shelf/bank and the steep slopes and canyons of the NE Reserve, offshore of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. NOAA's NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Team, in collaboration with NOAA vessel Nancy Foster and territory, federal, and private sector partners, acquired multibeam bathymetry data in the Northeast Reserve from 4/04/2012 to 4/20/2012. Data was acquired with a hull-mounted Reson 7125 multibeam echosounder (400 kHz) and processed by a NOAA contractor using CARIS HIPS software. Data has all correctors applied (attitude, sound velocity) and has been reduced to mean lower low water (MLLW) using final approved tides from NOAA COOPS. Data is in UTM zone 20 north, datum NAD83. The backscatter component of the bathymetry data were geometrically and radiometrically corrected using .HSX and .7k file pairs in Fledermaus Geocoder Toolbox7.3.3. Acoustic backscatter mosaics are ostensibly an important piece of information when characterizing surficial seafloor features and delineating benthic habitats. The project was conducted to meet IHO Order 1 and 2 accuracy standards, dependant on the project area and depth. All users should individually evaluate the suitability of this data according to their own needs and standards.