This layer is intended to represent information collected during NOAA Fisheries’ California Current Ecosystem Survey. The California Current Ecosystem Survey started in 2006 and is led by NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center. This survey monitors West Coast coastal pelagic fish species (CPS) including the northern and central sub-populations of Northern Anchovy, the northern subpopulation of Pacific Sardine, Jack Mackerel, Pacific Mackerel, Pacific Herring, their prey items, and the biotic and abiotic environments of the California Current Ecosystem. These data are used to estimate the distribution, biomass, and demographics of species of interest to inform stock assessments. The CCES survey typically occurs annually between July and September on the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada, with a recent expansion into Mexico thanks to a collaboration with the Instituto Mexicano Investigación en Pesca y Acuacultura Sustentables (IMIPAS, formerly INAPESCA). During the day multifrequency, scientific echosounders, a continuous underway fish egg sampler (CUFES), and an underway conductivity-temperature-depth (UCTD) probe are all used to collect data. At night, surface trawls are conducted in locations where coastal pelagic species were observed acoustically during the day. The trawls serve to estimate the species composition and demographics of the fishes sampled acoustically during the day. In recent years, sampling from NOAA ships has been augmented with acoustic sampling by unmanned surface vehicles (Saildrone USVs), and with acoustic and purse-seine sampling from industry fishing vessels off WA, OR, and CA. The sampling from fishing vessels expands the survey into areas that are inhabited by CPS but are too shallow for the NOAA ships to safely navigate.

This layer is intended to represent the geographic extent of NOAA Fisheries’ Northern California Current Ecosystem Survey transects. The Northern California Current Ecosystem Surveys started in 1996 and is led by NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center. These surveys expand the biophysical sampling conducted along the Newport Line out to the edge of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. These surveys help us understand lower trophic level responses to environmental variability across the Pacific Northwest and California Current ecosystem. We also incorporate information on the abundance and distribution of mid-trophic level nekton, marine mammals, and birds. These samples inform broad-scale analyses of hydrography, phytoplankton, zooplankton, larval and juvenile fish, and ocean acidification and hypoxia. This survey is also part of a larger collaboration with Oregon State University researchers studying the marine biodiversity and size structure across broad spatial scales in the northern California Current. The Northern California Current Ecosystem Survey samples seasonally from northern Washington to the Oregon/California border, and offshore to 200 nautical miles off Newport, Oregon and 150 nautical miles off Crescent City, California on the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. Seasonal sampling efforts include CTD, acoustic transects, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, and macro-plankton sampling via bongo and Methot nets, as well as midwater and beam trawls.

This layer is intended to represent the geographic extent of NOAA Fisheries’ Northern California Current Ecosystem Survey stations. The Northern California Current Ecosystem Surveys started in 1996 and is led by NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center. These surveys expand the biophysical sampling conducted along the Newport Line out to the edge of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. These surveys help us understand lower trophic level responses to environmental variability across the Pacific Northwest and California Current ecosystem. We also incorporate information on the abundance and distribution of mid-trophic level nekton, marine mammals, and birds. These samples inform broad-scale analyses of hydrography, phytoplankton, zooplankton, larval and juvenile fish, and ocean acidification and hypoxia. This survey is also part of a larger collaboration with Oregon State University researchers studying the marine biodiversity and size structure across broad spatial scales in the northern California Current. The Northern California Current Ecosystem Survey samples seasonally from northern Washington to the Oregon/California border, and offshore to 200 nautical miles off Newport, Oregon and 150 nautical miles off Crescent City, California on the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. Seasonal sampling efforts include CTD, acoustic transects, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, and macro-plankton sampling via bongo and Methot nets, as well as midwater and beam trawls.

This layer is intended to represent the geographic extent of NOAA Fisheries’ California Current Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey. The California Current Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey started in 1991 and is led by NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center. This survey includes ship-, aerial-, and land-based surveys of marine mammals throughout the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. Survey data have been used to estimate cetacean population size and trends, delineate cetacean population stock structure, describe cetacean and seabird distributions and hotspots, develop species distribution models, and inform marine mammal stock assessment reports pursuant to statutory requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Research vessels conduct line-transect surveys, typically every three years, in summer and fall and span waters out 300 nautical miles offshore, from the US-Canada to US-Mexico border. NOAA research vessels (David Starr Jordan, McArthur, McArthur II, Reuben Lasker, Bell M. Shimada) collect visual sightings data for cetaceans and seabirds, passive acoustic (e.g., towed or drifting array) data for cetaceans, tissue biopsy sampling used for genetics analysis, and oceanographic sampling.

This layer is intended to represent the geographic extent of NOAA Fisheries’ Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey. The Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey started in 2025 and is a jointly led effort by the Northwest and the Southwest Fisheries Science Centers. The Pacific hake and coastal pelagics fisheries rely on data collected through NOAA surveys and the fisheries. These data are essential for tracking our changing environment and creating accurate stock assessments that ensure these fisheries remain productive and sustainable today and in the future. Previously, two fishery independent surveys were conducted to gather data on these crucial West Coast fisheries, the Joint U.S.-Canada Integrated Ecosystem and Pacific Hake Acoustic Trawl Survey and the California Current Ecosystem Survey. Combining these two surveys into the Integrated West Coasts Pelagics Survey is an opportunity to ensure we collect the data we need and improve how we survey, including accounting for evolving oceanic/ecosystem conditions. Notably, an integrated survey maintains the integrity of the CPS and Pacific hake biomass time series to help meet industry needs.

This layer is intended to represent the geographic extent of NOAA Fisheries’ Juvenile Salmon and Ocean Ecosystem Survey stations. The Juvenile Salmon and Ocean Ecosystem Survey (JSOES) started in 1998 and is led by NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center. This survey is the longest running salmon survey on the U.S. West Coast. The primary goal of our work is to develop a mechanistic understanding of how trophic dynamics and conditions in the ocean and Columbia River plume affect survival of juvenile salmonids. JSOES collects juvenile salmon and other open-ocean animals which allows identification of shifts in abundance, distribution, and growth/condition of migrating juvenile salmon. JSOES has demonstrated correlations between ocean conditions and the distribution, abundance, and survival of juvenile Columbia River salmon in the Northern California Current nearshore ecosystem to provide context for efforts by states, tribes, and others to restore and enhance salmon production. The samples from this survey improve salmon forecasts in a quantitative rather than qualitative manner, and decouple the effects of mitigation efforts in the freshwater environment from the effects of a changing ocean environment. The survey is conducted two times a year (late May and late June) for roughly ten days each. This study utilizes a surface trawl. A surface trawl collects juvenile salmon and other open-ocean animals during sampling.

Spatial information about the seafloor is critical for decision-making by marine resource science, management and tribal organizations. Coordinating data needs can help organizations leverage collective resources to meet shared goals. To help enable this coordination, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) developed a spatial framework, process and online application to identify common data collection priorities for seafloor mapping, sampling and visual surveys offshore of the West Continental United States Coast (WCC). Twenty-six participants from NOAA’s West Coast Deep Sea Coral Initiative (WCDSCI) and Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS) entered their priorities in an online application, using virtual coins to denote their priorities in 10x10 minute grid cells. Grid cells with more coins were higher priorities than cells with fewer coins. Participants also reported why these locations were important and what data types were needed. Results were analyzed and mapped using statistical techniques to identify significant relationships between priorities, reasons for those priorities and data needs. Ten high priority locations were broadly identified for future mapping, sampling and visual surveys. These locations were distributed throughout the WCC, primarily in depths less than 1,000 m. Participants consistently selected (1) Exploration, (2) Biota/Important Natural Area and (3) Research as their top reasons (i.e., justifications) for prioritizing locations, and (1) Benthic Habitat Map and (2) Bathymetry and Backscatter as their top data or product needs. This ESRI shapefile summarizes the results from this spatial prioritization effort. This information will enable NOAA WCDSCI, EXPRESS and other WCC organization to more efficiently leverage resources and coordinate their mapping of high priority locations along California, Oregon and Washington.

Under the National Fish Habitat Partnership, scientists at the NEFSC, NWFSC, and Silver Spring Headquarters are compiling information on the nation's estuarine and coastal habitats and the species they support in order to assess their current potential for restoration and protection. National project headed up by F/ST. Jihong Dai documents InPort metadata. Geographic data on the nation's coasts and estuaries.

The purpose of this project is to develop spatially discrete end-to-end models of the California Current LME, linking oceanography, biogeochemistry, food web interactions, habitat, fisheries, economics, monitoring, and management into a common model framework. This framework allows for thought experiments, including evaluation of alternate management strategies, identifying robust indicators, and assessing relative importance of different ecosystem drivers in regulating important processes. NMFS personnel are conducting this work in broad collaboration with other NOAA scientists, academics, and NGOs. The specific work entails model development, scoping issues with stakeholders and policy makers, running scenarios, and analyzing and writing up the results. Products will include peer-reviewed papers, presentations, and workshops with modelers and/or stakeholders. Management audiences include NMFS west coast regions and the PFMC. The project is an on-going, stand-alone project with no firm deadline for completion. Outputs of the ROMS model. Metadata and .nc datafile at https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/oceanacidification/data/0131198.xml Generated from Atlantis ecosystem model, version AtlantisTrunk5425. Model code from CSIRO Australia, available via SVN after contacting CSIRO staff at http://atlantis.cmar.csiro.au/.

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 AreasGEA -Groundfish Exclusion AreasCCA - Cowcod Conservation AreasRCA - Rockfish Conservation AreasWithin 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_20231201Version 1 Last Update: 12/2024