Deep-sea corals, also known as cold water corals, create complex communities that provide habitat for a variety of invertebrate and fish species, such as grouper, snapper, and sea bass. The map depicts the relative likelihood of finding suitable habitat for stony corals at a given location and is a prediction based on a statistical model relating several environmental characteristics to the presence of stony corals using observations of stony corals. Stony coral are the primary reef-building corals and produce hard skeletons made of aragonite, a crystal form of calcium carbonate. Please also reference the "Deep-Sea Soft Coral Habitat Suitability" layer. Predictions from these habitat suitability models can be used to support conservation and management of deep-sea corals and to assist with targeting areas for mapping and exploration.

Deep-sea corals, also known as cold water corals, create complex communities that provide habitat for a variety of invertebrate and fish species, such as grouper, snapper, and sea bass. The map depicts the relative likelihood of finding suitable habitat for soft corals at a given location and is a prediction based on a statistical model relating several environmental characteristics to the presence of soft corals using observations of soft coral. Soft corals, unlike stony corals, do not form calcium-based skeletons. A common example of a soft coral is a sea fan. Please also reference the "Deep-Sea Stony Coral Habitat Suitability" layer. Predictions from these habitat suitability models can be used to support conservation and management of deep-sea corals and to assist with targeting areas for mapping and exploration.

Shallow Corals were extracted from the Benthic Cover described herein by exporting all features classified as "B2.1.2" within the Biotic Cover Code field. Benthic cover (habitat) maps are derived from aerial imagery, underwater photos, acoustic surveys, and data gathered from sediment samples. Shallow to moderate-depth benthic habitat information assists ecosystem-based marine resource management. Many habitats, including hard and soft corals, are home to a diversity of marine organisms, which provide many important ecosystem services, including fishing, tourism, water quality enhancement, and shoreline protection. Coral reef ecosystems and associated bottom types are under increasing pressure from environmental and anthropogenic stressors. Mitigating these threats requires analyzing their spatial distribution, making benthic habitat mapping a key component to the conservation and management activities of state and federal agencies.

The national database of deep sea coral observations. Northeast version 1.0. ***** This database was developed by the NOAA NOS NCCOS CCMA Biogeography office as part of a New York Offshore Spatial Planning project.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) developed a spatial framework, process, and online application (Buja and Christensen 2019) to identify mapping needs along the south Florida coast to support shallow coral reef management by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). Eighteen participants from local federal, state, academic, and other institutions entered their priorities in an online participatory Geographic Information System (pGIS). Participants used virtual coins to denote their priorities in 10.4 km2 hexagonal grid cells overlaid on the study area. Grid cells with more coins were higher priorities than cells with fewer coins. Participants also reported why these locations were important, what data types were needed, and data collection methodologies using a pre-set list of options. Results were compiled, summarized, and mapped to identify high priority areas, reasons for those priorities, and information needs. Identifying these high priority areas provide a critical spatial framework for prioritizing mapping efforts in shallow coral reef ecosystems in south Florida.

This project is a cooperative effort among the National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment; the University of Hawaii; BAE Systems Spectral Solutions; and Analytical Laboratories of Hawaii, LLC. The goal of the work was to incorporate previously developed mapping methods to produce coral reef habitat maps for American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. GPS field observations were used to establish the thematic accuracy of this thematic product. 1113 benthic habitat characterizations were completed for this work.

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for "Coral Areas of Special Significance" in American Samoa. Coral Areas of Special Significance were designated by resource experts as those areas that should be highly prioritized for protection following spills, due to various reasons (e.g., species diversity, rare coral, endangered/threatened marine animal species, high fish/invertebrate concentrations, sensitive habitat, etc.). In this data set, they are represented by vector points. This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data for American Samoa. 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. See also the BENTHIC (Benthic Marine Habitat Polygons) data layer, part of the larger American Samoa ESI database, for additional coral information.

Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps are an integral component in oil-spill contingency planning and assessment. They serve as a source of information in the event of an oil spill incident. ESI maps contain three types of information: shoreline habitats (classified according to their sensitivity to oiling), sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. Most often, this information is plotted on 7.5 minute USGS quadrangles, although in the Alaska ESI maps, USGS topographic maps at scales of 1:63,360 and 1:250,000 are used, and in other ESI maps, NOAA charts have been used as the base map. Collections of these maps, grouped by state or a logical geographic area, are published as ESI atlases. Digital data have been published for most of the U.S. shoreline, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for Coral Areas of Special Significance in coastal Hawaii. Coral Areas of Special Significance were designated by resource experts as those areas that should be highly prioritized for protection following spills, due to various reasons (e.g. species diversity, rare coral, endangered/threatened marine animal species, high fish/invertebrate concentrations, sensitive habitat, etc.). In this data set, they are represented by vector points. This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) for Hawaii. 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.