Marine Resource Assessments

The GMI Marine Sciences Group analyze and integrate both raw data and published reports to provide a comprehensive source of existing information on the description of the environment within specified marine regions worldwide. The information found within an MRA is vital for environmental planning and for use in environmental compliance documentation, for example the description of the affected environment. Areas addressed include the physical environment (oceanographic parameters and habitats), the biological environment (e.g., protected and commercial marine species), and some socioeconomic considerations (e.g., location of dive sites and fishing hotspots). More than 100 hardcopy maps accompany each report, and associated geodatabases developed for the MRAs depict physical oceanography, bathymetry (2D, 3D), commercial fisheries, marine mammal distributions, sea turtle distributions, threatened and endangered species, EFHs, marine protected areas (MPAs), and recreational activities.

An MRA also identifies data and information gaps and provides a prioritized list of recommendations for future research. These assessments also serve as the groundwork for future environmental documentation and regulatory consultations (e.g., EAs, EISs, BAs, and Section 7 consultations).

To date, we have produced (or are producing) the following MRAs:

  • 2008
    • Marine resources assessment for the Mediterranean Sea
    • Marine resources assessment for the Chesapeake Bay
    • Marine resources assessment for the Southern California and Point Mugu OPAREAs
    • Marine resources assessment updates for the Southeast: Virginia Capes (VACAPES), Cherry Point (CHPT), and Jacksonville/Charleston (JAX/CHASN) OPAREAs
    • Marine resources reviews for the Eastern North Atlantic, North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Adriatic Sea
    2007
    • Marine resources assessment for the Gulf of Mexico OPAREA
    • Marine resources assessment for the Southeastern Florida and the AUTEC-Andros OPAREA
    • Marine resources assessment for the Lower Chesapeake Bay
    2006
    • Marine resources assessment for the Pacific Northwest Operating Area (OPAREA)
    • Seasonality and distribution of marine life at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) and the Guantanamo OPAREA
    • Marine resources assessment for the Gulf of Alaska OPAREA
  • 2005
    • Marine resources assessment for the Hawaiian Islands OPAREA
    • Marine resources assessment for the Southern California OPAREA
    • Marine resources assessment for the Japan and Okinawa Complexes OPAREA
    • Marine resources assessment for the Marianas OPAREA
  • 2004
    • Marine resources assessment for the Northeast OPAREA: Atlantic City, Narragansett Bay, and Boston
  • 2003
    • Marine resources assessment for the CHPT and Southern VACAPES inshore and estuarine areas
    • Marine resources assessment for the eastern Gulf of Mexico OPAREA 
    • Marine resources assessment for the eastern Gulf of Mexico OPAREA
  • 2002
    • Marine resources assessment for the CHPT OPAREA 
    • Marine resources assessment for the JAX/CHASN OPAREA
    • Marine resources assessment for the Puerto Rico OPAREA North, Puerto Rico OPAREA South, and St. Croix Underwater Tracking Range  
  • 2001
    • Marine resources assessment for the VACAPES OPAREA 

Related Projects

Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Density Estimates

Density estimates have been prepared for marine mammals and sea turtles in the following areas:

  • Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX)
  • Virginia Capes (VACAPES)
  • Cherry Point, Charleston/Jacksonville Operating Areas (OPAREAS)
  • Key West Complex
  • Eastern Gulf of Mexico Operational Region
  • Atlantic City OPAREA
  • Narragansett Bay OPAREA
  • Boston OPAREA (collectively referred to the Northeast OPAREA)

GMI has developed methodology that uses occurrence polygons based on Sightings Per Unit Effort (SPUE) calculations as the basis for geographic stratification of the survey data to generate seasonal density estimates using standard line transect methodology and the program DISTANCE.

Federal activities affecting marine mammals and threatened or endangered sea turtles are governed by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and the NEPA/Executive Order 12114 (EO 12114). The data generated for this technical report serves as the basis for future documentation under these statutes. This information is vital for environmental planning and the development of environmental compliance documentation (e.g. biological and environmental assessments) that must be prepared in accordance with NEPA/EO 12114, MMPA and ESA.

These technical reports used available survey data to estimate marine mammal and sea turtle densities. The available data was not only spatially and temporally disparate, but gathered under varying protocols for varying purposes. The information on sightings, distribution, and density estimates were aggregated and re-analyzed, using the authors’ judgments, assignments, and extrapolations. By doing this, shortcomings in any one data set or method were offset through the assembly of a relatively large body of information. This aggregated information was characterized as more robust and likely more accurate than the information drawn from any one of its contributing components.

Marine Resources Assessment for the Navy Northeast Operating Areas: Atlantic City, Narragansett Bay, and Boston

A comprehensive compilation, assessment, and interpretation of the best available data and information on protected and commercial marine species, marine habitats, and oceanographic features present in the Navy’s northeast U.S. (Atlantic City, Narragansett Bay, and Boston) operating areas and their surrounding regions was this project’s aim. The information in this extensive marine resources assessment report is the basis from which future Navy operations and training exercises will be planned to better mitigate potential impacts to protected species or habitats.

Systematic searches for relevant scientific data and literature were conducted. Once sources vital to the production of this assessment were identified, the information, data, or literature were obtained, reviewed, catalogued, and stored in a bibliographic database.  Sources included academic and research institutions, state and federal agencies, the Internet, electronic databases, and marine resource experts. The compiled geospatial data were the foundation of this assessment and the extensive datasets were archived in a geographic information system (GIS) that was also used to manage, analyze, manipulate, and visualize the geo-spatial data. More than 175 map figures were produced for this assessment.