Cristina Carollo & Dave Reed Cristina Carollo & Dave Reed Project CoordinatorsProject Coordinators

David Palandro, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research InstituteDavid Palandro, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research InstituteJohn Ogden, Florida Institute of OceanographyJohn Ogden, Florida Institute of Oceanography

GCOOS-RA DMAC, Products and Services, and Observing Systems Committees New Orleans, LA

November 27-29, 2007

Gulf GAMEImplementation of a Spatial Catalog to

Characterize and Identify Habitats in the Gulf of Mexico

What do these species all have in common?

GoalsGoals

The aim of the project is to develop an inventory of habitat-related data within the Gulf of Mexico. This will serve as a foundation to develop a spatial framework for Ecosystem-Based Management associated with regulatory and planning programs and areas of government coordination.

The data inventory will have both a regional and local scope and will focus on gathering data and mapping coastal habitats from the estuaries onshore to the edge of the continental shelf offshore to a depth of 200 m.

How do we get there?

Process StepsProcess Steps

PHASE I - Identify and Assess Gulf Habitat Data Sources:•List of preliminary data sources•List of critical data•Data and information survey form and results•New Catalog entries•Deployment/Upload to Internet Application (PHINS or other TBD)

PHASE II - Create spatial footprints in a GIS environment:•Maps depicting spatial footprints

PHASE III - Provide public access and link to current and historic state, federal, and local Gulf of Mexico habitat data

Habitat-related DataHabitat-related Data

•Benthic habitats:•hard bottom

•submerged aquatic vegetation

•coral reefs

•Physical marine:•circulation patterns

•salinity

•temperature

•Geomorphology•bathymetry and coastal elevation

•LiDAR

•bottom structure

•sediment characteristics

Long-term Partnership Goal:Identify, inventory and assess the current state of and trends in priority coastal, estuarine, nearshore and off shore Gulf of Mexico habitats to inform resource management decisions.

Gulf of Mexico AllianceCall for increased integration of

resources, knowledge and expertise

Serve as a forum for bi-national regional collaboration with the

Mexican Gulf States

13 Federal Agencies committed to Gulf of Mexico Alliance

GAME Project is taking steps towards this goal

How many players are there in the Gulf of Mexico?

GAME, PHINS and GoMRCGAME, PHINS and GoMRC

MERMAid

Gulf?

PHINS

Yes

No

GAME Catalog

Florida GAME Gulf GAME

GoMRC

Gulf GAME Web Site Gulf GAME Web Site

http://research.myfwc.com/gulfgame

What one piece of information can answer all of these questions?

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

Why?

METADATA

Interactive Web page

From this page users are directed to

The GAME survey to create metadata lite,

The PHINS Digital Library,

MERMAid to upload existing and/or create new FGDC compliant metadata records

http://ocean.floridamarine.org/MetaGAME/GulfGAME_diagram.htm

GAME SurveyGAME Survey

http://research.myfwc.com/game/survey.asp

GAME SurveyGAME Survey

http://research.myfwc.com/game/survey.asp

GAME SurveyGAME Survey

http://research.myfwc.com/game/survey.asp

GAME SurveyGAME Survey

http://research.myfwc.com/game/survey.asp

GAME SurveyGAME Survey

http://research.myfwc.com/game/survey.asp

GAME Catalog GAME Catalog

• A relational database describing key features (metadata-lite) for each data set

•Highly compatible database for multiple applications

• Broad definition of each class; detailed information can be found in associated metadata

•Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) compliant

• The utility of the catalog is that it will point to data sets of interest

MERMAid Web SiteMERMAid Web Site

The Priority Habitat Information System (PHINS), a state/federal partnership, is intended to provide users with habitat information and geospatial data supporting implementation of the GoMA Governors' Action Plan.

The PHINS system is a distributed web-based portal that provides the user access to Gulf-wide habitat data and information via a linked system.

PHINS PHINS Digital Library & Map ViewerDigital Library & Map Viewer

Identify ecoregions to support management decisions concerning coastal waters, commercial and recreational uses, resource conservation areas, and monitoring programs, all based on and guiding scientific research

Florida GAME’s ultimate goalFlorida GAME’s ultimate goal

Florida GAME Florida GAME Ecoregion DefinitionEcoregion Definition

An area constituting a natural ecological community with characteristic flora, fauna and environmental conditions and bounded by natural rather than artificial borders

Why is this important?Ecosystem Based

Management (EBM)

Overcome the fragmentation in ocean governance

overcome the mismatches of temporal and geographic scales between biophysical ocean system and policies

Highest-resolution bathymetric maps

Habitat Identification

Land-sea linkages.

Maps of offshore data gaps

Estuary bathymetric and benthic-habitat mapping

FOCRCGeneral charge to the Council

…assist the state in identifying new management strategies to achieve the goal of maximizing protection and conservation of ocean and coastal resources…

Florida GAME - Phase IFlorida GAME - Phase I

• Data discovery: identify and catalog geological, physical, biological, chemical, and human use data pertaining to the coastal ocean of Florida and the adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and South Atlantic Bight

– Develop a comprehensive data management strategy

– Develop a GIS-based map of collected information and subsequent gap maps

• Develop an ecoregion definition

Gap MapsGap Maps

What can you do?

Tell all your friends to contribute!

Cristina Carollo Dave ReedCristina.Carollo@myFWC.comDave.Reed@myFWC.com

ThankThank you you

Questions and Comments ?Questions and Comments ?