Curt Whitmire, Information Technology Specialist, NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division 20120801 raster digital data http://efh-catalog.coas.oregonstate.edu/EFH_Downloads/T2/BottrawlAfter.zip http://efh-viewer.coas.oregonstate.edu/arcgis/rest/services/Task2_Fishing_Effort/MapServer/5 This data layer depicts the relative intensity of commercial bottom trawling off the U.S. West Coast from 12 Jun 2006 –31 Dec 2010. Each of the three coastal states administers a commercial logbook program, for which records are uploaded to the Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) regional database. Database records were utilized for commercial trips using bottom trawl gear types (e.g., “small” footrope, “large” footrope, flatfish, selective flatfish, and roller trawl) regardless of fishery sector (e.g., limited entry, open access). Records from the majority of state-managed trawl fisheries (e.g., pink shrimp, ridgeback prawn, sea urchin) are not included in PacFIN and thus are not represented. Tows targeting one state-managed trawl fishery –California halibut –are submitted to PacFIN and thus are included in this data layer. The intensity layer is a raster layer with cell values representing the total length of all towlines intersecting a standardized area. To calculate this metric, a line density algorithm in ArcGIS™geographical information system software (Environmental System Research Institute, Incorporated, Redlands, California) was used. The line density algorithm calculates density within a circular search area (radius = 3 km) centered at a grid cell (size 500 m x 500 m). The value (units: km/km2) for each raster cell is the quotient of total towline portions intersecting the circular area per cell area. Since density outputs are highly sensitive to the specified radius and cell size, the absolute values are less important than the relative nature of them. The benefit of this output over depicting towlines themselves is that the density output better identifies areas where fishing effort is concentrated, while still ensuring confidentiality of individual fishing locations. The initial density output was more spatially extensive than the one shown in the figures, because it included cells with density values calculated from tows made by less than three vessels. Those “confidential”cells were removed for the final published data layer. Density parameters were chosen in order to minimize data exclusion (due to confidentiality mandates) while still providing a fairly high spatial resolution (500 x 500 m). Within this time period, only 1.8% of all effort (i.e., length of towlines) was excluded from the published raster layer, although the proportion varies considerably in certain areas along the coast. This spatial summary of bottom trawl effort was developed from data represented only by start and end points of tows. It is recognized that tows rarely follow straight-line paths; however, this was the best information available on the spatial distribution of effort for vessels using bottom trawl gears. Because of this limitation and due to prohibitions of trawling within state waters, representatives of the states of Washington and California requested that any portions of the spatial summaries that intersect prohibited state waters be removed. In addition, Washington requested that effort occurring within both state and federal waters of the Salish Sea be removed since they felt that this information was incomplete and may not be representative of fishing effort within those areas. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service General Counsel has advised the Council EFHRC that there is not justification to limit access/display of these data from state waters so they are included in the map products. The main purpose of this data layer is to help inform a periodic review of groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH) off the U.S. West Coast by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC). The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA)(16 USC 1801 et seq) defines EFH as “those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity,” and requires Fishery Management Councils (FMCs) to describe and identify EFH in fishery management plans (FMPs). The FMPs should identify EFH based on current distribution, habitat components, historical presence, or other factors; and should also identify habitat requirements at each life stage and research needs. FMPs must evaluate potential adverse impacts from both fishing and non-fishing activities, as well as minimize adverse effects of fishing to the extent practicable. FMPs should also identify habitat areas of particular concern (HAPC) within EFH based on the habitat’s ecological function, sensitivity to human-induced disturbance, rarity, or whether development activities may stress a particular habitat. 20060612 20101231 ground condition Complete None planned -126.011646 -116.675540 49.000487 33.494716 None essential fish habitat groundfish demersal fish fishing effort bottom trawl ISO 19115 Topic Categories oceans None U.S. West Coast Pacific Ocean California Current Large Marine Ecosystem None None. NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division Curt Whitmire Information Technology Specialist mailing and physical

Hatfield Marine Science Center

2032 SE OSU Drive

Barry Fisher Bldg #955

Newport Oregon 97365 UNITED STATES 541-867-0535 541-867-0505 Curt.Whitmire@noaa.gov Mon-Fri, 0900-1730 Pacific Time Zone NOAA Fisheries (NMFS), Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division (FRAM); Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) Microsoft Windows 7 Version 6.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; Esri ArcGIS 10.2.2.3552 This spatial summary of bottom trawl effort was developed from data represented only by start and end points of tows. It is recognized that tows rarely follow straight-line paths; however, this was the best information available on the spatial distribution of effort for vessels using bottom trawl gears. Because of this limitation and due to prohibitions of trawling within state waters, representatives of the states of Washington and California requested that any portions of the spatial summaries that intersect prohibited state waters be removed. In addition, Washington requested that effort occurring within both state and federal waters of the Salish Sea be removed since they felt that this information was incomplete and may not be representative of fishing effort within those areas. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service General Counsel has advised the Council EFHRC that there is not justification to limit access/display of these data from state waters so they are included in the map products. Database records from PacFIN were utilized for commercial trips using bottom trawl gear types (e.g., “small” footrope, “large” footrope, flatfish, selective flatfish, and roller trawl) regardless of fishery sector (e.g., limited entry, open access). Records from the majority of state-managed trawl fisheries (e.g., pink shrimp, ridgeback prawn, sea urchin) are not included in PacFIN and thus are not represented. Tows targeting one state-managed trawl fishery –California halibut –are submitted to PacFIN and thus are included in this data layer. The initial density output was more spatially extensive than the one shown in the data, because it included cells with density values calculated from tows made by less than three vessels. Those “confidential”cells were removed for the final published data layer. Density parameters were chosen in order to minimize data exclusion (due to confidentiality mandates) while still providing a fairly high spatial resolution (500 x 500 m). Within this time period, only 1.8% of all effort (i.e., length of towlines) was excluded from the published raster layer, although the proportion varies considerably in certain areas along the coast. Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) database records were utilized for commercial trips using bottom trawl gear types (e.g., “small” footrope, “large” footrope, flatfish, selective flatfish, and roller trawl) regardless of fishery sector (e.g., limited entry, open access). The intensity layer is a raster layer with cell values representing the total length of all towlines intersecting a standardized area. To calculate this metric, a line density algorithm in ArcGIS™ geographical information system software (Environmental System Research Institute, Incorporated, Redlands, California) was used. The line density algorithm calculates density within a circular search area (radius = 3 km) centered at a grid cell (size 500 m x 500 m). The value (units: km/km2) for each raster cell is the quotient of total towline portions intersecting the circular area per cell area. Since density outputs are highly sensitive to the specified radius and cell size, the absolute values are less important than the relative nature of them. The benefit of this output over depicting towlines themselves is that the density output better identifies areas where fishing effort is concentrated, while still ensuring confidentiality of individual fishing locations. 20120801 Raster Grid Cell 17102 6845 WGS 1984 UTM Zone 10N 0.9996 -123.0 0.0 500000.0 0.0 coordinate pair 0.000000002220024164500956 0.000000002220024164500956 meter D WGS 1984 WGS 1984 6378137.0 298.257223563 NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division Curt Whitmire Information Technology Specialist mailing and physical

Hatfield Marine Science Center

2032 SE OSU Drive

Barry Fisher Bldg #955

Newport Oregon 97365 UNITED STATES 541-867-0535 541-867-0505 Curt.Whitmire@noaa.gov Mon-Fri, 0900-1730 Pacific Time Zone None 20150105 NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division Curt Whitmire Information Technology Specialist mailing and physical

Hatfield Marine Science Center

2032 SE OSU Drive

Barry Fisher Bldg #955

Newport Oregon 97330 UNITED STATES 541-867-0535 541-867-0505 Curt.Whitmire@noaa.gov Mon-Frid, 0900-1730, Pacific Time Zone FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001-1998 local time