Assessment of Existing Information on Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitats: Development of a Web-Based Spatial Bibliography, Query Tools, and Data Summaries

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Assessment of Existing Information on Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitats: Development of a Web-Based Spatial Bibliography, Query Tools, and Data Summaries Assessment of Existing Information on Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitats: Development of a web-based spatial bibliography, query tools, and data summaries FINAL PROJECT REPORT, July 30, 2009 Submitted to Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) by NOAA/NOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment - Biogeography Branch Contact: David Moe Nelson, Marine Biologist NOAA/NOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment 1305 East-West Hwy, 9th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone (301) 713-3028 x154 Email [email protected] 1 This project and report is a product of the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership pursuant to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Grant Number DC M-60-HM. Project Team: David Moe Nelson, NOAA - project management, data development and analysis Brook Herlach, NOAA - data development Tom McGrath, NOAA - web database and tool development Emily Greene, ASMFC - project guidance, ACFHP coordinator George Schuler, TNC - project guidance, ACFHP steering committee Ken Buja, NOAA - geospatial data development Adam Zitello, NOAA - geospatial data development Andrew Oldewurtel-Ilioff, NOAA - geospatial tool development Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................3 Introduction ...........................................................................................................3 The Work Plan .......................................................................................................4 Revisions to the Work Plan Database Development ........................................................................................2 Bibliographic Information Assessment Information Geospatial Framework Web-based Tool Development .............................................................................16 Project Home Page SQL Server Relational Database Web-based ACFHP Query Tools Bibliographic Query Assessment Query Geospatial Query Summary of Indicators, Threats, and Actions ....................................................24 Indicators Threats Conservation Actions The Way Forward ..................................................................................................31 Summary of Recommendations Literature Cited ......................................................................................................49 Appendices and Attachments ..............................................................................51 2 ABSTRACT The primary objective of this project - the Assessment of Existing Information on Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat, is to inform and enable conservation planning for the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP). This project is a cooperative effort of NOAA/NOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the ACFHP Steering Committee and partners. The Assessment includes three components – 1. a representative bibliographic and assessment database, 2. a GIS spatial framework, and 3. a summary document with description of methods, analyses of habitat assessment information, and recommendations for further work. The spatial bibliography was created by linking the bibliographic table developed in Microsoft Excel and exported to SQL Server, with the spatial framework developed in ArcGIS and exported to GoogleMaps. The bibliography is a comprehensive, searchable database of over 500 selected documents and data sources on Atlantic coastal fish species and habitats. Key information captured for each entry includes basic bibliographic data, spatial footprint (e.g. waterbody or watershed), species and habitats covered, and electronic availability. Information on habitat condition indicators, threats, and conservation recommendations are extracted from each entry and recorded in a separate linked table. The spatial framework is a functional digital map based on polygon layers of watersheds, estuarine and marine waterbodies derived from NOAA’s Coastal Assessment Framework, Marine Cadastre, and other sources, providing spatial reference for all of the documents cited in the bibliography. Together, the bibliography and its spatial framework provide a powerful tool to query and assess available information. It will support the development of priorities for ACFHP’s conservation efforts within a geographic area extending from Maine to Florida, and from coastal watersheds seaward to the continental shelf. It also provides a means to move beyond an “assessment of existing information on fish habitat” towards an “assessment of fish habitat based on existing information”. INTRODUCTION The National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) was launched in 2006 with the overall mission to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation (AFWA 2006). On the regional scale, several partnerships have been launched, with participation from federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and local citizens, including the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP). Synthesis of existing information into a comprehensive and useable database and synoptic document has been identified as a crucial need at both the National and Regional levels. The overarching goal of this project is to assist the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) in developing a strategy to conserve, protect, restore, and enhance aquatic habitats along the U.S. Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida. This strategy will only succeed if it is built upon the best available information. To meet this goal, this project has developed and delivered a comprehensive database of Atlantic coastal habitat condition indicators, threats and stressors, and conservation actions and recommendations. This database is presented as a web-based tool to inform and enable conservation planning by the Partnership. This report describes the 3 development of the database and web-based tool, and summarizes results derived from information compiled on indicators, threats, and conservation actions. This Assessment of Existing Information (AEI) has three components: Database: Comprehensive bibliographic database developed in Microsoft Excel and ported to other applications (SQL Server). Bibliographic information, spatial footprint, and policy-relevant information (e.g. habitat types, assessment information) are recorded for each entry, and in some cases extracted and recorded in separate tables. The database is served via the web with a user query interface developed in ASP.net. GIS: Basic ArcGIS project using NOAA’s Coastal Assessment Framework and Marine Cadastre provide a starting point for spatial organization of information. The base layer of watershed and waterbody polygons was exported as a KML file to GoogleMaps for web development. Indicator data were imported back into ArcGIS to for analysis and display together with the polygon base layer. Document: Project summary report, with narrative description of the project, and summaries of assessment criteria, spatial analyses and other policy-relevant information. THE WORK PLAN The original work plan, completed in August 2008 (NOAA/CCMA 2008) outlined a series of objectives and tasks following an aggressive timeline. Objectives to achieve this project’s goal include: 1. With guidance from ACFHP, craft a work plan with specific tasks and “deliverables” that can be feasibly completed by January 2009. 2. Using the best available search methods, assemble a comprehensive bibliography of existing information on Atlantic Coast habitats and species 3. Using the best available bibliographic methods, design and create a useable database to capture all of the compiled information. 4. Develop the database as a “spatial bibliography” by linking the spatial footprint of each entry with a suitable framework in ArcGIS. 5. Through close coordination with ACFHP, develop a set of topics and questions which can be analyzed using the database. 6. Communicate results in a timely manner to ACFHP and NFHAP through written reporting, oral presentation, and live demonstration. 7. To the extent possible, collect publicly-available versions of the entries (.pdf, database, GIS, and metadata files) to develop an electronic library. 8. Explore the feasibility of future work such as deploying the Assessment Database with web-based platforms such as ArcIMS or SQL Server. Six specific tasks were identified to achieve these objectives: Task I. Database Development Create a comprehensive, searchable, bibliographic database of selected documents, data sets, and analyses – including spatial and tabular data – relevant to the ACFHP 4 priority habitats. Example database components include relevant species and associated habitats, identified threats, recommendations, and partners. Task II. Cooperatively Develop Assessment Criteria Work with the ACFHP Assessment Subgroup and ACFHP Coordinator to develop and apply objective criteria for the summary and analysis of habitat status, threat type and severity, conservation goals, and existing strategies to be applied in assessment analyses. Task III. Develop spatial framework in a Geographical Information System Develop a map of priority habitats across the range of ACFHP, and a map of ACFHP project sites. Task IV. Apply spatial analysis to habitat assessment criteria Conduct a spatial analysis of the status of priority habitats, the distribution and severity of threats to priority habitats, and the spatial distribution of existing
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