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Biologically Important Areas for Cetaceans within U.S. Waters 2015-03-01 - Present

Metadata Updated: March 1, 2024

The Cetacean Density and Distribution Mapping Working Group identified Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) for 24 cetacean species, stocks, or populations in seven regions (US East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, West Coast, Hawaiian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea, and Arctic [encompassing the northeastern Chukchi and western Beaufort seas]) within US waters. BIAs are reproductive areas, feeding areas, migratory corridors, and areas in which small and resident populations are concentrated. BIAs are region-, species-, and time-specific. Information provided for each BIA includes the following: 1) a written narrative describing the information, assumptions, and logic used to delineate the BIA; 2) a map of the BIA; 3) a list of references used in the assessment; and 4) a metadata table that concisely details the type and quantity of information used to define a BIA, providing transparency in how BIAs were designated in a quick reference table format. BIAs were identified through an expert elicitation process. The delineation of BIAs does not have direct or immediate regulatory consequences. Rather, the BIA assessment is intended to provide the best available science to help inform regulatory and management decisions under existing authorities about some, though not all, important cetacean areas in order to minimize the impacts of anthropogenic activities on cetaceans and to achieve conservation and protection goals. In addition, the BIAs and associated information may be used to identify information gaps and prioritize future research and modeling efforts to better understand cetaceans, their habitat, and ecosystems.

Access & Use Information

License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Date February 29, 2024
Metadata Created Date November 12, 2020
Metadata Updated Date March 1, 2024
Reference Date(s) March 1, 2015 (publication)
Frequency Of Update irregular

Metadata Source

Harvested from NMFS OST

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Date February 29, 2024
Metadata Created Date November 12, 2020
Metadata Updated Date March 1, 2024
Reference Date(s) March 1, 2015 (publication)
Responsible Party (Point of Contact, Custodian)
Contact Email
Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:23643
Access Constraints Cite As: NMFS Office of Science and Technology, [Date of Access]: Biologically Important Areas for Cetaceans within U.S. Waters 2015-03-01 - Present [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/23643., Access Constraints: None Restrictions and legal prerequisites for accessing the data set. Includes any access constraints applied to assure privacy or intellectual property and any special restrictions on the use of the data., Use Constraints: These data are available for public use. At least one of the following citations must be included in any publication or report that uses this data. The first citation covers the entire dataset and special issue publication, other citations are specific to each regional dataset (East coast, Gulf of Mexico, West coast, Hawaii, Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea, Arctic). Van Parijs, S. M., Curtice, C., & Ferguson, M. C. (Eds.). (2015). Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters. Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1), 1-128. Van Parijs, S. M. (2015). Letter of Introduction to the Biologically Important Areas Issue. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (p. 1). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. Ferguson, M. C., Curtice, C., Harrison, J., & Van Parijs, S. M. (2015). 1. Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters Overview and Rationale. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 2-16). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. LaBrecque, E., Curtice, C., Harrison, J., Van Parijs, S. M., & Halpin, P. N. (2015). 2. Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters East coast region. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 17-29). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. LaBrecque, E., Curtice, C., Harrison, J., Van Parijs, S. M., & Halpin, P. N. (2015). 3. Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters Gulf of Mexico region. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 30-38). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. Calambokidis, J., Steiger, G. H., Curtice, C., Harrison, J., Ferguson, M., Becker, E., DeAngelis, M., & Van Parijs, S. M. (2015). 4. Biologically important areas for selected cetaceans within U.S. waters West coast region. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 39-53). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. Baird, R. W., Cholewiak, D., Webster, D. L., Schorr, G. S., Mahaffy, S. D., Curtice, C., Harrison, J., & Van Parijs, S. M. (2015). 5. Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters Hawai'i region. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 54-64). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. Ferguson, M. C., Curtice, C., & Harrison, J. (2015). 6. Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters Gulf of Alaska coast region. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 65-78). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. Ferguson, M. C., Waite, J.M. Curtice, C., Clarke, J. T., & Harrison, J. (2015). 7. Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea region. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 79-93). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. Clarke, J. T., Ferguson, M. C., Curtice, C., & Harrison, J. (2015). 8. Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters Arctic region. In S. M. Van Parijs, C. Curtice, & M. C. Ferguson (Eds.), Biologically important areas for cetaceans within U.S. waters (pp. 94-103). Aquatic Mammals (Special Issue), 41(1). 128 pp. Restriction and legal prerequisites for using the data set after access is granted. Includes any constraints applied to ensure the protection of privacy or intellectual property, and any special restrictions or limitations on using the data set.
Bbox East Long -66.19249
Bbox North Lat 72.265057
Bbox South Lat 18.59151
Bbox West Long -179.726956
Coupled Resource
Frequency Of Update irregular
Harvest Object Id 444f86f8-073b-419a-b0b0-9eb54b5d65ca
Harvest Source Id f9290d59-efab-4b58-a20f-a0e82126966c
Harvest Source Title NMFS OST
Licence NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose.
Lineage Some BIAs were created by digitizing high density portions of density rasters; many were created from sightings data paired with expert input to determine boundary lines. Individual species BIA narratives and accompanying supplementary tables give the most detailed description of how each BIA was determined. BIA boundaries are not exact, but are the best approximation of the areas used by animals that are of biological importance to the health and overall survival of the individual and the species. Each BIA was reviewed by at least 7 and up to 20 exerts, including reviews prior to the publication process, and rigorous peer-reviews during the journal’s publication process.
Metadata Language eng
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-179.726956, 18.59151], [-66.19249, 18.59151], [-66.19249, 72.265057], [-179.726956, 72.265057], [-179.726956, 18.59151]]]}
Progress underDevelopment
Spatial Data Service Type
Spatial Reference System
Spatial Harvester True

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