Anthony R. Wilbur Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Boston, Massachusetts

1. Seafloor Mapping in MassachusettsCZM – USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative& Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative Anthony R. Wilbur Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Boston, Massachusetts OCM Strategic Action Plan Workshop February 26 – 28, 2008 Dania Beach, Florida

3. Outline • History of CZM’s Role in Seafloor Mapping • CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative • Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GoMMI) • Challenges

4. 1994 2003 2004 2006 2008+ 2007 1994-1998 Mapping Begins & Continues 2001 2002-2004 • Seafloor Mapping of Stellwagen Bank & Massachusetts Bay • completed by scientists at USGS, Woods Hole

5. 1994 2003 2004 2006 2008+ 2007 1994-1998 2001 Mapping Begins & Continues 2002-2004 ‘Marine Habitat Characterization and Mapping Workshop’ in Sebasco, ME  Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GOMMI)

6. 1994 2003 2004 2006 2008+ 2007 1994-1998 Mapping Begins & Continues 2001 2002-2004 NOAA’s CSC Fellowship Drafted ‘Strategic Plan for Mapping Massachusetts’ Benthic Marine Habitats’ and Published guide on types and functions of marine habitats in Massachusetts

7. 2003 1994 2004 2006 2008+ 2007 1994-1998 Mapping Begins & Continues 2001 2002-2004 Delay in gas pipeline construction resulted in monetary mitigation – $1.5 million. Fines used to create the Massachusetts Seafloor Mapping Trust

8. 2003 1994 2004 2006 2008+ 2007 1994-1998 Mapping Begins & Continues 2001 2002-2004 CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative Mapping begins in northern Massachusetts Bay in 2004

9. 2004 1994 2003 2006 2008+ 2007 1994-1998 Mapping Begins & Continues 2001 2002-2004 Massachusetts Ocean Management Initiative ‘In support of comprehensive management and monitoring of ocean resources, the Commonwealth should acquire high-resolution seafloor habitat maps.’

10. 2006 1994 2003 2004 2008+ 2007 1994-1998 Mapping Begins & Continues 2001 2002-2004 Massachusetts invests $1 million to mapping cooperative 1st two seafloor mapping reports published Boston Harbor North Shore – Gloucester to Nahant

11. 2007 1994 2003 2004 2006 2008+ 1994-1998 Mapping Begins & Continues 2001 2002-2004 $$$ Massachusetts Seafloor Mapping Trust receives additional $3 million in mitigation funding

12. Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management & US Geological Survey Seafloor Mapping Cooperative

13. CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative • Established Partnership • Identified Goal Produce high-resolution maps and geospatial data of seafloor geology and topography • Determined Effective Methods • Prioritized Mapping Needs • Implement Mapping • Publish Results and Advertise Availability

14. Seafloor Mapping Methods USGS

15. 3 1 existing mapping data of Stellwagen Bank and Massachusetts Bay 2 4 5 6 Buzzards Bay Vineyard Sound Seafloor Mapping Priorities Completed – Ongoing Mapping • Nahant to Gloucester • Boston Harbor • Cape Ann to Salisbury • Hull to Duxbury • Northern Cape Cod Bay • Eastern Cape Cod Next Mapping Areas Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound

16. Area 1 Nahant to Gloucester • Area mapped 134 km2 • Water depths 5-40 m • Data collected • bathymetry • backscatter • subbottom profiles • grabs and photography http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1293/

17. Area 2 Boston Harbor • Area mapped 173 km2 • Water depths 0-32 m • NOAA data re-processed -multibeam/single-beam bathymetry -backscatter • New data collection -bottom samples / photography http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/pubs/of2006-1008/

18. Area 3 - Cape Ann to Salisbury Beach • Area mapped 340 km2 • Water depths 5-90 m • Data collected • bathymetry • backscatter • subbottom profiles • samples, photography Cape Ann Publication imminent

19. Area 4 - Hull to Duxbury • Area mapped 190 km2 • Data collected • bathymetry (preliminary) • backscatter • subbottom profiles • samples, photography Data collection complete (2006-2007) Publication due in 2009

20. Area 5 - Northern Cape Cod Bay • Area mapped 460 km2 • Data collected • bathymetry (preliminary) • backscatter • subbottom profiles • samples, photography Data collection completed in Spring 2008 Publication by 2009

21. Area 6 Eastern Cape Cod Bay • Area mapped 153 km2 • Data collected • bathymetry • samples, photography http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/pubs/of2005-1048/

22. CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping CooperativeSummary • Strategic plan was valuable education publication, along with organizational exercise • Funding was key to start, maintain and expand the cooperative • Partnership with USGS – including a 1:1 cost-share – critical for all aspects of cooperative • Objectives identified and schedule maintained • Early decision to collect geospatial data of seafloor topography and geology in waters ≥10m using established acoustic technologies • Strong agency leadership

23. CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping CooperativeSummary • To date, ~560 square miles of the ocean bottom from the New Hampshire border to northern Cape Cod Bay are mapped • Currently developing 5+ year plan to continue cooperative • Communicating and sharing results key to maintaining support and initiating new partnerships • Mapping results are stimulating new research and management strategies, while improving the understanding of the ocean environment in Massachusetts http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/

24. Subcommittee of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment - a US and Canadian partnership • Volunteer Steering Committee & Coordinator • U.S. Federal • NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service • NOAA's Office of Coast Survey U.S. Geological Survey • Canada Federal • Geological Survey of Canada • State • ME Department of Marine Resources • NH Department of Environmental Services • MA Office of Coastal Zone Management • Academia • Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping & NOAA/UNH Joint Hydrographic Center

25. Mission: To promote mapping of the entire Gulf of Maine basin http://www.gulfofmaine.org/gommi/

26. Objectives: • Facilitate communication and collaboration within the mapping community • Build logistical and financial support • Make maps and data widely available

27. 2005 Also Surveyed In 2005 Accomplishments • Published a number of outreach and planning documents: - Overview of mapping technologies - User needs assessment - Strategic plan for mapping - Website • Hired a GOMMI coordinator • Coordinated a 2005 geophysical survey • Groundwork established for GOMMI coordinator at UNH-NOAA CCOM

28. Challenges & Priorities Funding • Long-term, secured funding required for full-time staffing and to complete mapping Coordination Who is responsible for coordinating mapping? Recommendations 8 & 9 • Coordination among federal agencies, especially for mapping in state waters (e.g., NOAA, ACOE and USGS) • Coordination, communication and data sharing between federal and state agencies • Increasing partnership for furthering the applicability of mapping data

29. Challenges & Priorities Data Understanding and Availability • Providing resource managers with knowledge and tools for appropriate application of seafloor mapping data Recommendations 6 & 7 Technology and Standards • Develop and test shallow water mapping techniques Recommendation 11 • Standards/tools for combining datasets (e.g., Geocoder) • Establish protocols for seafloor mapping, groundtruthing and benthic habitat mapping (CMECS, Greene et al., etc.) Recommendations 4 & 6 Academic-government partnership (possible private)