gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:23643 eng UTF8 dataset GIS NMFS Office of Science and Technology 301-427-8100 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring MD 20910 USA https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 0700 - 1800 EST/EDT resourceProvider Haverland, Timothy J 301-427-8137 301-713-4137 1315 East West Hwy Silver Spring MD 20910-3282 USA tim.haverland@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-03-29T23:00:34 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Biologically Important Areas for Cetaceans within U.S. Waters 2015-03-01 - Present Biologically Important Areas for Cetaceans within U.S. Waters 2015-03-01 publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 23643 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/23643 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information Curtice, Corrie 252-504-7538 135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort NC 28516 USA corrie.curtice@duke.edu originator http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=721:biologically-important-areas-for-cetaceans-within-u-s-waters-a-special-issue&catid=58&Itemid=157 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL Online Resource download https://cetsound.noaa.gov/important WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL Online Resource download mapDigital Other Citation Details 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. BIAs were created to aid NOAA, other federal agencies, and the public in the analyses and planning that are required under multiple US statutes to characterize and 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. Because this is a scientific effort, the identification of BIAs does not have immediate regulatory significance or 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. For decision making purposes, the BIAs identified here should be evaluated in combination with areas identified as having high cetacean density; the present effort is meant to augment, not displace, cetacean density analyses. 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. underDevelopment Haverland, Timothy J 301-427-8137 301-713-4137 1315 East West Hwy Silver Spring MD 20910-3282 USA tim.haverland@noaa.gov pointOfContact Ferguson, Megan megan.ferguson@noaa.gov custodian Gedamke, Jason 301-427-8133 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring MD 20910 jason.gedamke@noaa.gov custodian irregular BIA CetMap anthropogenic activity anthropogenic sound behavior conservation distribution management theme Aleutian Islands Arctic Bering Sea California Gulf of Alaska Gulf of Mexico Hawaiian Islands North Pacific Ocean Northwest Atlantic Ocean Oregon Washington place DOC/NOAA/NMFS/OST > Office of Science & Technology, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian NOAA Cetaceans and Sound Project (CetSound) project InPort otherRestrictions 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. 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. otherRestrictions 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. otherRestrictions 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. unclassified NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 23643 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/ost/dmp/pdf/23643.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference eng; US environment oceans planningCadastre Microsoft Windows 7 Version 6.1 (Build 7601) Service Pack 1; Esri ArcGIS 10.3.0.4322 Technical Environment A description of the catalog item's technical environment, including machine name, software, or other special considerations required to use or access the catalog item -179.726956 -66.19249 18.59151 72.265057 US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) | Currentness: Publication Date 2015-03-01 Supplemental Information false eng false GIS File CetMap_BIA_WGS84 2016-05-10 publication Shapefile ArcGIS 10.2 Zip ESRI REST Service 10.3 Uncompressed NMFS Office of Science and Technology 301-427-8100 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring MD 20910 USA https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/office-science-and-technology WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology Website listed for NMFS Office of Science and Technology information 0700 - 1800 EST/EDT distributor https://cetsound.noaa.gov/Assets/cetsound/data/CetMap_BIA_WGS84.zip WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link CetMap BIA WGS84 download http://services2.arcgis.com/C8EMgrsFcRFL6LrL/arcgis/rest/services/CetMap_BIA/FeatureServer WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ArcGIS Online Feature Service download dataset Accuracy BIAs were defined by regional and species experts, using the CetMap BIA Criteria as a guideline. Data used to delineate BIAs varies among the seven regions in availability, quality, quantity, and type. 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. Completeness Report This instance of the BIA data is not complete, and the BIAs are intended to be updated periodically as new information becomes available. Gaps exist in each region, for various reasons. Not all species were evaluated, and not all important areas or seasons were evaluated for all species. A full gap assessment is summarized in: 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. Aquatic Mammals, 41(1), 2-16. DOI 10.1578/AM.41.1.2015.2. This assessment only considers BIAs in US Waters. 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. otherRestrictions Use Constraints: Disclaimer - While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.