gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:78650 eng UTF8 dataset Office for Coastal Management resourceProvider Cothran, Jeremy jeremy.cothran@gmail.com pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:17 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Collaborative Development of Novel Remote Sensing Workflows for Assessing Oyster Reef Structural and Demographic Characteristics to Inform Management and Restoration - NERRS/NSC(NERRS Science Collaborative) 2024-09 creation revision publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 78650 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/78650 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information https://nerrssciencecollaborative.org/project/Kingsley-Smith22 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Kingsley-Smith22 Online Resource download This project brought together oyster reef managers along the southeastern United States to evaluate the use of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), or drones, as a novel tool for measuring changes in oyster reefs. The Project Oyster reefs in the southeastern United States offer an abundance of ecosystem services and support both recreational and commercial fisheries. To protect and enhance oyster reefs, resource managers in the southeastern United States need accurate and timely information to guide decisions on fishery closures and restoration efforts. Oyster resource managers and NERR staff in FL, GA, SC, and NC often rely on conventional monitoring approaches to inform management and restoration decisions, but these approaches have limitations. For example, methods like boat-based surveys and in situ quadrat sampling are time consuming and limited by spatial scale. To overcome these limitations, this project evaluated the use of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), or drones, as a novel tool for measuring reef structural and demographic characteristics relevant to reef function. Building on a previous collaborative initiative (NERRS Science Collaborative 2020 Catalyst), this project brought together oyster resource managers and restoration practitioners across four states. Together, the team developed and refined workflows for using drones to monitor key oyster reef metrics of interest across the region. The workflows provide standard procedures for data collection, analyzing drone imagery and generating estimates of: reef height and elevation; rugosity; reef footprint and area; shell substrate and oyster percent cover; shell volumetric change; and, oyster density and size structure. These workflows have built technical capacity for the use of drones at the Reserves and state resource agencies. Application of the workflows has demonstrated that drones offer the capability to collect accurate, high resolution remote sensing data across entire reefs at a fraction of the cost of traditional sampling approaches. Integrating drones with existing oyster reef assessment efforts is allowing managers to map and model oyster reef ecosystem function and services on a scale that was previously unachievable. The Impact Facilitated the analysis of oyster reefs on scales that were not feasible with in situ field measurement. Inspired deeper interstate collaboration in support of oyster resource management. Enabling the development of an integrated, multi-metric index of reef condition that can be used to support management and restoration decision making. Expanded monitoring capacity for the Reserves, state resource agencies, and researchers. Use cases include: The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is actively using the workflows for reef elevation, rugosity, footprint, and volumetric change to: 1) monitor state-managed recreational and commercial oyster harvesting grounds; and 2) monitor oyster restoration projects around the ACE Basin NERR. Researchers at NOAA are applying the workflows to: 1) evaluate the success of oyster restoration projects in NC and SC; 2) evaluate wave attenuation as a function of reef elevation, rugosity, and slope; and 3) monitor the effectiveness of oyster relocation efforts associated with a dredge mitigation project. NC Division of Marine Fisheries is using the workflows to improve the data collection of a pilot intertidal oyster sentinel site monitoring program designed to inform resource management by generating a time series of improved habitat quality metrics and fishery-independent biological data. Researchers at East Carolina University are using the density and rugosity workflows to assess how reef structure influences wave energy across reefscapes. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources plans to use workflows to assist managers with comparing restored intertidal oyster reefs to target ecological references to evaluate restoration success. completed Office for Coastal Management 2234 South Hobson Avenue Charleston SC 29405-2413 https://www.coast.noaa.gov/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Office for Coastal Management Website Website listed for Office for Coastal Management information custodian asNeeded EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > OYSTER REEF theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 17.0 ACE Basin, SC NERR Crassostrea virginica UAS drones image analysis monitoring oyster demographics oyster density oyster percent cover oyster reef reef condition reef demographics reef elevation reef footprint reef rugosity reef structure remote sensing shell volume uncrewed aerial systems theme Guana Tolomato Matanzas, FL NERR North Carolina, NC NERR North Inlet-Winyah Bay, SC NERR Sapelo Island, GA NERR place DOC/NOAA/NOS/OCM > Office of Coastal Management, National Ocean 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 NERRS project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Office for Coastal Management, [Date of Access]: Collaborative Development of Novel Remote Sensing Workflows for Assessing Oyster Reef Structural and Demographic Characteristics to Inform Management and Restoration - NERRS/NSC(NERRS Science Collaborative) [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/78650. 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 otherRestrictions Use Constraints: Cite this dataset when used as a source: NOAA retains the right to analyze, synthesize and publish summaries of the NERRS/NSC data. The NERRS/NSC retains the right to be fully credited for having collected and process the data. Following academic courtesy standards, the NERR site where the data were collected should be contacted and fully acknowledged in any subsequent publications in which any part of the data are used. The data enclosed within this package/transmission are only as accurate as the quality assurance and quality control procedures that are described in the associated metadata reporting statement allow. The user bears all responsibility for its subsequent use/misuse in any further analyses or comparisons. The Federal government does not assume liability to the Recipient or third persons, nor will the Federal government reimburse or indemnify the Recipient for its liability due to any losses resulting in any way from the use of this data. Requested citation format: NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative(NSC). otherRestrictions Distribution Liability: The distributor does not assume liability. unclassified NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 78650 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocm/dmp/pdf/78650.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 oceans -79.285 -79.15 33.204 33.375 North Inlet-Winyah Bay, SC NERR -81.31 -81.25 31.375 31.5 Sapelo Island, GA NERR -81.39 -81.15 29.59 30.18 Guana Tolomato Matanzas, FL NERR -76.65 -76.61 34.68 34.72 North Carolina, NC NERR -80.67 -80.2 32.33 32.68 Ashepoo Combahee Edisto Basin, SC NERR | Currentness: Ground Condition 2022-10-01 2024-09-01 Project Lead: Peter Kingsley-Smith, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, kingsleysmithp@dnr.sc.gov Collaborative Lead: Whitney Jenkins, NC Coastal Reserve and NERR, whitney.jenkins@deq.nc.gov Technical Leads: Brandon Puckett, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, brandon.puckett@noaa.gov Justin Ridge, Post-doctoral researcher, NC NERR, justin.ridge@deq.nc.gov Gary Sundin, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, sunding@dnr.sc.gov Partners: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science false eng false Other N/A 2025-11-21 publication Multiple formats Office for Coastal Management 2234 South Hobson Avenue Charleston SC 29405-2413 https://www.coast.noaa.gov/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Office for Coastal Management Website Website listed for Office for Coastal Management information distributor https://nerrssciencecollaborative.org/project/Kingsley-Smith22 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Kingsley-Smith22 download dataset Representativeness N/A This information is detailed within the project links. N/A Office for Coastal Management processor N/A