Protecting Corals, Saving Ships

1.      The geographic coordinates of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries (FKNMS) regulated areas were compared with published data and verified for accuracy. Additionally, in order to insure that navigational data is available for the demonstration/testbed, the Marine Charting Division of OCS has made a commitment to complete the necessary ENC coverage prior to the planned demonstration/testbed.

2.      A final version of the MPA Functional Classification System Center was received from the NOAA MPA Center. The functional characteristics contained in this document provide important information about Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and are expected to become a key component of the IHO S-57 data that makes up the Coral Reef/MPA Marine Information Object (MIO) layer. However, in order to gain international acceptance for using this classification system, it is essential that we demonstrate how the MPA Functional Classification system is not a replacement for, but instead, conforms to the IUCN Habitat Classification. Thus, to explain this, a “Cross-walk” document is still needed to convince the IUCN Community that the MPA Functional Classification System is complimentary to -- not a substitute for -- the IUCN approach.

3.      A compilation of the various IHO S-57 objects, feature attributes and attribute values required to produce a Coral Reef/MPA MIO layer has been completed. It includes both regulatory and biological aspects. These proposed new object classes, attributes, and attribute values will be submitted to the appropriate international standards committees/working groups for review.

4.      In order to facilitate MIO development and implementation, several software manufacturers and ENC data producers have been contacted. In general, a willingness to implement MIOs was indicated, provided the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the S-57 data standards setting organization, agrees with the MIO Product Specification beforehand.

5.      Three (3) electronic charting system (ECS) software licenses have been obtained for a demonstration test bed. Included in this procurement is the necessary software development to implement Coral Reef/MPA MIOs into the ECS.

6.      A “Protecting Corals, Saving Ships” web site was released. This site contains most of the project description summaries, plans, accomplishments and other documents. The web site address is: http://savingcoralandships.noaa.gov.