Coastal Services Center

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Mapping Information

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Applying Benthic Data

Benthic habitat data can be used for a variety of resource management applications. Habitat and resource changes over time can be monitored through benthic habitat mapping. Benthic habitat mapping is also a useful tool for determining the effects of habitat change due to natural or human impacts, such as fishing and dredging of shipping channels. Resource mapping is a critical component to identifying commercially and ecologically important areas for protection, to siting aquaculture facilities, and to identifying polluted or contaminated sediments in the marine environment.

The following sections include case studies showing how benthic habitat data can be applied to some of these and other resource management issues.

• Dredging and disposal of marine sediments
• Contaminants mapping
• Habitat Quality Assesment
• Fisheries management

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