Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics and NOAA Coastal Services Center
Data Sources. ENOW uses two sources of data:
Geographic Footprint (graphic). The counties that are part of the states’ approved Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) management areas are used by NOAA and others for multiple purposes. Because this area is the smallest geography that contains nearly all ocean economic activity, it was chosen as the primary area of data coverage to avoid the creation of a new specialized geographic area. However, to avoid missing a significant volume of ocean-dependent economic activity that takes place in six non-CZMA counties in New Jersey (Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Passaic, Somerset, and Union), these counties have been added.
Methods. The methods that are used to generate ENOW data build on an extensive body of research dating to the late 1970s. The current composition of its six ocean- and Great Lakes-dependent sectors is largely the work of the National Ocean Economics Program. Each sector represents an aggregation of relevant economic activity. For more detail, see the Frequently Asked Questions under the support tab.
Georeferencing. Data are georeferenced by Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code. FIPS includes a unique code for each state and county. It is published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Notes and Limitations. In accordance with Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) policy, data provided to the bureau in confidence are not published and are used only for specified statistical purposes. BLS withholds publication of employment and wage data when necessary to protect the identity of cooperating employers. Totals at the industry level for the states and the nation include data suppressed within the detailed tables. In addition, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data, like other employment statistics, do not reflect the economic activities of the self-employed.