Marine jurisdictions define the U.S. boundaries and limits for sovereignty, exclusive rights, and control over maritime areas off its coast. These limits are measured from the U.S. baseline, defined as the low-water line along the coast and marked on NOAA's nautical charts, in accordance with the Law of the Sea. The U.S. Baseline Committee reviews and approves the baseline and related maritime limits. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey updates these limits and boundaries on nautical charts, including the territorial sea (12 nautical miles), contiguous zone (24 nautical miles), and exclusive economic zone (200 nautical miles), along with maritime boundaries with neighboring countries. U.S. maritime limits are subject to changes due to natural processes such as accretion or erosion.State Seaward Boundary: Defined by the Submerged Lands Act of 1953, this boundary extends 3 nautical miles (nmi) from the baseline, except for Texas, the Gulf coast of Florida, and Puerto Rico, where it extends 9 nmi. This boundary marks the extent of state jurisdiction.Revenue Sharing Boundary: Established by Section 8(g) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, this boundary extends 3 nmi beyond the State Seaward Boundary. Revenues from resources such as oil and gas in this area are shared between the federal government and the coastal state.Territorial Sea: Extended to 12 nmi from the U.S. baseline by Presidential Proclamation 5928 in 1988, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The U.S. exercises full sovereignty over this area, including the airspace above and the subsoil below.Contiguous Zone: Extending from 12 to 24 nmi from the U.S. baseline, this zone allows the U.S. to enforce laws related to customs, fiscal matters, immigration, and sanitation to prevent violations within its territory or territorial sea, in line with international law.Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): Extending from 3 to 200 miles offshore (5 to 322 km), or 9 to 200 miles (14.5 to 322 km) offshore in western Florida and Texas, the EEZ grants the U.S. jurisdiction over economic activities and resource management, including the exploration, exploitation, conservation, and management of natural resources, in accordance with international law.Data and MetadataUS Marine LimitsUS Revenue SharingUS State SeawardOriginal Plate from 1985 Atlas: Political Boundaries and Maritime Zones (.pdf)This is a component of the Gulf Data Atlas (V1.0) for the Jurisdictions topic area.

NOAA is responsible for depicting on its nautical charts the limits of the 12 nautical mile Territorial Sea, 24 nautical mile Contiguous Zone, and 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The outer limit of each of these zones is measured from the U.S. normal baseline, which coincides with the low water line depicted on NOAA charts and includes closing lines across the entrances of lega...

UAS monitoring occured at two sites, Border Field State Park on the US side of the Los Laureles Canyon watershed (LLCW), and the Milenio 2000 neighborhood on the Mexico side of the LLCW. Across the duration of the project three surveys were conducted: Jan/Feb 2020, Novemebr 2020, and Jan/Feb 2021. Each survey required one day of field work.

UAS/image monitoring was used as tools to detect trash accumulation. To assist with those goals a fixed-wing AeroVironment Quantix UAS was deployed at border field state park due to its extended flight range capabilities and its dual RGB/NIR camera setup. At the sediment basins locations in Border Field State PArk, and in the Milenio 2000 neighborhood, a Phantom 4 quadcopter was deployed able to navigate accurately at low altitude between the canyon walls. Flights occured between the hours of 10:00 am – 2:00 pm to reduce impact from shadows in the collected imagery. Flight dates were conditional on agreeable weather conditio...

This shapefile is the polygon delineating the boundary of Stetson Bank of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

description: This data set contains Supplemental Official OCS Block Diagram (SOBD) images in Adobe pdf format for areas within the BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region. Each SOBD describes a single block within an Official Protraction Diagram (OPD) or Leasing Map (LM) and shows the lines (Submerged Lands Act, Limit of '8(g) Zone', maritime boundaries and/or marine sanctuaries) which occur within that block and divide it into different areas. The SOBD contains additional coordinates and area calculations for an individual block. These data are scanned images of the official paper SOBD's produced by the BOEM. Note that not all OPDs have boundaries cutting through them, so not all OPDs will have SOBDs generated for them. All current leasing activities will be done using the most current SOBDs. Historical (outdated) SOBDs can be obtained by contacting the Mapping and Boundary Branch. Also see the metadata for each of the individual GIS files used to create these SOBDs. The Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs), serve as the legal definition for BOEM offshore boundary coordinates and area descriptions. Further information on the historic development of OPD's can be found in OCS Report BOEM 99-0006: Boundary Development on the Outer Continental Shelf: https://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/Oil_and_Gas_Energy_Program/Mapping_and_Data/99-0006.pdf; abstract: This data set contains Supplemental Official OCS Block Diagram (SOBD) images in Adobe pdf format for areas within the BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region. Each SOBD describes a single block within an Official Protraction Diagram (OPD) or Leasing Map (LM) and shows the lines (Submerged Lands Act, Limit of '8(g) Zone', maritime boundaries and/or marine sanctuaries) which occur within that block and divide it into different areas. The SOBD contains additional coordinates and area calculations for an individual block. These data are scanned images of the official paper SOBD's produced by the BOEM. Note that not all OPDs have boundaries cutting through them, so not all OPDs will have SOBDs generated for them. All current leasing activities will be done using the most current SOBDs. Historical (outdated) SOBDs can be obtained by contacting the Mapping and Boundary Branch. Also see the metadata for each of the individual GIS files used to create these SOBDs. The Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs), serve as the legal definition for BOEM offshore boundary coordinates and area descriptions. Further information on the historic development of OPD's can be found in OCS Report BOEM 99-0006: Boundary Development on the Outer Continental Shelf: https://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/Oil_and_Gas_Energy_Program/Mapping_and_Data/99-0006.pdf

This feature represents the entire area considered as the U.S.-Mexico border region for the U.S.-Mexico Border Program. The extent of the area was agreed upon between the United States and Mexico under the 1983 La Paz Agreement. The framework of this agreement stated that the border area is defined as "the area situated 62 miles (100 kilometers) on either side of the inland and maritime boundaries". This layer was generated by buffering the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) "Mexico and US Border" layer (https://hifld-geoplatform.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/geoplatform::mexico-and-us-border/about) by [60] Miles. These data support the U.S.-Mexico Border Program Map, which highlights the projects funded through the U.S.-Mexico Border Program (2013-2020) in both Region 9 and Region 6 of the U.S. EPA, including U.S. Federally recognized Tribal communities and states of Texas, New Mexico, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, California, Baja California, Sonora, and Arizona within 62 miles (100 kilometers) of the U.S.-Mexico Border. The projects stem from the Border 2020 framework that has five goals to reduce air pollution, improve access to clean water, promote materials and waste management, improve emergency preparedness, and enhance environmental stewardship, and fundamental strategies that includes children's health and environmental education and outreach. For more information about Border 2020 and/or current U.S.-Mexico Border program visit this website: https://www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder

This GIS data set represents various maritime limits of the United States, in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Oceans. NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is responsible for generating the 3 Nautical Mile Line, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Traditionally, these maritime limits have been generated by hand from the low water line depicted on paper, U.S. nautical charts. Upon final approval by the U.S. Baseline Committee, these legally-binding maritime limits are applied to the next edition of nautical charts produced by the Marine Chart Division of OCS.FWRI staff downloaded the available limits from NOAA's Web site: http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/csdl/mbound.htm . For other boundaries that were not available on NOAA's site, (Florida 9 mile Natural Resources line, Florida-Alabama State line, and Louisiana Inshore Territorial Sea boundary), FWRI staff heads up digitized these from Nautical Charts, DRG's, or obtained from other sources.

Gulf of Mexico Management Area Boundary. This GIS polygon data delineates the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act (MSA) for the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico marine waters. The MSA is the primary law governing marine fisheries management in the United States federal waters. The Act created regional fishery management councils to manage fisheries and promote conservation. The MSA geographic area extends from the state/federal water boundary to the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) outer boundary, and this data is a combination of this outer and inner boundary. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) uses these boundaries to create the geographic regulatory boundaries in federal waters. The limits of the EEZ are determined from the official U.S. baseline, recognized as the low-water line along the coast as marked on the official U.S. nautical charts in accordance with the articles of the Law of the Sea. The state/federal water boundary is based on the Submerged Lands Act (SLA) boundary line and protraction diagrams. Metadata for the EEZ and the SLA are available at the Multipurpose Marine Cadastre (MMC) website or the specific Agency websites listed in the credits. The Fishery Management Council Boundaries are included in this dataset, and bisect the MSA.Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, these GIS files are considered to be approximate, and are NOT an OFFICIAL record for the exact Submerged Lands Act Boundary. The Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs) serve as the legal definition for offshore boundary coordinates and area descriptions. The EEZ is based on the low-water line along the coast, and is also updated periodically. These digital boundaries do NOT represent the legal definition of the maritime boundaries.

The Mexico Customs Brokerage Market, valued at $325.93 million in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, driven by increasing cross-border trade, expanding e-commerce activities, and the rising complexity of import/export regulations. The market's Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.05% from 2025 to 2033 indicates a steady expansion, fueled by Mexico's strategic position as a North American trade hub and its participation in major trade agreements like USMCA. Key growth drivers include the rising demand for efficient and compliant customs clearance services from businesses of all sizes, the need for specialized expertise in navigating increasingly stringent customs regulations, and the growing adoption of technology-driven solutions to streamline customs processes. The market is segmented by mode of transport (sea, air, and cross-border land transport), with sea freight likely dominating due to Mexico's significant maritime trade. Leading players like Bollore Logistics Mexico, Tuscor Lloyds México, and others are investing in advanced technologies and expanding their service portfolios to maintain a competitive edge. While the market presents significant opportunities, challenges remain. These include fluctuating exchange rates, evolving regulatory landscapes, and potential disruptions from geopolitical factors. However, the overall outlook remains positive, with continued growth anticipated throughout the forecast period (2025-2033). The market's performance will be largely shaped by factors such as government policies related to trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and the overall health of the Mexican and global economies. The competitive landscape is dynamic, with both established players and new entrants vying for market share, leading to increased innovation and service diversification within the industry. The ongoing need for efficient and reliable customs brokerage services ensures the long-term viability and growth potential of this market. Recent developments include: November 2023: Mexican supplier of software for customs and international trade, Sistemas Casa, has been bought by ASX-listed logistics software developer WiseTech Global. To assist importers and exporters in adhering to Mexican customs laws, Sistemas Casa provides a range of customs software solutions that automate administrative and operational customs procedures., September 2023: Tecma announced the acquisition and merger of NCH Customs Brokers, a top supplier of US Customs Brokerage services along the US and Mexico Border, through its subsidiary Tecma Customs Solutions. It is a big milestone for NCH because their border region is getting more prospects as a result of the global realignment. Tecma provides NCH with the scale and support it needs to adapt and compete in this dynamic environment., March 2023: Nuvocargo, the first all-in-one digital platform focused on U.S.-Mexico cross-border trade, announced today the launch of its Customs Brokerage product. This product is aimed at streamlining customs operations between the U.S.-Mexico border; as customs clearance is a critical point in all cross-border operations, and one prone to costly mistakes and miscommunications.. Key drivers for this market are: International Trade Growth, Trade Agreements cresting impact on customs procedures and creating opportunities for customs brokers. Potential restraints include: International Trade Growth, Trade Agreements cresting impact on customs procedures and creating opportunities for customs brokers. Notable trends are: Transport is the largest Function.

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Border Security Market Size 2025-2029

The border security market size is forecast to increase by USD 27.49 billion at a CAGR of 8.5% between 2024 and 2029.

The market is driven by the increasing concern for data breaches and the modernization of maritime border security. With the proliferation of digital technologies, the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches at borders is a significant concern for governments worldwide. This has led to a rise in investments in advanced border security solutions, including biometric identification systems and surveillance technologies. Moreover, the modernization of maritime border security is another key driver for the market. The market encompasses platforms such as patrol aircraft, ground attack helicopters, transport helicopters, amphibious aircraft, marine vessels, and submarines. With the rise in maritime trade and the increasing number of migrants entering countries through sea routes, there is a growing need for advanced security systems to ensure the safety and security of coastal areas.
However, the market faces challenges such as strict government rules and regulations, which can hinder the adoption of new technologies and the implementation of border security initiatives. Additionally, the high cost of implementing these solutions can be a significant barrier for many countries, particularly those with limited budgets. Companies seeking to capitalize on market opportunities must navigate these challenges effectively by collaborating with governments and offering cost-effective, innovative solutions that comply with regulations. The DoD is also reallocating funds from its internal budget to bolster shipbuilding efforts in response to China's expanding naval fleet.

What will be the Size of the Border Security Market during the forecast period?

Explore in-depth regional segment analysis with market size data - historical 2019-2023 and forecasts 2025-2029 - in the full report.
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The market is witnessing significant advancements, driven by the integration of technology and international cooperation. Predictive modeling and data analytics platforms are revolutionizing threat identification, while unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous vehicles enhance surveillance capabilities. Biometric identification and psychological profiling are becoming standard for border control, with artificial intelligence and machine learning powering these systems. Interagency coordination is essential for effective border security strategies, and international treaties establish legal frameworks for information sharing. Advanced surveillance systems employ behavioral analysis, quantum computing, and encryption standards to secure borders. Counter-terrorism strategies incorporate open source intelligence and cyber warfare. Training and development in human factors and security standards are crucial for border security personnel.
Simulation and modeling tools help optimize field operations, and automated border control streamlines the traveler processing experience. Biometric passports and blockchain technology ensure secure document authentication. The market's future trends include the adoption of advanced technologies like AI, biometrics, and encryption to strengthen border security policies.

How is this Border Security Industry segmented?

The border security industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD million' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Platform

  Air
  Land
  Sea


Component

  Laser
  Radar
  Camera
  Perimeter intrusion
  Others


Type

  Platform-based systems
  Stationary systems
  Portable systems


Geography

  North America

    US
    Canada
    Mexico


  Europe

    France
    Germany
    UK


  APAC

    China
    India
    Japan
    South Korea


  Rest of World (ROW)

By Platform Insights

The air segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The market encompasses a range of technologies and strategies aimed at safeguarding national territories from various threats, including illegal immigration, weapons trafficking, and cross-border crime. Access control and immigration control are crucial components, with advanced systems employing biometric authentication and facial recognition for efficient identification. Intelligence gathering is integral, utilizing data analysis, threat analysis, and information sharing among law enforcement agencies. Physical barriers, such as fence systems and physical barriers, are complemented by surveillance systems, including security cameras, motion detection, and night vision. Remote sensing and vulnerability assessment help in identifying potential weaknesses, while border agents and security personnel ensure an effective response

The 2018 Marine Protected Area Monitoring Action Plan identified three bioregions for long-term marine protected area (MPA) monitoring: the north coast (California/ Oregon border to San Francisco Bay, including the Farallon Islands), the central coast (San Francisco Bay to Point Conception), and the south coast (Point Conception to the U.S./Mexico border, including the Channel Islands). These regions are distinct from the original five Marine Life Protection Act planning regions in which baseline monitoring occurred; the establishment of the five MLPA planning regions was intended to facilitate an MPA design process capable of accommodating the distinctive social and geopolitical attributes along the California coast. The three bioregions in the Action Plan were designated based on biological, ecological, and habitat data gleaned from baseline monitoring. The shoreline provided in this feature is a general approximation of the mean high tide line at the time of MPA implementation between 2007 and 2012. However, it is important to note that it is not based on any elevation (tidal) data and was hand drawn based on best available aerial imagery at the time. Due to the dynamic nature of coastal environments, these boundaries may not accurately reflect the current condition or exact demarcations of the coastline. The offshore boundary is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) three nautical mile maritime limit published on charts at that time.

This GIS data set depicts a combination of the Outer EEZ from NOS sources, and the Inner EEZ from BOEM sources, producing the geographic regulatory boundaries in federal waters, or Magnuson Stevens Act area. Outer EEZ: NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is responsible for generating the Three Nautical Mile Line, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Traditionally, these maritime limits have been generated by hand from the low water line depicted on paper, U.S. nautical charts. Upon final approval by the U.S. Baseline Committee, these legally-binding maritime limits are applied to the next edition of nautical charts produced by the Marine Chart Division of OCS. Due to new cartographic production processes and the availability of digital products such as Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs), the Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is generating more accurate, digital maritime limits. Through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software such as CARIS' LOTS and ESRI's ArcGIS, the latest vector representations of these limits will be available to NOAA cartographers and the public. To create digital limits, the charted low water line is digitized from the largest-scale raster nautical charts and used as input to CARIS' LOTS: Limits and Boundaries software for the designation of a baseline. Other parts of the EEZ include maritime boundary agreements and/or unilateral claims as noted in Federal Register Notice, Volume 60, No. 163, Wednesday August 23, 1995. Once the limits are created, they are exported to a shapefile using CARIS' "Import SHP File" utility. Digital limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone for the Atlantic coast of the United States are contained within a zipped file. Within the zipped file is a shapefile and a text file detailing the individual coordinates. Inner EEZ (SLA): The Submerged Lands Act (SLA) of 1953 grants individual States rights to the natural resources of submerged lands from the coastline to no more than 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) into the Atlantic, Pacific, the Arctic Oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico. The only exceptions are Texas and the west coast of Florida, where State jurisdiction extends from the coastline to no more than 3 marine leagues (16.2 km) into the Gulf of Mexico. This data set contains the Submerged Lands Act (SLA) boundary line (also known as State Seaward Boundary (SSB), or Fed State Boundary) in ESRI shapefile formats for the BOEM Atlantic Region. The SLA boundary defines the seaward limit of a state's submerged lands and the landward boundary of federally managed OCS lands. In the BOEM Atlantic Region it is projected 3 nautical miles offshore from the baseline. Further information on the SLA and development of this line from baseline points can be found in OCS Report MMS 99-0006: Boundary Development on the Outer Continental Shelf http://www.boemre.gov/itd/pubs/1999/99-0006.pdf. Due to slight differences in process and purpose, NOAA's 3 nautical mile line depicted on its charts may differ in some areas from the SLA boundary depicted on BOEM maps and OPDs and should not be confused with the SLA boundary. Therefore this boundary is the only boundary that should be used to depict state/federal seperation of jurisdiction for submerged lands. Because GIS projection and topology functions can change or generalize coordinates, these GIS files are considered to be approximate and are NOT an OFFICIAL record for the exact Submerged Lands Act Boundary. The Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs) serve as the legal definition for offshore boundary coordinates and area descriptions.

This dataset is a compilation of available oil and gas pipeline data and is maintained by BSEE. Pipelines are used to transport and monitor oil and/or gas from wells within the outer continental shelf (OCS) to resource collection locations. Currently, pipelines managed by BSEE are found in Gulf of Mexico and southern California waters.

© MarineCadastre.gov This layer is a component of BOEMRE Layers.

This Map Service contains many of the primary data types created by both the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) within the Department of Interior (DOI) for the purpose of managing offshore federal real estate leases for oil, gas, minerals, renewable energy, sand and gravel. These data layers are being made available as REST mapping services for the purpose of web viewing and map overlay viewing in GIS systems. Due to re-projection issues which occur when converting multiple UTM zone data to a single national or regional projected space, and line type changes that occur when converting from UTM to geographic projections, these data layers should not be used for official or legal purposes. Only the original data found within BOEM/BSEE’s official internal database, federal register notices or official paper or pdf map products may be considered as the official information or mapping products used by BOEM or BSEE. A variety of data layers are represented within this REST service are described further below. These and other cadastre information the BOEM and BSEE produces are generated in accordance with 30 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 256.8 to support Federal land ownership and mineral resource management.

For more information – Contact: Branch Chief, Mapping and Boundary Branch, BOEM, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, VA 20170. Telephone (703) 787-1312; Email: mapping.boundary.branch@boem.gov

The REST services for National Level Data can be found here: http://gis.boemre.gov/arcgis/rest/services/BOEM_BSEE/MMC_Layers/MapServer

REST services for regional level data can be found by clicking on the region of interest from the following URL: http://gis.boemre.gov/arcgis/rest/services/BOEM_BSEE

Individual Regional Data or in depth metadata for download can be obtained in ESRI Shape file format by clicking on the region of interest from the following URL: http://www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-Energy-Program/Mapping-and-Data/Index.aspx

Currently the following layers are available from this REST location:

OCS Drilling Platforms -Locations of structures at and beneath the water surface used for the purpose of exploration and resource extraction. Only platforms in federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters are included. A database of platforms and rigs is maintained by BSEE.

OCS Oil and Natural Gas Wells -Existing wells drilled for exploration or extraction of oil and/or gas products. Additional information includes the lease number, well name, spud date, the well class, surface area/block number, and statistics on well status summary. Only wells found in federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters are included. Wells information is updated daily. Additional files are available on well completions and well tests. A database of wells is maintained by BSEE.

OCS Oil & Gas Pipelines -This dataset is a compilation of available oil and gas pipeline data and is maintained by BSEE. Pipelines are used to transport and monitor oil and/or gas from wells within the outer continental shelf (OCS) to resource collection locations. Currently, pipelines managed by BSEE are found in Gulf of Mexico and southern California waters.

Unofficial State Lateral Boundaries - The approximate location of the boundary between two states seaward of the coastline and terminating at the Submerged Lands Act Boundary. Because most State boundary locations have not been officially described beyond the coast, are disputed between states or in some cases the coastal land boundary description is not available, these lines serve as an approximation that was used to determine a starting point for creation of BOEM’s OCS Administrative Boundaries. GIS files are not available for this layer due to its unofficial status.

BOEM OCS Administrative Boundaries - Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Administrative Boundaries Extending from the Submerged Lands Act Boundary seaward to the Limit of the United States OCS (The U.S. 200 nautical mile Limit, or other marine boundary)For additional details please see the January 3, 2006 Federal Register Notice.

BOEM Limit of OCSLA ‘8(g)’ zone - The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act '8(g) Zone' lies between the Submerged Lands Act (SLA) boundary line and a line projected 3 nautical miles seaward of the SLA boundary line. Within this zone, oil and gas revenues are shared with the coastal state(s). The official version of the ‘8(g)’ Boundaries can only be found on the BOEM Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) or Supplemental Official Protraction described below.

Submerged Lands Act Boundary - The SLA boundary defines the seaward limit of a state's submerged lands and the landward boundary of federally managed OCS lands. The official version of the SLA Boundaries can only be found on the BOEM Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) or Supplemental Official Protraction Diagrams described below.

Atlantic Wildlife Survey Tracklines(2005-2012) - These data depict tracklines of wildlife surveys conducted in the Mid-Atlantic region since 2005. The tracklines are comprised of aerial and shipboard surveys. These data are intended to be used as a working compendium to inform the diverse number of groups that conduct surveys in the Mid-Atlantic region.The tracklines as depicted in this dataset have been derived from source tracklines and transects. The tracklines have been simplified (modified from their original form) due to the large size of the Mid-Atlantic region and the limited ability to map all areas simultaneously.The tracklines are to be used as a general reference and should not be considered definitive or authoritative. This data can be downloaded from http://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/Renewable_Energy_Program/Mapping_and_Data/ATL_WILDLIFE_SURVEYS.zip

BOEM OCS Protraction Diagrams & Leasing Maps - This data set contains a national scale spatial footprint of the outer boundaries of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Leasing Maps (LMs). It is updated as needed. OPDs and LMs are mapping products produced and used by the BOEM to delimit areas available for potential offshore mineral leases, determine the State/Federal offshore boundaries, and determine the limits of revenue sharing and other boundaries to be considered for leasing offshore waters. This dataset shows only the outline of the maps that are available from BOEM.Only the most recently published paper or pdf versions of the OPDs or LMs should be used for official or legal purposes. The pdf maps can be found by going to the following link and selecting the appropriate region of interest. http://www.boem.gov/Oil-and-Gas-Energy-Program/Mapping-and-Data/Index.aspx Both OPDs and LMs are further subdivided into individual Outer Continental Shelf(OCS) blocks which are available as a separate layer. Some OCS blocks that also contain other boundary information are known as Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs.) Further information on the historic development of OPD's can be found in OCS Report MMS 99-0006: Boundary Development on the Outer Continental Shelf: http://www.boemre.gov/itd/pubs/1999/99-0006.PDF Also see the metadata for each of the individual GIS data layers available for download. The Official Protraction Diagrams (OPDs) and Supplemental Official Block Diagrams (SOBDs), serve as the legal definition for BOEM offshore boundary coordinates and area descriptions.

BOEM OCS Lease Blocks - Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease blocks serve as the legal definition for BOEM offshore boundary coordinates used to define small geographic areas within an Official Protraction Diagram (OPD) for leasing and administrative purposes. OCS blocks relate back to individual Official Protraction Diagrams and are not uniquely numbered. Only the most recently published paper or pdf

The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Submerged Land Act Boundary (SLA), found in the A-16 National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) Portfolio, defines the seaward limit of a state's submerged lands and the landward boundary of federally managed OCS lands. The SLA was enacted on May 22, 1953 and grants coastal states title to natural resources located within their coastal submerged lands out to three miles from their coastlines. The SLA defines natural resources to include oil, gas and all other minerals, and fish, shrimp, oysters, clams, crabs, lobsters, sponges, kelp and other marine animal and plant life. All the seabed and resources outside of the three-mile boundary better known as the OCS, are controlled by the federal government which authorizes leasing of resources by the Secretary of the Interior.Thumbnail source image courtesy of: Mark Goebel

Document 2023-15187, Category PROPOSED RULES has been scheduled to publish on 07-24-2023.This document will be placed on public inspection on 07-21-2023 08:45:00.The comments due date is 09-22-2023.SUMMARY: We, NMFS, propose to designate critical habitat for the Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera ricei) by designating waters from the 100 meter (m) isobath to the 400 m isobath in the Gulf of Mexico (GOMx), pursuant to section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have considered economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the proposed designation. We are not excluding any particular area from the critical habitat designation. We seek comments on all aspects of the proposed critical habitat designation and will consider information received before issuing a final designation.DESIGNATION: Critical habitat for the Rice’s whale includes all marine waters from a nearshore boundary corresponding to the 100-meter isobath to an offshore boundary corresponding to the 400-meter isobath in the Gulf of Mexico and between the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone boundary off of Texas east to the boundary between the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (50 CFR 600.105(c)) off of Florida.Standardized spatial reference is the World Geodetic System 1984 geographic coordinate system (GCS_WGS_1984, EPSG well-known identifier 4326).Data Sources Used to Create Proposed Rice's Whale Critical Habitat Boundaries: 1. 100m and 400m Bathymetric Contours: NOAA, Office for Coastal Management, 2023: Bathymetric Contours, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/54364. ArcGIS Map Server: https://coast.noaa.gov/arcgis/rest/services/OceanReports/BathymetricContours/MapServer. Using the map server, only the 100m and 400m depth contours were queried. 2. International Maritime Boundary EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone). NOAA, Office of Coast Survey. 2023: U.S. Maritime Limits and Boundaries. https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/data/us-maritime-limits-and-boundaries.html#faq. ArcGIS Map Server: https://maritimeboundaries.noaa.gov/arcgis/rest/services/MaritimeBoundaries/US_Maritime_Limits_Boundaries/MapServer.3. GMFMC - SAFMC boundary delineation - boundary line between the GMFMC and SAFMC jurisdictions.

description: Aerial surveys are conducted along the US west coast to determine distribution and abundance of endangered leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), and harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Surveys are conducted in waters between US/Mexico and US/Canada maritime borders, west to the 2000m isobath for leatherbacks, up to 122.8W for loggerheads, and in nearshore waters (approx 200m isobath) between central California and southern Oregon for harbor porpoise. This region includes the Pacific leatherback conservation area (Federal Register notice 77 (17) FR 4170, January 26, 2012). Previous knowledge of leatherback turtle use of US EEZ waters in the Pacific Northwest came primarily from opportunistic sightings from platforms of opportunity, telemetry deployments that originated from western Pacific nesting beaches (Benson et al. 2007a; 2011), and a previous systematic survey conducted during 2010. This region also includes a time-area closure off southern California that is to be triggered by warm water anomalies (50 CFR 660.713(c)(2)). This regulation was developed as result of a reasonable and prudent alternative following a formal consultation process as required by Section 7 of the ESA. NMFS developed the rule using information from the fishery observer program for the California drift gillnet fishery, in which all entanglements of loggerhead turtles occurred within a particular sea surface temperature range (15.6 to 22.2 C). On July 25, 2014, NMFS published notification of an in-season closure for the DGN fishery through the end of August to protect loggerheads in the southern California Bight (79 FR 43268). Based on late spring/early summer forecasts by the Climate Prediction Center, which included an El Nio watch, NMFS determined that oceanographic conditions, including anomalously warm sea surface temperatures, warranted the closure. This was the first-ever implementation of this time-area closure, and has resulted in significant attention from commercial fishers, environmental groups, and state and federal agencies regarding the importance southern Californian waters for endangered loggerhead turtles. Little information is available on population abundance and spatial distribution of loggerhead turtles off southern California and how they may change during warm water periods. However, reports of loggerhead turtle sightings from divers and recreational fishers have increased in recent years and the rate of loggerhead strandings along the U.S. west coast is at an all-time high, indicating a regular presence of loggerheads off the coast (NMFS Turtle Stranding Database). Additionally, the Assistant Administrator for NMFS Protected Resources at the West Coast Regional Office has determined that a thorough re-examination of loggerhead time-area closure is a top priority; therefore, this survey is important and timely, given the current anomalously warm water temperatures off southern California.; abstract: Aerial surveys are conducted along the US west coast to determine distribution and abundance of endangered leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), and harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Surveys are conducted in waters between US/Mexico and US/Canada maritime borders, west to the 2000m isobath for leatherbacks, up to 122.8W for loggerheads, and in nearshore waters (approx 200m isobath) between central California and southern Oregon for harbor porpoise. This region includes the Pacific leatherback conservation area (Federal Register notice 77 (17) FR 4170, January 26, 2012). Previous knowledge of leatherback turtle use of US EEZ waters in the Pacific Northwest came primarily from opportunistic sightings from platforms of opportunity, telemetry deployments that originated from western Pacific nesting beaches (Benson et al. 2007a; 2011), and a previous systematic survey conducted during 2010. This region also includes a time-area closure off southern California that is to be triggered by warm water anomalies (50 CFR 660.713(c)(2)). This regulation was developed as result of a reasonable and prudent alternative following a formal consultation process as required by Section 7 of the ESA. NMFS developed the rule using information from the fishery observer program for the California drift gillnet fishery, in which all entanglements of loggerhead turtles occurred within a particular sea surface temperature range (15.6 to 22.2 C). On July 25, 2014, NMFS published notification of an in-season closure for the DGN fishery through the end of August to protect loggerheads in the southern California Bight (79 FR 43268). Based on late spring/early summer forecasts by the Climate Prediction Center, which included an El Nio watch, NMFS determined that oceanographic conditions, including anomalously warm sea surface temperatures, warranted the closure. This was the first-ever implementation of this time-area closure, and has resulted in significant attention from commercial fishers, environmental groups, and state and federal agencies regarding the importance southern Californian waters for endangered loggerhead turtles. Little information is available on population abundance and spatial distribution of loggerhead turtles off southern California and how they may change during warm water periods. However, reports of loggerhead turtle sightings from divers and recreational fishers have increased in recent years and the rate of loggerhead strandings along the U.S. west coast is at an all-time high, indicating a regular presence of loggerheads off the coast (NMFS Turtle Stranding Database). Additionally, the Assistant Administrator for NMFS Protected Resources at the West Coast Regional Office has determined that a thorough re-examination of loggerhead time-area closure is a top priority; therefore, this survey is important and timely, given the current anomalously warm water temperatures off southern California.

This data is a statewide compilation of California's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Study Regions. As part of a comprehensive effort to sustain marine habitats and fisheries, the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) of 1999 directed the State to redesign California’s system of marine protected areas (MPAs) to function as a network. To facilitate planning, the MLPA Initiative, a public-private partnership, was formed and the state was divided into five planning regions (four coastal and the San Francisco Bay), each with its own MPA planning process. All four coastal regions have now completed their individual planning processes, leading to the statewide implementation of California's MPA network along the coast. Options for a planning process in the fifth and final region, the San Francisco Bay, have been developed for consideration at a future date. Twenty MPAs and six special closures were implemented in the north coast region, from the California/Oregon border to Alder Creek (near Point Arena), on December 19, 2012. Twenty-five MPAs and six special closures were implemented in the north central coast region, from Alder Creek (near Point Arena) to Pigeon Point, on May 1, 2010. Twenty-nine MPAs were implemented in the central coast region, from Pigeon Point to Point Conception, on September 21, 2007. Fifty MPAs and two special closures were implemented in the south coast region, from Point Conception to the California-Mexico border, on January 1, 2012. The shoreline provided in this feature is a general approximation of the mean high tide line at the time of implementation. However, it is important to note that it is not based on any elevation (tidal) data and was hand drawn based on best available aerial imagery at the time. Due to the dynamic nature of coastal environments, these boundaries may not accurately reflect the current condition or exact demarcations of the coastline. The offshore boundary is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) three nautical mile maritime limit published on charts at that time.

These data sets include a compilation of aerial line-transect surveys conducted over continental shelf waters of the Gulf of Mexico since 1992. The majority of these surveys are targeted to assess the abundance and spatial distribution of bottlenose dolphins and sea turtles between the Texas/Mexico border and the Florida Keys. Surveys are conducted in high-winged twin engine aircraft flying at altitudes of 600-750 feet. Visual observations of marine mammals, sea turtles, birds, and other species are recorded including species identifications, counts of animals. Surveys are conducted along line transects oriented perpendicular to the shoreline and follow protocols consistent with analysis using Distance approaches to estimate detection probability and abundance. These data have been used to provide abundance estimates for target species in annual Marine Mammal Protection Act Stock Assessment Reports.

Abstract: This data set was acquired during an OBS seismic refraction study of the deep crustal structure along the northern margin of the Gulf of Mexico. The fieldwork was conducted from October to December 2010 with M/V Iron Cat operated by Reservoir Geophysical under cruise ID IC1010, and chief scientists were Harm Van Avendonk and Gail Christeson. Four long-offset seismic refraction lines on the northern (U.S.) margin were collected. Airguns fired from the vessel were recorded on the seafloor by four-component ocean-bottom seismometers that had been supplied by the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics in Austin (UTIG) and by Geopro GmbH, Hamburg. The four seismic refraction lines all cross the margin from the shallow water near the coast to the deep water near the U.S.A.-Mexico maritime border. The data files are in SEG-Y format and were generated as part of the GUlf of Mexico Basin Opening (GUMBO) project.