The offshore benthic map of Biscayne National Park was characterized using 13 mapping classes (14 if including the Florida shoreline) based on and digitized in UTM, NAD83, zone 17N, using a 0.5-hectare (ha; 1.2-acres [ac]) minimum mapping unit (MMU) for all habitats. Where possible, patch reefs and soft-to-hardbottom interfaces were mapped to finer detail than the 0.5-hectare (1.2-ac) MMU. The benthic map is composed of 8,152 polygons which total 31,475 hectares (77,776 ac) All previously unknown areas (3,128 hectares [7,729 ac]) were mapped and classified. Each of the polygons in the map was individually inspected and adjusted if necessary. A subsequent accuracy assessment confirmed the revised benthic map met NPS accuracy standards with an exact accuracy of 80.2% (lower 90% CL=75.4%), and an acceptable accuracy of 94.4% (lower 90% CL=91.2%). The new benthic habitat map and corresponding datasets will serve as a new baseline inventory to support future studies and to facilitate management decisions within Biscayne National Park.

For more information please access the Biscayne National Park offshore benthic mapping project report found here: https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2238539