These data were developed to support ecosystem-based management in the Humboldt Bay region. The focus of the mapping effort was on shallow water benthic habitats with particular concern for eelgrass meadows. The study area covers Arcata (North) Bay, Entrance Bay, South Bay, and the Eel River Delta in Humboldt County, California.

Humboldt Bay is the largest estuary north of San Francisco Bay and represents a significant resource for the north coast region. Beginning in 2007, NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, in partnership with the California Sea Grant Program and other local organizations, initiated an ecosystem-based management project for the bay. A key component of this project was the establishment of subtidal habitat goals to guide long-term management and provide a framework for conservation efforts across the land-sea interface. The collection of imagery and subsequent delineation of benthic habitat were essential steps for developing and implementing ecosystem-based management in Humboldt Bay's subtidal zone. Collectively, these efforts establish an important and replicable data and information framework crucial for ecosystem-based coastal and marine conservation planning and implementation.

The layers available within the data download include biotic, field_point_sample, geoform, and substrate.

Partners: California Sea Grant, Humboldt State University, California State University, California Department of Fish and Game, California Coastal Conservancy, California Sea Grant, The Nature Conservancy, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Geological Survey