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    • Massachusetts Seagrass 1996

    Metadata Updated: February 12, 2026

    These data represent submerged aquatic vegetation, primarily eelgrass (Zostera marina), along the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts. This data collection was a partnership between the Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) at NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Wetlands Conservancy Program, and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management.

    Conventional color metric aerial photography was acquired from 1994 to 1996 at a scale of 1:20,000, according to stringent parameters detailed in the C-CAP protocol. The photography was photointerpreted using a biocular stereoscope, and eelgrass was then delineated onto acetate overlays affixed to each photograph. In addition, a point file was generated based on field-verified sites as well as all occurrences of widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) and algae. Extensive fieldwork, including underwater video, was conducted to develop signatures and gather surface-level data where the presence or extent of habitat was not apparent from the photography.

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

    Partners: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Wetlands Conservancy Program and the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date February 4, 2026
    Metadata Created Date February 12, 2026
    Metadata Updated Date February 12, 2026
    Reference Date(s) February 17, 2026 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOS OCM

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date February 4, 2026
    Metadata Created Date February 12, 2026
    Metadata Updated Date February 12, 2026
    Reference Date(s) February 17, 2026 (publication)
    Responsible Party NOAA Office for Coastal Management (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:78512
    Access Constraints Cite As: Office for Coastal Management, [Date of Access]: Massachusetts Seagrass 1996 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/78512., Use Constraints: These data were created for planning and management. Users should be aware of temporal changes that may have occurred since the collection of original source data sets., Distribution Liability: Any conclusions drawn from the analysis of this information are not the responsibility of NOAA, the Office for Coastal Management or its partners. All content is licensed under the CC0 1.0 Universal public domain dedication.
    Bbox East Long -69.9244
    Bbox North Lat 42.683
    Bbox South Lat 41.2596
    Bbox West Long -71.1545
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned
    Harvest Object Id ccbd5e94-facc-474a-87c8-019eb34b1690
    Harvest Source Id c0121fd9-df15-4168-ac04-42f6e36a794d
    Harvest Source Title NOS OCM
    Licence NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose.
    Lineage
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-71.1545, 41.2596], [-69.9244, 41.2596], [-69.9244, 42.683], [-71.1545, 42.683], [-71.1545, 41.2596]]]}
    Progress completed
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System EPSG::4269
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 1994
    Temporal Extent End 1996

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