MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING BIOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS IN THE NORTHEAST AND MID-ATLANTIC REGIONS: GAP ANALYSIS AND FITNESS FOR MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) has emerged as a spatial and ecosystem-based planning framework to manage competing sectors in an increasingly crowded ocean. The goal of MSP is to find win-win scenarios for sectors competing for space or to minimize the conflict. Since MSP is place-based, regions are mandated to “use the best available data.” The collection of geospatial biological data is particularly difficult given the dynamic nature of the ocean and difficulty in observing and tracking marine species. This study examines the fitness of current geospatial biological data for use in MSP in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions by examining the spatiotemporal resolutions, of current and future data products. Results show the spatial discrepancies, temporal biases and outlines potential consequences and strengths. Together, these results can be used to inform policy-makers about the quality of their data for use in regional MSP processes.