Coastal Services Center

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Gulf and Caribbean Region: Estero Bay, Florida 2000 Benthic Habitat Data Set

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This project was initiated by South Florida and Southwest Florida Water Management Districts, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The geographic extent of the study area includes Pine Island Sound, Matlacha Pass, San Carlos Bay, and Estero Bay, in Lee County, Florida. Benthic habitat data from this project will be used to support research and habitat characterizations as part of Florida's Blueways program, which addresses both the scientific and human use aspects of the environment. The program applies spatial analysis principles to ecological processes and integrates this data with sociological data to manage coastal resources more effectively. In addition, the Water Management Districts will utilize this data for long-term trend analysis.

The Center funded the image acquisition and mapping through a competitive grant in 2000. The Center also performed final spatial and thematic validations of the benthic habitat data in the fall of 2001.

For more information and access to the data, please visit the Florida Marine Research Institute Web site.

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