Seafloor Characterization
Mapping and understanding the physical and biological characteristics of the seafloor.
Benthic Habitat Mapping
Our team is well-versed in coupling high resolution geophysical data and groundtruth imagery to develop and visualize the distribution of benthic habitats. Final benthic habitat delineations are mapped and used to inform project micrositing decisions, permitting documents, and the design of comprehensive benthic monitoring plans, as well as to augment regional seafloor mapping projects. Benthic habitat mapping is also a critical component of determining effects on essential fish habitat during EFH consultations.
Mapping the distribution of benthic habitats to aid in project siting and impact assessments by pairing scientific rigor with a refined understanding of data of permitting and management needs.
Our team of scientists and data specialists couple geophysical layers and groundtruth SPI/PV imagery to delineate habitats and identify regions of sensitive and/or valuable benthic habitats. Our fisheries scientists crosswalk these mapped benthic habitats to designated EFH and provide valuable impact assessments.
We provide detailed maps and an interactive visualization tool describing the benthic habitats associated with the project boundaries, along with geophysical and ground-truth data. These deliverables are used to facilitate EFH consultation and subsequently inform project siting, permitting conditions, and monitoring plans.
Related Projects
Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative Regional Sediment Mapping
We developed a regional sediment distribution model using publicly available data and machine learning algorithms. This pilot project was conducted in collaboration with the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative and included input from regional experts, as well as recommendations for data sharing and model improvement in the future. This study culminated in a peer-reviewed manuscript: Mapping seafloor sediment distributions using public geospatial data and machine learning to support regional offshore renewable energy development (Capizzano et al. 2024).
Benthic Habitat Mapping Serves Across Project Lifespan
Elements and Utilization of Benthic Habitat Mapping
Habitat Classification
Categorizing benthic habitats based on their physical structure, sediment type, and biological communities.
Categorizing benthic habitats based on their physical structure, sediment type, and biological communities.
Habitat mapping to ensure environmental impacts are avoided, minimized
Habitat mapping to support project design and micrositing infrastructure to avoid and minimize impacts to sensitive habitats in offshore wind lease areas.
Habitat mapping to support project design and micrositing infrastructure to avoid and minimize impacts to sensitive habitats in offshore wind lease areas.
Habitat mapping visualization tool, the Popup, faciliates EFH consultation
Our interactive visualization tool, the Popup, has proved vital to facilitate discussions with federal agencies on essential fish habitat distributions within the context of project-specific design elements.
Our interactive visualization tool, the Popup, has proved vital to facilitate discussions with federal agencies on essential fish habitat distributions within the context of project-specific design elements.
Detailed habitat mapping to inform post-permitting compliance documents
Benthic habitat maps are critical to ensure compliance requirements are met; we use these maps to support the development of anchoring plans, micrositing plans, and scour and cable protection plans.
Benthic habitat maps are critical to ensure compliance requirements are met; we use these maps to support the development of anchoring plans, micrositing plans, and scour and cable protection plans.
Habitat mapping informs benthic monitoring
Habitat mapping results feed into the development of hypotheses regarding the expected response and influence of the native benthic habitats to offshore wind installation and operations.
Habitat mapping results feed into the development of hypotheses regarding the expected response and influence of the native benthic habitats to offshore wind installation and operations.
Other Services
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Assessments
Benthic Resource Assessments
Nature Based Design
Benthic Monitoring Plans and Implementation
Foundation and Secondary Cable Protection Inspections
Marine Growth Services
Habitat Creation and Restoration
Sediment Profile Imaging/Plan View (SPI/PV) Surveys
Towed Video Surveys
ROVs, High Resolution Video & 3D Photogrammetry
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Surveys
Regulatory Support Services
We provide trusted expert support with a proven track record of success