Catch-In-Areas Main

The Catch-In-Areas database integrates catch data from the Catch Accounting System (which has the spatial resolution of a NMFS Reporting Area) into a database that resolves the GIS data into polygons of approximately 7.5 km. In unrestricted outside waters, sixty four grid IDs fit inside one state statistical area. A state statistical area is = degree in latitude and one degree in longitude block. The 7.5 km grid size was picked for two reasons 1) we were likely to pick up at least one 30 minute VMS ping for a vessel running at fishing speed; and 2) the size (.125 degree latitude) is perfectly divisible in geographic coordinates so they fit perfectly inside a state statistical area. The grid polygons are often further divided into smaller polygons by the boundary of state statistical areas, the boundary of state and federal waters, or by the boundary of Steller sea lion critical habitat (broken out at 3, 6, 10, and 20 nautical miles from each of the 154 Steller sea lion rookeries and haulouts). Where confidentiality and mapping is an issue, seven-kilometer polygon are pre-coded for grouping into (3x3) 23km polygons. Each grid-id can queried individually or by sets of pre-coded attributes, such as reporting area and distance from Steller sea lion sites.

[
  "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/akro/dmp/pdf/27363.pdf"
]