Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Maritime Boundaries

Fisheries and Oceans Canada provides spatial data for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Subareas, Divisions, and Subdivisions. The dataset is derived from the 2020 NAFO Convention and uses the NAD83 datum. It is intended for mapping and illustrative purposes, not for legal use.

Use Cases

• Map NAFO Subdivisions for fisheries management and scientific reporting in the Northwest Atlantic.
• Overlay NAFO Divisions with catch data to analyze fishing activity by regulatory zone.
• Use NAFO Subarea boundaries for oceanographic research and habitat modeling in the region.

Strengths

• Based on the official 2020 NAFO Convention document.
• International boundaries are updated using coordinates accepted between the USA, Canada, and Greenland.
• Available in multiple geospatial formats including SHP, CSV, and ESRI REST services.

Limitations

• The spatial representation is not intended for legal purposes, limiting its use in regulatory enforcement.
• The datum used (NAD83) differs from the historical datum (NAD27) referenced at the time of the Convention's development.
• No sample data or column schema is provided, complicating initial data exploration.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in collaboration with the NAFO Secretariat and the Canadian Hydrographic Service.

Collection Method

Spatial representation updated based on the 2020 NAFO Convention and accepted international boundary coordinates.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Northwest Atlantic Ocean, covering areas managed by NAFO including waters of Canada, the USA, and Greenland.