Topic
Culture & Recreation
Culture & Recreation data include the locations of sites and areas on coastal lands and offshore that have cultural, historical, and/or recreational importance and may be relevant for ocean planning. One potential use of the data within the Culture & Recreation topic is to identify stakeholders that are using areas in the ocean for cultural and recreational purposes. In this way, the data within the Culture & Recreation topic can be viewed as a directory of groups and entities to contact prior to proposing a new or expanded ocean use in an area. This topic includes data depicting beaches, shipwrecks, historical recreational use study results, and four additional data subtopics: Federally managed natural and historical areas, Tribes, Parks and Reserves, Boating, Whale Watching, and SCUBA.
Latest Updates
30-Jun-2022: Added whale watching data for the mid-Atlantic region.
28-Apr-2021: Updated whale watching and SCUBA data in collaboration with local industry, stakeholders, and experts.
Data Providers and Sources
- Bronx River Alliance
- Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Maine Dept. of Agriculture
- Maine Historic Preservation Commission
- Maine Island Trail Association
- Massachusetts Office of Fishing and Boating
- Massachusetts Historical Commission
- National Park Service
- New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning
- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
- NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program
- NOAA Office of Coast Survey
- Point 97
- Reef Environmental Education Foundation
- Rhode Island Blueways
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
- Rhode Island Geographic Information System
- Rhode Island Historic Preservation Office
- Rhode Island Sea Grant Program
- Rivers Alliance of Connecticut
- SeaPlan
- South Shore Blueway
- Surfrider
- The Nature Conservancy
- US EPA
Subtopic
Federally Managed Natural and Historical Areas
Data within this subtopic include sites and areas listed in the National Register of Historic Places, proposed and existing National Marine Sanctuaries, National Parks, and other federally managed lands. The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) was established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The NRHP database is a listing of sites (e.g., buildings, objects) and areas (e.g., large properties, districts) that have cultural or historical significance and are noteworthy for preservation.
Data Considerations
The National Register of Historic Places dataset is a compilation from state databases. Currently the map shows NRHP locations only in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. NRHP data for New Hampshire and Connecticut are not shown on the map because spatial datasets for those states are currently being developed. The NRHP sites in this dataset are from individual state databases/sources. Some NRHP sites may be missing from this dataset. However, states are working on updating their databases/datasets, and this regional dataset will be updated as states provide updates. Users must consult with appropriate State and/or Tribal Preservation Offices in the identification and evaluation of historic properties as stated under the National Preservation Act. This regional dataset compiled by Northeast Ocean Data serves as a baseline for identifying NRHP; users must confirm with appropriate State and/or Tribal Preservation Offices for official listings under the National Register of Historic Places. For more information and current listings of NRHP, please be directed to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places website.
Status
NRHP data were current as of 2015. Other datasets within this subtopic were reviewed in 2024 and 2025.
Examples of Data
- National Park Service Boundaries
- National Register of Historic Places: Sites and Landmarks
- National Register of Historic Places: Districts and Properties
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
- Hudson Canyon Proposed National Marine Sanctuary Reference Area
- National Estuarine Research Reserve System
- USFWS National Realty Tracts
Subtopic
Tribes
This subcategory contains Federally Recognized Tribal Locations. The NROC Tribal Caucus may add layers to this subcategory over time.
Status
The NROC Tribal Caucus meets multiple times throughout the year to consider data and information for inclusion on the Portal.
Subtopic
Parks and Reserves
Data within this subtopic are a subset of The Nature Conservancy’s 2024 Secured Areas dataset. The subset on the Portal shows coastal lands (within a 10-kilometer buffer of the shoreline from Maine to New York) owned by governments (local, state, federal, Tribes), private, and other entities that are permanently secured against conversion to development through a variety of designations. The complete version of the Secured Areas dataset is available online along with a detailed report, and additional information.
Data Considerations
TNC compiled these data from state, federal, and private sources and assigned a GAP Status and other standard attribute fields to the best of our ability. GAP status is a classification developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reflect the intent of the landowner or easement holder. GAP 1 and 2 are commonly thought of as “protected” for nature, while GAP 3 are “multiple use” lands. Other temporary conservation easement lands and/or protected open space without a conservation value or intent are assigned GAP 4. The Secured Areas dataset is a TNC product created primarily for estimating current extent and status of secured lands with a conservation focus, GAP 1-3. Any updates, corrections, or discrepancies with respect to official versions of source federal, state, or local protected areas databases should be viewed as provisional until such time as such changes have been reviewed and accepted by the official data stewards for those other protected areas databases. Please see metadata for more information. Please be advised that not all sites found in The Nature Conservancy’s secured lands dataset and the dataset provided on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal are publicly accessible.
Status
Final dataset leverages a 2024 database from The Nature Conservancy; reviewed in 2026.
Examples of Data
- Parks and Reserves — Federal
- Parks and Reserves — State
- Parks and Reserves — Local
- Parks and Reserves — Private
- Parks and Reserves – Tribal
- Parks and Reserves — Other
Subtopic
Boating
The Boating subcategory includes several layers meant to help depict the footprint of recreational boating activities in the Northeast U.S.
The locations of boat launches and pumpout facilities are provided by each New England state. Each layer represents sites for public access maintained by the states.
Several layers and summary products were developed in the early 2010s by the Northeast Regional Planning Body (All Recreational Boater Activities, Recreational Boating Density, Recreational Boating Routes, Distance Sailing Races, Board and Paddle Events) and are grouped within an Archived Boating Data folder, given their age.
Data Considerations
The datasets resulting from surveys conducted in the early 2010s are considered out of date but included in the Archived Boating Data folder for reference purposes. Recreational Boating Density and Recreational Boater Routes result from the 2012 Northeast Recreational Boater Survey conducted by SeaPlan, the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC), states’ coastal agencies, marine trade associations composed of many private industry representatives, and the U.S. Coast Guard First District. Distance Sailing Races were characterized as part of the Northeast Coastal and Marine Recreational Use Characterization Study which was conducted by SeaPlan, the Surfrider Foundation, and Point 97. Boat launches and pumpout facilities data are maintained by the states.
Status
As of early 2026, NROC is working with several partners to update the maps of recreational boating and fishing activity for inclusion on the Portal.
Examples of Data
- Maine Boat Launches
- New Hampshire Access Sites to Public Waters
- Rhode Island Fishing and Boating Access
- Connecticut Boat Launches
Subtopic
Whale Watching
Whale watching layers depicts areas mapped by whale watch industry experts in 2020, using the Northeast Coastal and Marine Recreational Use Characterization Study (conducted in 2015 by SeaPlan, the Surfrider Foundation, and Point 97 under the direction of the Northeast Regional Planning Body) as a starting point. Whale watch owners, operators, naturalists, and data managers attended multiple webinars to review and discuss updates to the original data to best depict where whale watching takes place in the region, while also providing information about seasonality, species, and overall industry trends. Experts generally sought to depict whale watching activity in the last decade (2010-2020) by highlighting areas of general use, dominant use, supplemental areas, and transit routes. RI Ocean Special Area Management Plan areas were mapped as part of the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management plan and are symbolized separately to reflect different data collection methodologies.
Data Considerations
This map also shows the locations of whale watching entities in the region who have been invited to participate in data development and review. Clicking on the point locations will reveal the name of the entity, its location, and website URL. Users are encouraged to consult the metadata for additional details.
Status
These are final data products, representing the results of an expert working group in 2020.
Examples of Data
- Commercial Whale Watching Areas
- Whale Watching Locations
Subtopic
SCUBA
SCUBA diving data were collected through several methods which include outreach to the SCUBA diving community and mining existing data sources. Data were initially collected as part of the Northeast Coastal and Marine Recreational Use Characterization Study which was conducted by SeaPlan, the Surfrider Foundation, and Point 97 under the direction of the Northeast Regional Planning Body from 2014-2016. Additional dive site data from the REEF voluntary fish survey were added in 2021 and updated in 2023.
Data Considerations
This map depicts generally well-known SCUBA diving areas, such as wrecks, artificial reefs, and other marine habitats, as mapped by SCUBA diving experts and locations identified in online and published SCUBA guides and associated literature. While the dataset is thought to provide a thorough representation of where SCUBA diving is likely to take place in the region, it does not purport to represent the location of every location where SCUBA diving could take place. While man-made structures, such as wrecks and artificial reefs are finite in number, there are additional, enumerable sites that, while important to divers, may lack specific boundaries and which might not be known by many divers. Some locations have been buffered to address data confidentiality and site sensitivity concerns.
Status
These are final data products, representing data compiled in the early 2020s.
Examples of Data
- Recreational SCUBA Diving Areas
- REEF Dive Sites and Reports