Waterborne cargo contributes more than $742b to the U.S. economy, and creates employment for more than 13 million people. To keep the marine transportation system functioning efficiently and safely, NOAA annually prioritizes areas that need hydrographic surveys. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey has released the 2010 edition of the NOAA Hydrographic Survey Priorities. NOAA prioritizes areas in need of surveying in order to maximize limited resources. In the 1990s, the agency examined the 3.4 million square nautical miles (SNM) of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for navigational significance, and determined that approximately 500,000 SNM of the EEZ are navigationally significant. Of those significant areas, NOAA identified approximately 43,000 SNM as critical areas.
