akgfmaps
September 30, 2025 ยท View on GitHub
The akgfmaps package is used to vector geometries that are commonly needed for mapping and spatial analysis in Alaska marine management areas, marine statistical areas, and fishery-independent survey regions in Alaska.
The package includes:
- Groundfish and crab bottom trawl survey areas in the eastern Bering Sea shelf (EBS), eastern Bering Sea slope (BSS), northern Bering Sea (NBS), eastern Chukchi Sea (ECS), Gulf of Alaska (GOA), and Aleutian Islands (AI).
- Longline survey areas in the BSS, GOA, and AI.
- National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) statistical area layer.
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) management and statistical area layer.
- Alaska Ecosystem Status Report (ESR) area and subarea layers.
- Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (BSIERP) area layer.
- Historical International North Pacific Fisheries Commission (INPFC) groundfish area layer for the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska.
- Functions for common spatial tasks performed by Alaska fisheries researchers (e.g. generating two-dimensional grids in multiple coordinate reference systems, producing qualitative distribution maps in the EBS and NBS).
Please submit an issue if you encounter problems or errors with the package.
See NEWS for information about package updates.
Installation
The package can installed for R versions >= 4.0 using the using the following code:
library(remotes)
install_github("afsc-gap-products/akgfmaps", build_vignettes = TRUE)
Spatial data are saved locally during package installation. Therefore, the package must be re-installed to access new spatial data when they are updated.
Vignettes
Vignettes can be accessed using:
browseVignettes('akgfmaps')
Download GeoPackages
akgfmaps primarily uses GeoPackages (.gpkg) for storing spatial data. GeoPackages can store vector and raster data in a single SQLite database file. They support large datasets, rich attribute types, and full Unicode, which makes them suitable for long-term data management and helps to ensure attributes in spatial data are consistent with other AFSC data products. Some data sets have not been converted to GeoPackages.
Please note that both current and historical spatial data sets are included in the package. The contents of the GeoPackages gets updated over time due to improvements in bathymetry information, changes in survey coverage, error corrections, and other factors (NEWS). Therefore, it is recommended that users access spatial data using the most recent package release to ensure up-to-date spatial data are used for analysis. However, users can also access and download GeoPackages directly:
- GAP bottom trawl survey features (current and historical): Survey areas, groundfish strata, and stations/grids for the EBS shelf, NBS, EBS Slope, GOA, AI, and Chukchi Sea. Contains both current and historical features.
- GAP bottom trawl survey features by region (current): Current survey areas, groundfish strata, and stations/grids by region. Only current features.
- EBS/NBS crab strata: Current EBS/NBS crab strata.
- Coastline: Coastline polygons for Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia.
- Bathymetry: Compiled 1x1 km raster and 50-3000 m bathymetry contours (description).
Vector data in the package
The table below lists the vector data (polygons, lines, and points) in the package by region (AI = Aleutian Islands, BSS = eastern Bering Sea Slope, ECS = eastern Chukchi Sea, GOA = Gulf of Alaska, NBS = Northern Bering Sea, SEBS = southeastern Bering Sea continental shelf).
| Region | Layer | Function | Contributor/Creator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | Alaska Coastline (1:63360) - Full | get_base_layers() | Alaska DNR | Link |
| All | Alaska Coastline (1:63360) - Simplified | get_base_layers() | Alaska DNR | Link |
| All | Russia Coastline | get_base_layers() | A. Grieg (AFSC Ret.) | |
| All | Canada Coastline | get_base_layers() | A. Grieg (AFSC Ret.) | |
| All | ADFG Statistical/Management Areas | get_adfg_areas() | M. Callahan (PSMFC/AKFIN) | Link |
| All | NMFS Statistical Areas | get_nmfs_areas() | A. Jahn (AKRO) | Link |
| All | Ecosystem Status Report Areas/Subareas | get_esr_regions() | M. Callahan (PSMFC/AKFIN) | Link |
| All | North Pacific bathymetry (0-3000 m) | get_base_layers() | Multiple sources | Description |
| AI | Bottom trawl survey area | get_base_layers() | N. Laman (AFSC) | |
| AI | Groundfish survey strata | get_base_layers() | N. Laman (AFSC) | |
| AI | Bottom trawl survey grid | get_base_layers() | N. Laman (AFSC) | |
| AI/BSS/GOA | Longline survey stations | get_base_layers() | K. Echave (AFSC) | Link |
| AI/BSS/GOA | Longline survey strata | get_base_layers() | K. Echave (AFSC) | Link |
| AI/BSS/GOA | Longline survey area | get_base_layers() | K. Echave (AFSC) | Link |
| BSS/NBS/SEBS | BSIERP Regions | get_bsierp_regions() | M. Callahan (PSMFC/AKFIN) | Link |
| BSS | Groundfish survey area | get_base_layers() | A. Grieg (AFSC Ret.) | |
| BSS | Groundfish survey strata | get_base_layers() | A. Grieg (AFSC Ret.) | |
| ECS | Bottom trawl survey area | get_base_layers() | B. Lauth (AFSC Ret.) | |
| ECS | Bottom trawl survey grid | get_base_layers() | B. Lauth (AFSC Ret.) | |
| GOA | Bottom trawl survey area | get_base_layers() | N. Laman (AFSC) | |
| GOA | Groundfish survey strata | get_base_layers() | N. Laman (AFSC) | |
| GOA | Bottom trawl survey grid | get_base_layers() | N. Laman (AFSC) | |
| NBS | Bottom trawl survey area | get_base_layers() | J. Conner (AFSC) | Link |
| NBS | Groundfish survey strata | get_base_layers() | J. Conner (AFSC) | Link |
| NBS | Bottom trawl survey grid | get_base_layers() | J. Benson (AFSC Ret.) | |
| NBS | Norton Sound RKC strata | get_crab_strata() | E. Ryznar (AFSC) | |
| SEBS | Bottom trawl survey area | get_base_layers() | J. Conner (AFSC) | Link |
| SEBS | Groundfish survey strata | get_base_layers() | J. Conner (AFSC) | Link |
| SEBS | Bottom trawl survey grid | get_base_layers() | J. Benson (AFSC Ret.) | |
| SEBS | Bristol Bay RKC strata | get_crab_strata() | E. Ryznar (AFSC) | |
| SEBS | EBS Snow crab strata | get_crab_strata() | E. Ryznar (AFSC) | |
| SEBS | EBS Tanner crab strata | get_crab_strata() | E. Ryznar (AFSC) | |
| SEBS | Pribilof Island BKC strata | get_crab_strata() | E. Ryznar (AFSC) | |
| SEBS | Pribilof Island RKC strata | get_crab_strata() | E. Ryznar (AFSC) | |
| SEBS | St. Matthew's BKC strata | get_crab_strata() | E. Ryznar (AFSC) |
Legal disclaimer
This repository is a software product and is not official communication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), or the United States Department of Commerce (DOC). All NOAA GitHub project code is provided on an 'as is' basis and the user assumes responsibility for its use. Any claims against the DOC or DOC bureaus stemming from the use of this GitHub project will be governed by all applicable Federal law. Any reference to specific commercial products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply their endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the DOC. The DOC seal and logo, or the seal and logo of a DOC bureau, shall not be used in any manner to imply endorsement of any commercial product or activity by the DOC or the United States Government.
Bathymetric data in akgfmaps are not to be used for navigation. For navigation products, please refer to U.S. Nautical Charts available from the NOAA Office of Coast Survey (https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/).