Addition of Pre-Prepared Database for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Atlantic Canada and Vessel Traffic Data
This issue is raised to propose the integration of pre-prepared datasets, one for each Marine Protected Area (MPAs) in the closest proximity to Atlantic Canada, into the AISdb repository. The MPAs of interest include Banc-des-Américains, Basin Head, Eastport, Gilbert Bay, The Gully, Laurentian Channel, Musquash Estuary, and St. Anns Bank (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/mpa-zpm/index-eng.html).
In conjunction with the MPA data, it is suggested to delineate a bounding box that extends 20 kilometers beyond the defined boundaries of these MPAs. Here are the official bounding boxes (https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/a1e18963-25dd-4219-a33f-1a38c4971250). This bounding box aims to encapsulate vessel traffic data spanning six months, specifically from July 2022 to January 2023.
The proposed enhancement is anticipated to augment the repository's capacity to provide comprehensive insights into vessel traffic patterns near these protected areas. This, in turn, is expected to contribute significantly to marine conservation initiatives by offering a more robust understanding of human activity in these sensitive regions.
Cheers!