Integrating enhanced satellite data maps into coastal management

Coastal areas continue to be popular destinations for tourists as well as for a large population who now reside year-round near coasts and whose size is predicted to grow steadily. Along with rapid growth in recreational and commercial marine activities, this increase in coastal development also brings issues related to urban runoff, water quality, beach access, and marine ecosystem health. All of these factors contribute to an increase in pressure on the living marine biota found in coastal waters. Coastal managers are therefore faced with the dual task of conserving and protecting marine resources as well as allowing for multiple uses within nearshore waters.