Pilot boarding areas are locations at sea where pilots familiar with local waters board incoming vessels to navigate their passage to a destination port. Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register in foreign trade with specific draft characteristics. Pilot boarding areas are represented by a 0.5 nautical mile radius around a coordinate point unless the Coast Pilot specifically designates a different radius or boarding area boundary. This dataset does not contain information regarding the hazards and considerations necessary to approach each port. The primary source material is the United States Coast Pilot. Additional information was derived from the Office of Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management’s pilot boarding area dataset, which consists of information acquired from pilot associations in 2009. Northeast Ocean Data plans to engage with pilot associations in 2014 to confirm the location and boarding area sizes in order to finalize the dataset. This datasets is intended to support region-scale ocean planning activities. Applied Science Associates. (2014). Pilot Boarding Areas, Northeast United States, 2009-2013. Northeast Ocean Data. Available at: http://purl.stanford.edu/yh313jp8747. Not to be used for navigation This layer is presented in the WGS84 coordinate system for web display purposes. Downloadable data are provided in native coordinate system or projection.