Critical Habitat on the West Coast
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act requires that Federal agencies must ensure that any activities they authorize, fund or carry out are not likely to destroy or adversely modify the designated critical habitat of a listed species.
Critical habitat is defined as: (1) specific areas within the geographical area occupied by the species at the time of listing, if they contain physical or biological features essential to conservation, and those features may require special management considerations or protection; and (2) specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by the species if the agency determines that the area itself is essential for conservation.
NOAA Fisheries designates critical habitat by determining the conservation value of particular areas and balancing the benefits of designation against its impacts (e.g., economic, national security). The proposed designation then goes through a period of public comment before the final rule is published and critical habitat is designated. Learn More...
Species with Critical Habitat
Critical Habitat Maps & GIS Data
Other Marine Species
Federal Register Notices
Final Designations
1993 Snake river salmon 2.5MB
1999 Snake River spring/summer run Chinook salmon revision 41kb
1993 Stellar sea lions 1.7MB
1999 Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon 110kb
2005 Salmon & Steelhead Designations
2006 Southern Resident killer whales 1.2MB
2006 North Pacific right whale 1.2MB
2008 North Pacific right whale 525kb
2009 Green sturgeon 983kb
2010 Leatherback turtle 712kb
2011 Eulachon 812kb
2011 Black Abalone 2.8 MB
2014 Puget Sound rockfish 2.55 MB