Critical Habitat
Recent Regulatory Changes
Loggerhead Turtle
Northwest Atlantic DPS
Beluga Whale
(Cook Inlet)
Alaska
Killer Whale
(Southern Residents)
Northwest U.S.
Green Turtle
Culebra Island,
Puerto Rico
Chinook Salmon
California, Oregon, Washington
Steelhead Trout
California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho
Critical habitat is defined as 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
- outside the geographical area occupied by the species if the agency determines that the area itself is essential for conservation.
Critical Habitat Maps
NOTE: The critical habitat maps provided here are for illustrative purposes only. Textual descriptions of critical habitats, which are provided in the associated Federal Register notices (see links below), are the definitive sources for determining critical habitat boundaries. Map and Federal Register notice links are PDF files.
GIS Files
GIS files for critical habitat (shape files and XML metadata) are also available (see links below).
Marine Mammals
| Map | Year | Federal Register | GIS files |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beluga Whale | 2011 | 76 FR 20180 | Go to Data [zip] |
| Hawaiian Monk Seal | 1988, 1986, 2015 |
53 FR 18988, 51 FR 16047, 80 FR 50925 |
Go to Data [zip] (excluded areas - [zip]) (ineligible areas - [zip]) |
|
Killer Whale (Southern Resident)
|
2006 | 71 FR 69054 |
Go To Data [zip] |
| North Atlantic Right Whale | 1994, 2016 |
59 FR 28805, 81 FR 4837 |
Go to Data (Northeast) Go to Data (Southeast) |
| North Pacific Right Whale | 2008, 2006 |
73 FR 19000, 71 FR 38277 |
Go to Data [zip] |
| Proposed Ringed Seal | 2014 | 79 FR 73010 | Go to Data [zip] |
| Steller Sea Lion | 1993 | 58 FR 45269 | Go to Data [zip] (Alaska) Go to Data [zip] (West Coast) |
Sea Turtles*
| Map | Year | Federal Register | GIS files |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Turtle | 1998 | 63 FR 46693 | Go to Data |
| Hawksbill Turtle | 1998 | 63 FR 46693 | Go to Data |
| Leatherback Turtle (U.S. Virgin Islands) | 1979 | 44 FR 17710 | Go to Data |
| Leatherback Turtle (U.S. West Coast) » Biological Report » Economic Report |
2012 | 77 FR 4170 | Go to Data [zip] |
| Loggerhead Turtle (Northwest Atlantic) | 2014 |
|
Go to Data [zip] |
*Petition accepted to revise leatherback sea turtle critical habitat off the coast of Puerto Rico (76 FR 25660, May 5, 2011)
Marine and Anadromous Fishes
**Under the ESA, "species" includes subspecies, or, for vertebrates only, "distinct population segments (DPSs)". Pacific salmon are listed as "evolutionarily significant units (ESUs)", which are essentially equivalent to DPSs for the purpose of the ESA.
Marine Plants & Invertebrates
| Map | Year | Federal Register | GIS files |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Abalone | 2011 | 76 FR 66806 | Go to Data [zip] |
| Elkhorn Coral | 2008 | 73 FR 72210 | Go to Data |
| Staghorn Coral | 2008 | 73 FR 72210 | Go to Data |
| Johnson's seagrass | 2000 | 65 FR 17786 | Go to Data |
Critical Habitat Designations
Critical habitat designations must be based on the best scientific information available, in an open public process, within specific timeframes.
A critical habitat designation does not set up a preserve or refuge; it applies only when Federal funding, permits, or projects are involved. Under Section 7 of the ESA, all Federal agencies must ensure that any actions they authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species, or destroy or adversely modify its designated critical habitat.
Critical habitat requirements do not apply to citizens engaged in activities on private land that do not involve a Federal agency.
Before designating critical habitat, careful consideration must be given to the economic impacts, impacts on national security, and other relevant impacts. The Secretary of Commerce may exclude an area from critical habitat if the benefits of exclusion outweigh the benefits of designation, unless excluding the area will result in the extinction of the species concerned.
More Information
Updated: June 6, 2016
