Safe Harbor Agreements

Safe Harbor Agreements are voluntary agreements between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and cooperating non-Federal landowners. In exchange for landowner activities that result in a net conservation benefit to listed species, such as habitat restoration activities, special management practices, or reintroductions, Safe Harbor Agreements provide landowners with an enhancement of survival permit or 10 (a)(1)(A) permit and assurances that their covered activities will not be constrained by or result in additional Endangered Species Act restrictions. The enhancement of survival permit we issue authorizes the landowner, if while conducting covered activities, to incidentally take listed species included in the agreement . The permit also authorizes the landowner to return to established baseline conditions at the end of the agreement period. Covered activities in Safe Harbor Agreements vary and some examples include on-going ranching operations, routine installation of equipment, maintenance of created or existing ponds, and on-going land uses such as farming.

For more information, see the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Safe Harbor Agreement page.

For more questions, contact:

Eric Morrissette
VFWO Safe Harbor Program Coordinator

By phone: (805) 644-1766, ext. 223

By mail:
2493 Portola Road, Suite B
Ventura, CA 93003