Who is involved in conserving EFH and how does it work?

NOAA Fisheries and the eight regional Fishery Management Councils must identify and describe Essential Fish Habitat for each managed species using the best available science. This process consists of identifying specific areas and the habitat features within them that provide essential functions to a particular species for each of its life stages. Those areas designated as EFH for each species are documented in fishery management plans EFH Designation & Identifications. For example, the Gulf of Mexico FMC has developed text, tables, and maps that allow for easy identification and location of areas designated as EFH. These descriptions are useful tools that make the EFH consultation process easier for all parties involved.

The identification process has many opportunities for public involvement, providing fishermen the ability to contribute their knowledge about the use of habitat by fish. For example, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council developed a process for the designation of HAPCs that allowed the public and stakeholder groups to nominate specific locations for future HAPC designations. Ultimately, the Council designated HAPC sites from among the publicly nominated locations. Such an approach was intended to increase participation and support for EFH and HAPCs as important and effective habitat protection tools.

Once NOAA Fisheries and the Councils identify and describe EFH for each species, they must assess the fishing practices in their regions to determine if the resulting impacts on habitat are more than minimal or not temporary in nature. If the Councils determine such impacts exist, they must take steps to minimize these impacts. Restricting the use of certain fishing gears from specific areas is one way to reduce or eliminate impacts on habitat from fishing. The Northeast Regional Office convened a fishing gear impacts workshop to determine the effects of certain fishing gears on various habitats. A panel of experts of benthic ecology, fishery ecology, geology, fishing gear technology, and fisheries gear operations assessed current research, ranked impacts by gear type and habitat, and recommended measures to minimize adverse impacts. The workshop aided the New England and Mid-Atlantic FMCs in developing measures to reduce gear impacts on vulnerable habitats.

Any Federal Agency that takes an action that could adversely affect EFH by reducing the quantity or quality of habitat must work with NOAA Fisheries to identify impacts. NOAA Fisheries must then provide recommendations for conserving the habitat and reducing the impact of that action.