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NOAA Fisheries
Office of Protected Resources
Acropora palmata thicket on Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Andy Bruckner, 1996Coho salmon painting, Canadian Dept of Fisheries and OceansMonk seal, C.E. BowlbyHumpback whale, Dr. Lou Herman
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Laws & Policies
Endangered Species Act
Text of the ESA
ESA Policies, Guidances, and Regulations
Marine Mammal Protection Act
Text of the MMPA
MMPA Policies, Guidances, and Regulations
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Endangered Species Act Policies, Guidances, and Regulations


ESA (general): Interagency Cooperative Policy
Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date
Interagency Cooperative Policy for the Ecosystem Approach [pdf]
(59 FR 34274; July 1, 1994)
1994
Interagency Cooperative Policy on Information Standards [pdf]
(59 FR 24271; July 1, 1994)
1994
Interagency Cooperative Policy for Peer Review [pdf]
(59 FR 34270; July 1, 1994)
1994
Interagency Cooperative Policy Regarding the Role of State Agencies [pdf]
(59 FR 34275; July 1, 1994)
1994


Listing (ESA Section 4)
»more info on the Listing program
Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 4 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan Guidance 2008 [pdf]
Revision of Candidate Species Definition 2006 [pdf]

5-Year Review Guidance and Template


2006 [pdf]
[3.9 MB]
Hatchery Listing Policy for Pacific salmonids 2005 [pdf]
Establishment of the Species of Concern List
(69 FR 19975; April 15, 2004)
2004 [pdf]
Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts (PECE)
(68 FR 15100; March 28, 2003)
2003 [pdf]
Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances and Safe Harbor Agreements
(64 FR 32726; June 17, 1999)
1999 [pdf]
Petition Management Guidance (FWS and NMFS) 1996 [pdf]
Recognition of Distinct Vertebrate Population Segments (DPS) Under the Endangered Species Act (FWS and NMFS)
(61 FR 4722; February 7, 1996)
1996 [pdf]
Applying the Definition of Species to Pacific Salmon (ESU Policy)
(56 FR 58612; November 20, 1991)
1991 [pdf]
[1.4 MB]
Guidelines on species priority for listing and recovery
(55 FR 24296; June 15, 1990)
1990 [pdf]


Recovery (ESA Section 4)
»more info on the Recovery program

Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 4 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan Guidance 2008 [pdf]
Interim Recovery Planning Guidance for Threatened and Endangered Species (latest update- June 2010; updated sections indicated on Title Page)

--Appendices to Interim Recovery Planning Guidance for Threatened and Endangered Species
2007 [pdf]



[pdf]
[7.4 MB]
5-Year Review Guidance and Template
»more info on 5-year reviews
2006 [pdf]
[3.9 MB]
Controlled Propagation Policy for ESA-Listed Species 2000 [pdf]
Interagency Cooperative Policy on Recovery Plan Participation and Implementation Under the ESA 1994 [pdf]
Superceded Recovery Planning Guidelines 1992 [pdf]


Interagency Consultation (ESA Section 7)
»more info on the Interagency Consultation program

Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 7 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and NMFS, agree to revoke the 2004 National Fire Plan* Counterpart Regulation Alternative Consultation Agreements (ACAs)
(76 FR 61090; October 3, 2011)
2011 [pdf]
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
(69 FR 47732; August 5, 2004)
2004 [pdf]
National Fire Plan*
(68 FR 68254; December 8, 2003)
2003 [pdf]

Guidance on Alternative Approaches for Streamlining Section 7 Consultation on Hazardous Fuels Treatment Projects. Issued October 11, 2002
(68 FR 1628; January 13, 2003)

2003 [pdf]
Guidance on Evaluating the Net Benefit of Hazardous Fuels Treatment Projects. Issued December 10, 2002
(68 FR 1629; January 13, 2003)
2003 [pdf]
Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between EPA, FWS, and NMFS to enhance coordination under the Clean Water Act and the ESA for section 7 consultations
(66 FR 11202; February 22, 2001)
2001 [pdf]
Improving Coordination of ESA Section 7 Consultation with the FERC Licensing Process 2000 [pdf]

ESA Section 7 Consultation Handbook

1998 [pdf]
[1.2 MB]


Permits & Habitat Conservation Plans (ESA Section 10)
»more info on the Permit & HCP program

Policy/Guidance/Regulation Date Document
ESA Section 10 Regulations 2005 [pdf]
"No Surprises" Rule
(63 FR 8859; February 23, 1998)
1998 [pdf]
Safe Harbor Policy
(64 FR 32717; June 17, 1999)
1999 [pdf]

Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Handbook
» U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service HCP Handbook website

1996 [pdf]
[4.6 MB]
--Addendum to the HCP Handbook: 5-Point Policy
(65 FR 35242; June 1, 2000)
2000 [pdf]

Updated: March 9, 2012

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