Humpback Whale (Central America DPS)

Critical habitat for the Central America DPS of humpback whales includes all marine waters within these designated areas: (1) Washington. The nearshore boundary is defined by the 50-meter (m) isobath, and the offshore boundary is defined by the 1,200-m isobath relative to mean lower low water (MLLW). Critical habitat also includes waters within the U.S. portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to an eastern boundary line at Angeles Point at 123 degrees 33 minutes. (2) Oregon. The nearshore boundary is defined by the 50-m isobath. The offshore boundary is defined by the 1,200-m isobath relative to MLLW; except, in areas off Oregon south of 42 degrees 10 minutes, the offshore boundary is defined by the 2,000-m isobath. (3) California. The nearshore boundary is defined by the 50-m isobath relative to MLLW except, from 38 degrees 40 minutes N to 36 degrees N, the nearshore boundary is defined by the 15-m isobath relative to MLLW; and from 36 degrees N to 34 degrees 30 minutes N, the nearshore boundary is defined by the 30-m isobath relative to MLLW. North of 40 degrees 20 minutes N, the offshore boundary of the critical habitat is defined by a line corresponding to the 2,000-m isobath, and from 40 degrees 20 minutes N to 38 degrees 40 minutes N, the offshore boundary is defined by the 3,000-m isobath. From 38 degrees 40 minutes N southward, the remaining areas have an offshore boundary defined by a line corresponding to the 3,700-m isobath. Critical habitat does not include manmade structures (e.g., ferry docks, sea plane facilities) and the land on which they rest within the critical habitat boundaries. Critical habitat does not include the following particular areas owned or controlled by the Department of Defense, or designated for its use, where they overlap with the critical habitat: (1) Pursuant to ESA section 4(a)(3)(B), all areas subject to the Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, CA, and the Naval Outlying Field, San Nicolas Island, CA approved Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans (INRMPs); (2) Pursuant to ESA section 4(b)(2), the Quinault Range Site (QRS) with an additional 10-km buffer that extends along the southern edge of the QRS and along the northern edge of the QRS except in areas past 10-km into the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Please see the final rule for additional information.

Spatial data for designated critical habitat of the humpback whale (Central America DPS) published in 86 FR 21082 on April 21, 2021.

These data are not the official legal definition of critical habitat. The Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR 226.227) is the source for the legal definition of the critical habitat designation. These data should not be used for enforcement or navigation.

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