Loggerhead sea turtle Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS critical habitat for use in ESA/FIFRA consultations

Critical habitat constitutes areas considered essential for the conservation of a listed species. These data identify, in general, the critical habitat units for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment of Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), providing notice to the public and managers of the importance of the areas to the conservation of this species.The purpose of these data is to visually represent the critical habitat areas for GIS analysis and display.

This spatial data file was modified from NMFS’s “agency-official” species critical habitat data to aid in the ESA/FIFRA section 7 pesticide consultation process. For example, existing data were adapted to incorporate associated watersheds where applicable, based on the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset HUC-12 data (https://www.usgs.gov/national-hydrography/watershed-boundary-dataset). The modifications to the NMFS critical habitat spatial data make the data more compatible for future analyses with EPA’s Use Data Layers (UDLs). The following “Description” is from the original, “agency-official” data that was used to make this HUC-based map. Most of the metadata record for this species matches the “agency-official” record; however, NMFS added a new "Citation", "File Identifier", “Credits”, “Point of Contact”, and “Lineage Process Step” that are unique to this HUC-based critical habitat data.

The spatial data contained herein and their associated coordinates are not the legal source for determining the critical habitat boundaries described in this dataset, but are used to identify areas which contain the physical and biological features essential to the conservation of the species or areas otherwise determined to be essential. Inherent in any dataset used to develop graphical representations, are limitations of accuracy as determined by, among others, the source, scale and resolution of the data. While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Fisheries Service has made every effort to represent the critical habitat data contained herein as completely and accurately as possible (given existing time and resource constraints), NOAA's Fisheries Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. In addition, NOAA's Fisheries Services shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the spatial data described and/or contained herein. Graphical representations provided by the use of these data do not represent a legal description of the critical habitat boundary. The user is referred to the critical habitat textual description in the appropriate final rule for this species as published in the Federal Register. These data are to be used only in the context of the definition and purpose of critical habitat. This primarily relates to Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act. These data may be used for planning and management purposes. They are not to be used for legal survey use. Please refer to Federal Register Citation Number Vol. 79, pg. 39855, published July 10, 2014 for the legal critical habitat information.

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