Pacific Coast Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat

This project includes datasets related to Pacific Coast groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH). Datasets were developed by the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

This project is intended as a repository for datasets that inform consultations and periodic reviews of Pacific Coast groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH) by NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region and the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Montlake facility

Essential fish habitat (EFH) is defined as those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding or growth to maturity (16 U.S.C. 1802 (10)). EFH for Pacific Coast Groundfish includes all waters and substrate within areas with a depth less than or equal to 3,500 m (1,914 fm) shoreward to the mean higher high water level or the upriver extent of saltwater intrusion (defined as upstream and landward to where ocean-derived salts measure less than 0.5 parts per thousand during the period of average annual low flow). Seamounts in depths greater than 3,500 m (1,914 fm) are also included due to their ecological importance to groundfish. Geographically, EFH for Pacific Coast groundfish includes both a large band of marine waters that extends from the Northern edge of the EEZ at the U.S. border with Canada to the Southern edge of the EEZ at the U.S. border with Mexico, and inland within bays and estuaries. The seaward extent of EFH is consistent with the westward edge of the EEZ for areas approximately north of Cape Mendocino. Approximately south of Cape Mendocino, the 3500 m depth contour and EFH is substantially shoreward of the seaward boundary of the EEZ. There are also numerous discrete areas seaward of the main 3500 m depth contour where the ocean floor rises to depths less than 3500 m and therefore are also EFH. The seaward boundary of EFH and additional areas of EFH are defined by straight lines connecting a series of latitude and longitude coordinates in §§ 660.76 through 660.79.