78949 Pacific Coast Groundfish EFH Project Published / External 17981 FRAM (Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring) Division Project In Work 2026-01-09 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. Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords DOC/NOAA/NMFS/NWFSC > Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords DOC/NOAA/NMFS/WCRO > West Coast Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > AGRICULTURAL AQUATIC SCIENCES > FISHERIES Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS > USE/FEEDING HABITATS Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category biota Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category environment Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category imageryBaseMapsEarthCover Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category oceans Theme NGDA Portfolio Themes Biodiversity and Ecosystems Theme Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > CALIFORNIA Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > OREGON Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > WASHINGTON Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN Northwest Fisheries Science Center Seattle WA USA Montlake facility Project No Distributor 2026-03-02 Organization Northwest Fisheries Science Center NWFSC nmfs.nwfsc.metadata@noaa.gov https://ror.org/05r7z1k40 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle WA 98112 USA 206-860-3200 https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov NWFSC Home Online Resource Distributor 2006-06-12 Organization West Coast Regional Office WCRO 501 West Ocean Blvd Long Beach CA 90802-4213 https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/ Point of Contact 2026-02-04 Person Whitmire, Curt curt.whitmire@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9176-1486 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle WA 98112 USA Process Contact 2025-05-06 Person Whitmire, Curt curt.whitmire@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9176-1486 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle WA 98112 USA Publisher 2025-05-06 Person Whitmire, Curt curt.whitmire@noaa.gov https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9176-1486 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle WA 98112 USA Monday - Friday, 0900-1700 Pacific Time Zone 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. -129.162414 -117.093899 49.00226 30.923504 Extent of the polygon depicting the designated Pacific coast groundfish essential fish habitat extent, as described in 50 CFR 660.75 https://www.habitat.noaa.gov/application/efhinventory/index.html 2006-06-12 Organization West Coast Regional Office westcoast_efh.zip Zipped ESRI shapefile containing polygon shapes depicting the Pacific Coast groundfish essential fish habitat boundary 2025-10-01T11:53:08 Shapefile 8898 Esri ArcGIS 13.5.0.57366 Zip Not Chked EFH essential fish habitat HAPC habitat areas of particular concern NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NWFSC Northwest Fisheries Science Center PFMC Pacific Fishery Management Council SWFSC Southwest Fisheries Science Center WCR West Coast Region 79362 Data Set 79367 Data Set 18425 Data Set Cross Reference The Habitat Use Database (HUD) was specifically designed to address the need for habitat-use analyses in support of groundfish EFH, HAPCs, and fishing and nonfishing impacts components of the 2005 groundfish EFH Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The 2005 EIS was part of a periodic review of groundfish EFH by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The outcomes of that review are detailed in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan for the California, Oregon, and Washington Groundfish Fishery. June 2006, as Revised through Amendment 19. 39359 Data Set Cross Reference 39488 Data Set Cross Reference gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:78949 Curt Whitmire 2026-01-10T00:00:23 SysAdmin InPortAdmin 2026-08-19T18:33:20 2026-03-20 Northwest Fisheries Science Center NWFSC 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle WA 98112 USA 206-860-3200 https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov 1001 Public No 2025-05-27 1 Year 2026-05-27