Advancing Model-Based Essential Fish Habitat Descriptions for North Pacific Species in the Aleutian Islands

The MSA defines EFH as those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity (50 CFR 600.10). EFH regulations require that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Fishery Management Councils (Councils) describe and identify EFH for managed species and minimize to the extent practicable the adverse effects of anthropogenic activities (e.g., fishing, mineral and oil extraction, coastal development). As part of this requirement, EFH text descriptions and maps (EFH component 1, descriptions and identification) are necessary for each life stage of species in an FMP (50 CFR 600.815(a)(1)) with an overarching consideration that the science related to this effort meets the standards of best available science (NMFS National Standard 2 – Scientific Information 50 CFR 600.315). There are two separate and complementary FMPs for managing groundfishes and crabs in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area.