EFH are designated by NOAA Fisheries and the regional fishery management councils for species managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
In the Gulf of America, on the southern edge of the West Florida Shelf, Pulley Ridge has been identified as HAPC, within areas of EFH. The GIS data and maps for the Pulley Ridge fishing restricted area can be found at: Pulley Ridge HAPC Gulf of America Fishery Management Area.
These maps and corresponding Geographic Information Systems (GIS) shapefile data represent EFH in the Gulf of America. The 2005 Generic EFH Fishery Management Plan Amendment (see link below) should be consulted for specific information on habitats identified as EFH. Esri's ArcGIS software or Google Earth can be used to open GIS shapefiles. Google Earth can also be used to open zipped KML (KMZ) files to view the designated management areas. Click here to download Google Earth. Metadata (information about the GIS shapefile data) is available in XML or an easy-to-read HTML format.
2005 Generic EFH Fishery Management Plan Amendment
For more information or questions about this data please contact the GIS Coordinator at nmfs.ser.gis.coordinator@noaa.gov.
*Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” (Jan. 20, 2025), directs that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America. Gulf of America references in this website refer to the same area as the Gulf of Mexico in the applicable regulations under 50 CFR parts 216–219, 222–226, and 600–699. The name change did not result in any changes to, and had no effect on the applicability or enforceability of, any existing regulations. This website continues to use “Gulf of Mexico” when quoting statutes, existing regulations, or previously published materials.
