Reef & Banks Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) Map & GIS Data

Map of reef and banks essential fish habitat, habitat area of particular concern in the Gulf of Mexico.

EFH are designated by NOAA Fisheries and the regional fishery managment councils for species managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. 

The following areas have been identified as reef and bank HAPCs within areas of EFH in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico shelf: East and West Flower Garden Banks; Stetson Bank; 29 Fathom; MacNeil; Rezak Sidner Bank; Rankin Bright Bank; Geyer Bank; McGrail Bank; Bouma Bank; Sonnier Bank; Alderice Bank; and Jakkula Bank. The HAPCs within the Gulf of Mexico, which have fishing restrictions include: the North and South Tortugas Marine Reserves; East and West Flower Garden Banks; Florida Middle Grounds; Madison-Swanson Marine Reserve; Pulley Ridge (area closed to fishing); Stetson Bank; and McGrail Bank. The GIS data and maps for the fishing restricted areas can be found at: Southeast Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Maps.

These maps and corresponding Geographic Information Systems (GIS) shapefile data represent EFH in the Gulf of Mexico. 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.