South Atlantic

Listed Species Scientific Name Status Date Listed

Marine Mammals

blue whale Balaenoptera musculus Endangered 12/02/70

finback whale Balaenoptera physalus Endangered 12/02/70

humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae Endangered 12/02/70

North Atlantic right 

whale Eubalaena glacialis Endangered 12/02/70

sei whale Balaenoptera borealis Endangered 12/02/70

sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Endangered 12/02/70

Turtles

green sea turtle Chelonia mydas Threatened1 07/28/78

hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelys imbricata Endangered 06/02/70

Kemp's ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii Endangered 12/02/70

leatherback sea turtle Dermochelys coriacea Endangered 06/02/70

loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta Threatened2 09/22/11

Fish

shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum Endangered 03/11/67

smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata Endangered 04/01/03

Invertebrates

elkhorn coral Acropora palmata Threatened 5/9/06

staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis Threatened 5/9/06

Seagrasses

Johnson’s seagrass Halophila johnsonii Threatened 09/14/98

 1 Green turtles are listed as threatened, except for breeding populations of green turtles in Florida and on the Pacific Coast of 

Mexico, which are listed as endangered

2 Northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWA) DPS. On September 22, 2011, NMFS and USFWS issued a final rule changing the listing of 

loggerhead sea turtles from a single, threatened species to nine distinct population segments (DPSs) listed as either threatened or 

endangered (FR 76 58868). The NWA DPS was listed as threatened.

Endangered and Threatened Species and Critical Habitats

under the Jurisdiction of the NOAA Fisheries Service
South Atlantic

Designated Critical Habitat

Final rules, critical habitat maps, and corresponding GIS data can be found at:

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/GISDataandMaps.htm

North Atlantic right whale: Between 31°15'N (approximately the mouth of the Altamaha 

River, Georgia) and 30°15'N (approximately Jacksonville, Florida) from the coast out to 

15 nautical miles offshore; the coastal waters between 30°15'N and 28°00'N 

(approximately Sebastian Inlet, Florida) from the coast out to 5 nautical miles.

Johnson’s seagrass: A final rule designating Johnson’s seagrass critical habitat was 

published on April 5, 2000 (65 FR 17786) and 10 geographic areas (units) within the 

range of the species were identified along the east coast of Florida.

Green sea turtle: The waters extending seaward 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) from the 

mean high water line of Culebra Island, Puerto Rico.

Hawksbill sea turtle: The waters extending seaward 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) from the 

mean high water line of Mona and Monito Islands, Puerto Rico

Leatherback sea turtle: The waters adjacent to Sandy Point, U.S. Virgin Islands, up to 

and inclusive of the waters from the hundred fathom curve shoreward to the level of 

mean high tide with boundaries at 17°42'12"N and 64°50'00"W.

Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals: All waters in the depths of 98 ft (30 m) and shallower to: 

(1) the 6 ft (1.8 m) contour from Boynton Inlet, Palm Beach County, to Government Cut, 

Miami-Dade County; and the mean low water (MLW) line from Government Cut south to 

82° W longitude in Monroe County; (2) the MLW line in Puerto Rico and associated 

Islands; (3) the MLW line in St. John/St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; and (4) the MLW line in St. 

Croix, U.S.V.I. Within these specific areas, the essential feature consists of natural 

consolidated hard substrate or dead coral skeleton that are free from fleshy or turf 

macroalgae cover and sediment cover. 
South Atlantic

Candidate Species3 Scientific Name

Fish

alewife herring Alosa aestivalis

Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrhynchus oxyrhynchus

blueback herring Alosa pseudoharengus

scalloped hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini

Invertebrates

boulder star coral Montastraea annularis

boulder star coral Montastraea franksi

elliptical star coral Dichocoenia stokesii

Lamarck’s sheet coral Agaricia lamarcki

mountainous star coral Montastraea faveolata

pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus

rough cactus coral Mycetophyllia ferox

Species of Concern4 Scientific Name

Fish

dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus

key silverside Menidia conchorum

mangrove rivulus Rivulus marmoratus

Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus

opossum pipefish Microphis brachyurus lineatus

sand tiger shark Carcharias taurus

speckled hind Epinephelus drummondhayi

striped croaker Bairdiella sanctaeluciae

warsaw grouper Epinephelus nigritus

Invertebrates

ivory tree coral Oculina varicosa

 3 Candidate species are those petitioned species that are actively being considered for listing as endangered or threatened under 

the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as those species which NMFS has initiated an ESA status review. 4 Species of Concern are not protected under the Endangered Species Act, but concerns about their status indicate that they may

warrant listing in the future. Federal agencies and the public are encouraged to consider these species during project planning so 

that future listings may be avoided. For more information please visit: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/SOC.htm