For more information contact: 

Marta Nammack,

National Endangered Spec

Listing Coordinator

National Marine Fisheries 

Office of Protected Resou

301.713.1401

http://www.nmfs.noaa.go

David MacDuffee, 

Essential Fish Habitat

Acting National Coordinator

National Marine Fisheries Service

Office of Habitat Conservation

301.713.4300 

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/

habitatprotection/efh/index.htm

Summary comparison of differences

What is the regulatory impact of EFH and CH? For EFH: Conservation 

recommendations provided by NMFS to other 

Federal agencies on impacts to EFH are advisory. 

However, if the Federal agency does not adopt 

the recommendations in its required response 

to NMFS it must provide a written explanation 

of its decision. If the consulting Federal agency 

incorporates NMFS’ recommendations as permit 

conditions, the permitee must comply with the 

conditions. For CH: Any terms or conditions 

or reasonable and prudent alternatives issued in a 

NMFS biological opinion must be adhered to by 

the consulting Federal agency. If those conditions 

or alternatives are not implemented, the agency is 

deemed out of compliance with the opinion and 

any destruction or adverse modification of CH 

would be unauthorized. 

What about salmon? A few species, such as some Pacific salmon, are part of Federally 

managed fisheries and also have populations listed 

as endangered or threatened. These Pacific salmon 

have both designated CH and EFH, which may be 

similar, but often are not identical. Critical habitat 

was designated for Pacific salmon beginning in 

1991. Essential fish habitat for Pacific salmon was 

identified and described in 1998 for marine and 

freshwater areas and extends from the Exclusive 

Economic Zone into freshwater streams. 

There is a good deal of overlap between designated EFH and CH in the freshwater 

environment. To streamline the consultation 

process, NMFS attempts to conduct EFH and ESA 

Section 7 consultations in conjunction with each 

other whenever possible.

Essential Fish 

Habitat

Critical Habitat

Statutory 

authority

MagnusonStevens Fishery 

Conservation and 

Management Act 

(MSA)

Endangered Specie

Types of species All Federally 

managed fish 

under the MSA

Species listed as 

threatened or 

endangered under 

ESA

Number of 

species

Nearly 1,000 

species and their 

various life stages

64 species listed 

as threatened or 

endangered by NM

36 of which have 

designated CH

Federal 

consultations

NMFS provides 

conservation 

recommendations 

to other Federal 

agencies

NMFS provides 

mandatory terms 

and conditions or 

reasonable and pru

measures to other 

Federal agencies

Where to look 

for maps and 

descriptions

Essential fish 

habitat must 

be described, 

identified, and 

mapped in 

Federal Fishery 

Management 

Plans

Critical habitat m

designated and ma

through regulation

published in the C

of Federal Regulat

EFH-CH Handout Final 3-1-07.indd1-2 1-2 
Essential fish habitat (EFH) is identified for species managed in Fishery 

Management Plans under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservatio

and Management Act. Essential fish habitat is the habitat necessary for 

managed fish to complete their life cycle, thus contributing to a fishery 

that can be harvested sustainably. EFH applies to each life stage of 

approximately 1,000 managed species. Different life stages of the same 

species often use different habitats. The National Marine Fisheries Servic

(NMFS) has interpreted through regulation that EFH must be described 

and identified for each federally managed species at all life stages for whic

information is available. 

How is EFH designated? Essential fish habitat must be described and identified in Fishery Management Plans. In 2002, NMFS began to 

require that the plans also contain maps of EFH. To facilitate access to 

EFH information, NMFS has made many of the EFH descriptions and 

maps available via the Web at: 

 

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/habitatprotection/efh/index.htm

What protections does EFH designation provide? The MagnusonStevens Act requires NMFS to work with other Federal agencies 

to conserve and enhance EFH. As a result, whenever Federal agencies 

authorize, fund, or carry out actions that may adversely impact EFH, they 

must consult with NMFS regarding the impact of their activities on EFH. 

NMFS must provide the consulting Federal agency with EFH conservatio

recommendations for any action that would adversely affect EFH. Within 

30 days of receiving these recommendations, the consulting action agencie

must provide a detailed response in writing to NMFS that includes 

measures proposed to avoid, minimize, or offset the impact of proposed 

activities on EFH.

What is 

Essential Fish Habitat?

EFH-CH Handout Final 3-1-07.indd3-4 3-4 
Essential fish habitat (EFH) is identified for species managed in Fisher

Management Plans under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservatio

and Management Act. Essential fish habitat is the habitat necessary for 

managed fish to complete their life cycle, thus contributing to a fishery 

that can be harvested sustainably. EFH applies to each life stage of 

approximately 1,000 managed species. Different life stages of the same 

species often use different habitats. The National Marine Fisheries Servic

(NMFS) has interpreted through regulation that EFH must be described 

and identified for each federally managed species at all life stages for whic

information is available. 

How is EFH designated? Essential fish habitat must be described and identified in Fishery Management Plans. In 2002, NMFS began to 

require that the plans also contain maps of EFH. To facilitate access to 

EFH information, NMFS has made many of the EFH descriptions and 

maps available via the Web at: 

 

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/habitatprotection/efh/index.htm

What protections does EFH designation provide? The MagnusonStevens Act requires NMFS to work with other Federal agencies 

to conserve and enhance EFH. As a result, whenever Federal agencies 

authorize, fund, or carry out actions that may adversely impact EFH, the

must consult with NMFS regarding the impact of their activities on EFH

NMFS must provide the consulting Federal agency with EFH conservatio

recommendations for any action that would adversely affect EFH. Withi

30 days of receiving these recommendations, the consulting action agenci

must provide a detailed response in writing to NMFS that includes 

measures proposed to avoid, minimize, or offset the impact of proposed 

activities on EFH.

What is 

Essential Fish Habitat?

EFH-CH Handout Final 3-1-07.indd3-4 3-4 
For more information contact: 

Marta Nammack,

National Endangered Specie

Listing Coordinator

National Marine Fisheries S

Office of Protected Resource

301.713.1401

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/

David MacDuffee, 

Essential Fish Habitat

Acting National Coordinator

National Marine Fisheries Service

Office of Habitat Conservation

301.713.4300 

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/

habitatprotection/efh/index.htm

Summary comparison of differences:

What is the regulatory impact of EFH and CH? For EFH: Conservation 

recommendations provided by NMFS to other 

Federal agencies on impacts to EFH are advisory. 

However, if the Federal agency does not adopt 

the recommendations in its required response 

to NMFS it must provide a written explanation 

of its decision. If the consulting Federal agency 

incorporates NMFS’ recommendations as permit 

conditions, the permitee must comply with the 

conditions. For CH: Any terms or conditions 

or reasonable and prudent alternatives issued in a 

NMFS biological opinion must be adhered to by 

the consulting Federal agency. If those conditions 

or alternatives are not implemented, the agency is 

deemed out of compliance with the opinion and 

any destruction or adverse modification of CH 

would be unauthorized. 

What about salmon? A few species, such as some Pacific salmon, are part of Federally 

managed fisheries and also have populations listed 

as endangered or threatened. These Pacific salmon 

have both designated CH and EFH, which may be 

similar, but often are not identical. Critical habitat 

was designated for Pacific salmon beginning in 

1991. Essential fish habitat for Pacific salmon was 

identified and described in 1998 for marine and 

freshwater areas and extends from the Exclusive 

Economic Zone into freshwater streams. 

There is a good deal of overlap between designated EFH and CH in the freshwater 

environment. To streamline the consultation 

process, NMFS attempts to conduct EFH and ESA 

Section 7 consultations in conjunction with each 

other whenever possible.

Essential Fish 

Habitat

Critical Habitat

Statutory 

authority

MagnusonStevens Fishery 

Conservation and 

Management Act 

(MSA)

Endangered Species 

Types of species All Federally 

managed fish 

under the MSA

Species listed as 

threatened or 

endangered under th

ESA

Number of 

species

Nearly 1,000 

species and their 

various life stages

64 species listed 

as threatened or 

endangered by NMF

36 of which have 

designated CH

Federal 

consultations

NMFS provides 

conservation 

recommendations 

to other Federal 

agencies

NMFS provides 

mandatory terms 

and conditions or 

reasonable and prud

measures to other 

Federal agencies

Where to look 

for maps and 

descriptions

Essential fish 

habitat must 

be described, 

identified, and 

mapped in 

Federal Fishery 

Management 

Plans

Critical habitat mus

designated and map

through regulations 

published in the Co

of Federal Regulatio

EFH-CH Handout Final 3-1-07.indd1-2 1-2