The health of living marine resources is dependent upon the health of their habitat. However, human activities can change, degrade, or destroy these habitats and the biodiversity associated with them.
Habitat degradation is an important factor in the decline of many protected species and fish stocks.
Through research, consultation, and permit reviews, NOAA Fisheries seeks to protect these habitats from human-caused degradation while increasing our understanding of the interactions among living marine resources and the ecosystems they inhabit. We will use this increased understanding to develop the ability to manage resources by focusing on the entire ecosystem rather than on individual species or ecosystem components. Where habitat loss has already occurred, NOAA Fisheries can effect a positive change through restoration of degraded habitats and creation of new habitat in areas that were previously unavailable or inadequate for use by living marine resources. These restoration efforts also counter-act continuing unavoidable losses of habitat. Please note that our efforts to identify and conserve essential fish habitat are discussed under Objective 2.