Critical habitat includes all marine waters within the delineated boundaries. For the inland waters of Washington state (2006 designation), the contiguous shoreline is defined by the line at a depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) relative to extreme high water. For the coastal marine waters along the U.S. west coast (2021 revision), the contiguous shoreline is defined by the line at a depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) relative to mean high water. See the final rules (71 FR 69054 and 86 FR 41668) for descriptions of areas excluded from this critical habitat designation. For the inland waters of Washington state (2006 designation), military areas excluded due to national security impacts were not clipped out of the data.For the coastal marine waters along the U.S. west coast (2021 revision), military areas excluded due to national security impacts (i.e., the Quinault Range and its 10 kilometer buffer) were clipped out of the data.

The eastern population of the North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) is the most endangered stock of whales in the world, with recent abundance estimates indicating a population size of approximately 30 animals. Photo-identification of the naturally occurring callosity patterns on the chin, rostrum, lips and post blowhole, and the lip and fluke trailing edge crenulations together represent a nonintrusive technique for obtaining information on their life history parameters, distribution and movements, stock structure, health assessment, and population size. As part of a study funded by the Minerals Management Service and North Pacific Research Board, a North Pacific right whale photo-identification catalog has been established using sighting data recorded since the late 1970s by various dedicated surveys and opportunistic sighting platforms. Date, time, position, photographer, picture quality and notes are documented for each of the approximately 1,780 photographs in the catalog. Within the catalog, there are 18 individual animals with both a high-quality left and right side oblique photograph or a high-quality aerial photograph of the head and dorsal surface; this should be considered the conservative minimum number of individuals catalogued. There are nine other animals with a high quality left or right oblique photograph, but not both. There are eight additional animals with the full suite of required photographs, but the images are of poor quality and cannot be reliably matched. Seven individuals were seen between years (over a period of 11 years), and one of those whales was seen in five separate years within that same period. Data from this catalog have been used to calculate the first abundance estimates for the population. Additionally, the first known match between high and low latitudes (the Bering Sea and Hawaii) was discovered in the catalog. Tracking the within- and between-year sighting histories of photo-identified individuals over decades broadens our knowledge of how these animals use their habitat, and can significantly assist the conservation and management of the species.

These data represent Seasonal Mangagement Area locations where regulations implement speed restrictions in shipping areas at certain times of the year along the coast of the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. The purpose of the regulations is to reduce the likelihood of deaths and serious injuries to endangered North Atlantic right whales that result from collisions with ships as designated by 73 FR 60173, October 10, 2008, Rules and Regulations. Sunset clause removed 78 FR 73726, December 9, 2013

The Beluga whale critical habitat, which includes the Upper Estuary, the Saguenay River up to Sainte-Marguerite Bay, and the southern channel of the Lower Estuary, supports the vital functions of calving and rearing of the young. Due to the lack of information, studies are planned in the near future to increase knowledge of the species. Critical habitat actual limitations could change someday. Purpose The beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population in the St. Lawrence Estuary was greatly reduced by hunting, which was finally banned in the St. Lawrence in 1979. In May 2005, this beluga population was officially listed as a threatened species on SARA’s List of Wildlife Species at Risk. Additional Information St. Lawrence beluga critical habitat is identified using the best available information. All the available information on its prey, seasonal distribution, use and characteristics of its habitat has been reviewed by Mosnier (2010). This literature review was used to produce a science advisory report reviewed by marine mammal experts. Beluga whale critical habitat has been identified with the information and the scientific advice, using the area of occupancy approach and corresponds to the summer distribution of groups made up of adults and new-born calves and juveniles. Mosnier, A., Lesage, V., Gosselin, J.-F., Lemieux Lefebvre, S., Hammill, M. O., Doniol-Valcroze, T. 2010. Information relevant to the documentation of habitat use by St. Lawrence beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), and quantification of habitat quality. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec., Res. Doc. 2009/098. iv + 35 p. DFO. 2012. Recovery Strategy for the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) St. Lawrence Estuary population in Canada. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. 88 pp + X pp.

These data represent the critical habitat for Johnson's Seagrass as designated by Federal Register Vol. 65, No. 66, Wednesday, April 5, 2000, Rules and Regulations.

Critical habitat in the Caribbean Sea area includes the waters adjacent to Sandy Point, St. Croix from the 100 fathom curve shoreward to the level of mean high tide.Critical habitat in the Pacific Ocean areas includes marine waters to a depth of 80 meters from the ocean surface and is delineated along the shoreline at the line of extreme low water, except in the case of estuaries and bays where COLREGS lines (defined at 33 CFR part 80) are used as the shoreward boundary. The seaward boundary of the nearshore Washington/Oregon area (from Cape Flattery south to Cape Blanco) is defined along the 2,000 meter isobath. The seaward boundary of the nearshore California area (from Point Arena south to Point Arguello) is defined along the 3,000 meter isobath.

The Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS) is a NOAA Fisheries program which was designed to reduce collisions between ships and the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) by alerting mariners to the presence of the right whales. These reports are obtained from a variety of sources including aerial surveys, shipboard surveys, whale watch vessels, and opportunistic sources (Coast Guard, commercial ships, fishing vessels, and the general public).

These data represent the critical habitat for hawksbill turtle as designated by Federal Register Vol. 63, No. 46701, September 2, 1998, Rules and Regulations. Redesignated and amended at 64 FR 14607, March 23, 1999.

Since 1995, PSB has been conducting line-transect aerial abundance surveys over waters ranging from North Carolina to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Nova Scotia, Canada, and from the coastline to slightly beyond the EEZ.

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, whales, porpoises, walruses, sea otters, and Steller sea lions in the Bristol Bay Subarea. The Subarea includes marine and coastal areas of Bristol Bay and part of the southern Alaska Peninsula. (This area extends from directly south of Goodnews Bay to slightly north of Port Seniavan along the Bristol Bay side of the Alaska Peninsula, as well as the Pacific Ocean side of the Alaska Peninsula from Cape Providence to Kupreanof Peninsula.) Vector polygons in this data set represent marine mammal distribution, haul-out sites, and rookeries. Species-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer.This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data for the Bristol Bay Subarea. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. See also the M_MAMPT (Marine Mammal Points) data layer, part of the larger Bristol Bay Subarea ESI database, for additional marine mammal information.