Habitat: Habitat Suitability Maps
NMFS has developed habitat suitability maps for species managed under the groundfish fishery management plan (FMP). All of the maps are included in Appendix B.4 to the groundfish FMP; the links in the right-hand column below provide access to the maps individually. The shaded areas on the maps represent habitats that are likely to be suitable for individual species and life history stages based on the best available science. The darker areas have a higher probability of suitability than the lighter areas.
Appendix B.1 to the FMP describes the methodology used to produce these maps. The left-hand column provides species descriptions for the corresponding species provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Department of Fish and Game, or FishBase, an online database of fish species. Life history descriptions of these species also may be found in the Appendix B.2 to the groundfish FMP.
More EFH mapping tools are available at:
- NOAA’s Essential Fish Habitat Mapper and EFH Data Inventory. Provides data on EFH areas protected from fishing, including areas where steps have been taken to minimize the impact that fisheries have on EFH by geographic area of interest. Also features spatial representations of essential fish habitat (EFH) and habitat areas of particular concern (HAPCs).
