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NOAA Fisheries Service

Guide to Essential Fish Habitat Consultation David O’Brien NOAA Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Division Gloucester Point, VA. NOAA Fisheries Service.

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  1. Guide to Essential Fish Habitat ConsultationDavid O’BrienNOAA Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation DivisionGloucester Point, VA

  2. NOAA Fisheries Service Our Mission: Stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and management and the promotion of healthy ecosystems Habitat Conservation Division Conservation and enhancement of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Protected Resources Division Conservation and protection of Marine Mammals and Endangered Species

  3. Habitat Conservation Division What do we do? • Habitat Conservation Division (HCD) staff perform field inspections, attend meetings and public hearings, review documents (public notices, EA/EIS, etc.) and provide conservation recommendations under various authorities (e.g., Magnuson-Stevens Act, FWCA, Section 404 CWA, NEPA, etc.) • These recommendations are intended to avoid, minimize, and offset adverse impacts (sequentially) to NOAA-trust resources.

  4. Habitat Conservation Division • Though HCD is identified with EFH consultation, we are responsible for conservation and protection of all living marine resources, including anadromous fish, shellfish, crustaceans, seagrass (e.g., striped bass, Am. shad, alewife, blueback herring, Atl. sturgeon, menhaden, Am. eel, oyster, hard clam, blue crab, SAV, wetlands). • In addition to EFH, consultation requirements must also be met for other authorities such as the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA).

  5. Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Key Points: • Laws and Regulations  What is required? • Define EFH  What the heck is it? • EFH Consultation  How do we do this? • Streamlining  Tools to get the job done better

  6. MAGNUSON-STEVENS FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT (MSA) amended 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act • Describe and identify EFH for each federally-managed fishery (through FMC’s) • Consultation requirements for Federal agencies; USACOE, USCG, BOEM, FHWA • Encourage conservation and enhancement of EFH

  7. MSA EFH Provisions Agency Consultation • Federal agencies are required to consult with NOAA Fisheries regarding any activities that may adversely affectessential fish habitat (EFH)

  8. EFH Final Rules (2002) “adversely affect” NMFS Consultation Guidance 50 CFR Part 600 “…any impact which reduces quality and/or quantity of EFH.” • Direct (e.g. contamination or physical disruption) • Indirect (e.g. loss of prey, reduction in fecundity) • Individual, cumulative, or synergistic

  9. MSA EFH Provisions [Section 305(b)] • Consultation required for activities proposed to be authorized, funded, or undertaken by Federal agencies (includes state and federal waters) • NOAA (and in some cases, the FMC’s) must provide Conservation Recommendations(CRs) to federal and state agencies on actions that may adversely affect EFH

  10. MSA EFH Provisions [Section 305(b)] • Conservation Recommendations must include measures to avoid, minimize, mitigate, or otherwise offset adverse effectson EFH • Federal agencies must respond in writing to NOAA Fisheries within 30 days after receiving an EFH Conservation Recommendation

  11. Types of EFH Consultation • General Concurrence: Specific types of federal actions that will likely result in no more than minimal adverse effects on EFH, and for which no further consultation is required (e.g. RP’s, LOP’s). • Abbreviated Consultation: Actions that do not qualify for a General Concurrence but do not have the potential to cause substantial adverse effects on EFH. • Expanded Consultation: Additional coordination required, used for actions that would result in substantial adverse effects on EFH. • Consultation may be completed at either a programmatic or project-specific level, as appropriate.

  12. WHAT IS EFH ??? ? Cobble Water Sand & Mud Wetlands Salt Marsh Seagrass EFH

  13. EFH DEFINED MSA PL 104-297 Sec. 3. Definitions “essential fish habitat” means those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding or growth to maturity.

  14. EFH Final Rules (2002) NMFS Consultation Guidance 50 CFR Part 600 “Waters” include aquatic areas and their associated physical, chemical, and biological properties that are used by fish and aquatic areas historically used by fish, where appropriate (e.g. above spillways and dams)

  15. EFH Final Rules (2002) • In addition to EFH, the FMP’s may also identify Habitat Areas of Particular Concern(HAPC). • HAPC’s may be established for areas and/or habitat types that: 1. provide important ecological functions; 2. are sensitive to human-induced environmental degradation; 3. are rare; and, 4. development activities must represent a current or potential stress to the habitat. e.g.; HAPCs for summer flounder and sandbar shark

  16. Fishery Management Plans • New England • Monkfish • Multispecies • Sea Scallops • Atlantic Salmon • Atlantic Herring • Skates • Secretarial • Atlantic HMS (Tunas, • Swordfish & Sharks) • Atlantic Billfish • Mid-Atlantic • Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish • Surf Clam & Ocean Quahog • Bluefish • Summer Flounder, Scup & Black Sea Bass • Tilefish • Spiny Dogfish • South Atlantic • Spiny Lobster* • Coastal Migratory Pelagics* • Snapper-Grouper • Red Drum • Coral, Live/Hard Bottom • Shrimp • Golden Crab • Gulf of Mexico • Spiny Lobster* • Coastal Migratory Pelagics* • Coral & Coral Reefs • Stone Crab • Shrimp • Reef Fish Resources • Red Drum • Caribbean • Queen Conch • Corals, Plants and Invertebrates • Spiny Lobster • Caribbean Reef Fish * Joint Plans

  17. EFH Designations for Greater Atlantic Region

  18. How do Federal agencies consult with NOAA Fisheries? (50 CFR 600.920) Can be consolidated with existing environmental review procedures if: 1. The existing process provides NOAA Fisheries with timely notification of actions that may adversely affect EFH; 2. Notification includes an assessment of impacts that meets the requirements for an EFH Assessment; 3. NOAA Fisheries must have made a finding that the existing process satisfies the EFH consultation process (N. Atlantic Division, findings letter dated 1-18-00)

  19. EFH Assessment (50 CFR 600.920(e)) Federal agencies must prepare a written assessment of any action that requires consultation. The EFH Assessment must include: 1. A description of the proposed action; 2. An analysis of the effects of the action on EFH and associated species; 3. The federal agency’s determination regarding the effects of the action on EFH; 4. A discussion of proposed mitigation, if applicable.

  20. EFH Assessment (continued) (50 CFR 600.920(e)) If appropriate, the EFH Assessment should also include: • The results of a site inspection to evaluate the habitat and effects of the project; • The views of recognized experts on the habitats or species that may be affected; • A review of pertinent literature and related information; • An analysis of alternatives to the proposed action, including options that could avoid or minimize adverse effects on EFH.

  21. Federal Agency Response to EFH Conservation Recommendations (50 CFR 600.920(k)(1)) • Within 30 days after receiving an EFH Conservation Recommendation from NOAA Fisheries the federal agency must respond in writing and describe measures proposed by the agency to avoid, minimize, or offset the impacts of the action on EFH. • If the response is inconsistent with the EFH Conservation Recommendations, the Federal agency must explain its reasons for not following NOAA Fisheries’ recommendations.

  22. EFHConsultations for civil works projects using the NEPA Process Notification: The agency must notify NOAA Fisheries of actions that may adversely affect EFH (at least 60 days prior to final decision or at least 90 days prior to final decision for an action that would result in substantial adverse impact to EFH). The notification should be included in the draft EA, draft EIS, or other EFH assessment document.

  23. EFH Consultations for civil works projects using the NEPA Process EFH Assessment: clearly marked in a separate chapter or section of the draft EIS or EA. Must contain all of the requirements of an EFH Assessment (see 50 CFR 600.920(e)). when there is an existing NEPA document for civil works project, an EFH consultation should be completed prior to any new action (e.g.,maintenance dredging of a federal navigation channel); may be accomplished through the development of a supplemental EIS or EA.

  24. EFH Consultations for civil works projects using the NEPA Process EFH Conservation Recommendations: NOAA Fisheries will provide these during the established comment period under NEPA. Agency Response: Agency provides NOAA Fisheries with a written response to Conservation Recommendations within 30 days after receipt (preliminary response may be provided), and at least 10 days before the agency signs a FONSI or a Record of Decision.

  25. EFH Consultations for civil works projects using the NEPA Process Agency Response: If the agency accepts the EFH Conservation Recommendations in their entirety, the final EIS or EA should explain how these recommendations will be incorporated into the project design.

  26. EFH Consultations for civil works projects using the NEPA Process Inconsistent Decisions: If the decision is inconsistent with the EFH Conservation Recommendations, the agency must explain its reasons for not following those recommendations, including the scientific justification for any disagreements over the anticipated effects of the action and the measures needed to avoid, minimize, mitigate or offset such effects.

  27. EFH Consultations for civil works projects using the NEPA Process Dispute Resolution: if decision is inconsistent with NOAA Fisheries’ EFH CRs, the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries may request a meeting with the head of the federal agency to discuss the proposed action and opportunities for resolving any disagreements. NOAA Fisheries endeavors to resolve issues at the field level whenever possible, typically in a meeting between NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator and the action agency’s District staff.

  28. Options for Streamlining EFH Consultations Are there opportunities to further streamline the EFH Consultation process? YES!!! • Involve NOAA Fisheries as early as possible (e.g., project design or “scoping” meetings) • Provide all required and necessary EFH assessment information (level of detail commensurate with the potential degree of adverse impact) • Possible development of General Concurrence or Programmatic Consultation with NOAA

  29. General Concurrence (50 CFR 600.920(g)) General Concurrenceshould meet these criteria: • Actions should be similar in nature (e.g., routine annual maintenance dredging); • Actions that would cause “minimal adverse effects on EFH when implemented individually”; • Actions that do not “cause greater than minimal cumulative adverse effects on EFH”; and • Actions must be tracked and reviewed periodically to ensure that their cumulative effects are no more than minimal.

  30. Example of General Concurrence (Findings with NAO, 8/13/08) General Concurrence with USACE Norfolk District for Regional Permits (RP) 15, 17,18,19 and LOP-1 and 2 is “conditional” : • For actions having no more than minimal adverse affects (individually or cumulatively) on EFH, separate EFH Assessments are not required for each individual action authorized under an RP; • However, coordination and review by NOAA Fisheries is still required for projects in or adjacent to special aquatic resources (shellfish beds, SAV, anadromous fish use areas)

  31. Programmatic Consultation(50 CFR 600.920(j)(1)) A Programmatic Consultation can be developed that takes a comprehensive approach to a program’s potential adverse effect on EFH. • A Programmatic Consultation may include all or some activities of a program and incorporate multiple individual actions that may adversely effect EFH into one consultation; • The federal agency is not required to consult with NOAA Fisheries on each individual action, as long as those actions have been included in the Programmatic Consultation.

  32. Programmatic Consultation(50 CFR 600.920(j)(1)) Development of a Programmatic Consultation requires the following steps: • Federal agency prepares an EFH Assessmentfor all activities that it proposes to be included in the consultation; • The assessment should estimate the number of actions, describe the range and types of impacts on EFH (direct, indirect, and cumulative) and any proposed mitigation; • NOAA determines activities that may adversely affect EFH and provides Conservation Recommendations; • Periodically, actions must be tracked and reviewed to ensure that cumulative effects are no more than minimal.

  33. Additional Tools and Resources for EFH Greater Atlantic Region EFH website: provides important information regarding EFH (e.g., managed species, locations and descriptions of EFH, and consultation requirements and processes); www.nero.noaa.gov/habitat/EFH/efhoverview.htr EFH Worksheet: assists Corps project managers and applicants preparing an EFH Assessment (may serve as the EFH Assessment for Abbreviated Consultations)

  34. EFH Worksheet

  35. GARFO EFH Contacts Assist. Regional Admin. Lou Chiarella 978-281-9277 Lou.Chiarella@noaa.gov EFH Coordinator Karen Greene 732-872-3023 Karen.Greene@noaa.gov Field Office Supervisor Chris Boelke 978-281-9131 Chris.Boelke@noaa.gov Virginia Field Office David O’Brien 804-684-7828 David.L.O’Brien@noaa.gov

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