Beginning in 2010 and in response to mounting requests for digital depictions of NMFS Regulated Areas in Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Waters (Regulated Areas), the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) and Southeast Regional Office Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Committee launched a project to standardize the development, publication and regular updating of GIS files depicting Regulated Area boundaries. This dataset is a product of that initiative. This dataset was created to depict the boundaries of NMFS Regulated Areas in Northeast Waters only.

Beginning in 2010 and in response to mounting requests for digital depictions of NMFS Regulated Areas in Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Waters, the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) and Southeast Regional Office Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Committee launched a project to standardize the development, publication and regular updating of GIS files depicting Regulated Area boundaries. This dataset is a product of that initiative. This dataset was created to depict the boundaries of NMFS Regulated Areas in Southeast Atlantic Waters only.

These data represent the critical habitat for the green sturgeon (Southern DPS) designated under the Endangered Species Act on October 9, 2009 (74 FR 52300). The official NMFS critical habitat (SturgeonGreen_SouthernDPS_20091009) for this sturgeon is comprised of both polygon data and line data; together the polygons and lines represent the entire final critical habitat designation.From line data: Critical habitat in freshwater riverine areas includes the stream channels and a lateral extent as defined by the ordinary high-water line (33 CFR 329.11).

Critical habitat includes two specific marine areas in Cook Inlet, Alaska. These areas are bounded on the upland by Mean High Water (MHW) datum, except for the lower reaches of four tributary rivers. Critical habitat shall not extend into the tidally-influenced channels of tributary waters of Cook Inlet, with the exceptions noted in the descriptions of each critical habitat area.(1) Area 1.

The false killer whale (main Hawaiian Islands insular DPS) critical habitat designation includes marine waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands from the 45 meter depth contour seaward to the 3,200 meter depth contour. Areas deemed ineligible for designation and areas that were excluded from the designation are described in the final rule (83 FR 35062). Ineligible and excluded areas were clipped out of this dataset.

Critical habitat for the Central America DPS of humpback whales includes all marine waters within these designated areas: (1) Washington. The nearshore boundary is defined by the 50-meter (m) isobath, and the offshore boundary is defined by the 1,200-m isobath relative to mean lower low water (MLLW). Critical habitat also includes waters within the U.S. portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to an eastern boundary line at Angeles Point at 123° 33' W. (2) Oregon. The nearshore boundary is defined by the 50-m isobath.

Critical habitat for the Mexico DPS of humpback whales includes all marine waters within these designated areas: (1) Alaska. The nearshore boundaries are generally defined by the 1-m isobath relative to mean lower low water (MLLW). On the north side of the Aleutian Islands, the seaward boundary of the critical habitat is defined by a line extending from 55° 41 N, 162° 41' W west to 55° 41' N, 169° 30' W, then southward through Samalga Pass to a boundary drawn along the 2,000-m isobath on the south side of the islands.

Critical habitat for the Western North Pacific DPS of humpback whales includes all marine waters within these designated areas:(1) Alaska. The nearshore boundaries are generally defined by the 1-m isobath relative to mean lower low water (MLLW). On the north side of the Aleutian Islands, the seaward boundary of the critical habitat is defined by a line extending due west from 55° 41' N, 162° 41' W to 55° 41' N, 169° 30' W, then southward through Samalga Pass to a boundary drawn along the 2,000-m isobath on the south side of the islands.

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.

This dataset depicts the boundaries of the North Atlantic Right Whale Critical Habitat. This dataset includes boundaries for the following Regulated Areas: - Critical Habitat for North Atlantic Right Whale Unit 1 - Critical Habitat for North Atlantic Right Whale Unit 2. Please Note: Unit 1, in the Gulf of Maine, falls under the jurisdiction of the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region. Unit 2, off the southeastern US coast, falls under the jurisdiction of the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Region.