Name: Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species
Display Field: Species
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: The purpose of HAPCs is to focus conservation, management, and research efforts on subsets of EFH that are vulnerable to degradation or are especially important ecologically for federally managed fish. The HAPC designation alone does not confer additional protection or restrictions to an area, but helps to focus EFH conservation, management, and research priorities. HAPC designation is a valuable way to acknowledge areas where we have detailed information on ecological function and habitat vulnerability, indicating a greater need for conservation and management. In some instances the Councils and NMFS may develop fishery management measures to conserve the habitat within the HAPC.HAPCs are a subset of EFH that deserve special attention because they provide extremely important ecological functions and/or are especially vulnerable to degradation. For instance, HAPC designation may be warranted for areas that play a vital role in the reproductive cycle of a managed species (e.g., grouper spawning sites) or areas that contain a rare habitat type (e.g., corals) that may be sensitive to disturbance from fishing or other human activities.Councils may designate an area as a HAPC for one or more of the following reasons:The habitat provides important ecological functionsThe habitat is sensitive to human-induced environmental degradationDevelopment activities are, or will be, stressing the habitatThe habitat type is rare.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: NOAA Fisheries: Northeast Regional Office, Southeast Regional Office, Southwest Regional Office, Northwest Regional Office, Alaska Regional Office, Pacific Regional Office; Fishery Management Councils: New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, North Pacific, Western Pacific; NOAA Fisheries Science Centers: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Pacific Islands, Alaska; Highly Migratory Species Division (headquarters); Habitat Protection Division (headquarters).
Name: Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) - New England
Display Field: Species
Type: Feature Layer
Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon
Description: The purpose of HAPCs is to focus conservation, management, and research efforts on subsets of EFH that are vulnerable to degradation or are especially important ecologically for federally managed fish. The HAPC designation alone does not confer additional protection or restrictions to an area, but helps to focus EFH conservation, management, and research priorities. HAPC designation is a valuable way to acknowledge areas where we have detailed information on ecological function and habitat vulnerability, indicating a greater need for conservation and management. In some instances the Councils and NMFS may develop fishery management measures to conserve the habitat within the HAPC.HAPCs are a subset of EFH that deserve special attention because they provide extremely important ecological functions and/or are especially vulnerable to degradation. For instance, HAPC designation may be warranted for areas that play a vital role in the reproductive cycle of a managed species (e.g., grouper spawning sites) or areas that contain a rare habitat type (e.g., corals) that may be sensitive to disturbance from fishing or other human activities.Councils may designate an area as a HAPC for one or more of the following reasons:The habitat provides important ecological functionsThe habitat is sensitive to human-induced environmental degradationDevelopment activities are, or will be, stressing the habitatThe habitat type is rare.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: NOAA Fisheries: Northeast Regional Office, Southeast Regional Office, Southwest Regional Office, Northwest Regional Office, Alaska Regional Office, Pacific Regional Office; Fishery Management Councils: New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, North Pacific, Western Pacific; NOAA Fisheries Science Centers: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Pacific Islands, Alaska; Highly Migratory Species Division (headquarters); Habitat Protection Division (headquarters).