Additional Agency Guidance
February 28, 2020
In addition to the content of the Policy Directive System, which establishes agency policy, NOAA Fisheries issues guidance documents to help articulate and clarify agency processes and regulations.
Habitat Guidance
- Sediment Removal from Active Stream Channels in Oregon: Considerations for Federal Agencies for the Evaluation of Sediment Removal Actions from Oregon Streams
- Construction Guidelines in Florida for Minor Piling-Supported Structures Constructed in or over Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, Marsh or Mangrove Habitat (PDF, 2 pages)
- Key for Construction Conditions for Docks or Other Minor Structures Constructed in or Over Johnson’s Seagrass (PDF, 2 pages)
- Management Plan for Caribbean Acropora Population Enhancement (PDF, 39 pages)
- NMFS Guidance for Endangered Species Act Emergency Consultations for Hurricane Response Activities in the Southeast United States (PDF, 6 pages)
- Diadromous Fish Passage: A Primer on Technology, Planning, and Design for the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts
- California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy and Implementing Guidelines
- Sediment Removal from Freshwater and Salmonid Habitat
- ESA-Listed Coral Colony and Acropora Critical Habitat Survey Protocol (PDF, 4 pages)
Fisheries Management Guidance
- First Receiver Site License Catch Monitoring Plan Guidelines (PDF, 2 pages)
- A Guide to the Permitting and Authorization Process for Aquaculture in U.S. Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico
- Safety Notice for Deep Set Buoy Gear Exempted Fishing Permit Operators (PDF, 1 page)
- Expectations for Observers and Captains when an Observer is Aboard a Fishing Vessel (PDF, 2 pages)
Protected Species Management
- Sea Turtle and Smalltooth Sawfish Construction Conditions (PDF, 1 page)
- Measures for Reducing Entrapment Risk to Protected Species (PDF, 2 pages)
- Vessel Strike Avoidance Measures and Reporting for Mariners (PDF, 2 pages)
- MMPA Section 104 and ESA Section 10a1A Permit Application Instructions
- Public Display Permit Application
- Commercial or Educational Photography Application
- Letter of Determination under the MMPA or ESA
- Scientific Research and Enhancement Permits for Marine Mammals
- Submitting a Letter of Intent under the General Authorization for Scientific Research
- ESA Scientific Research and Enhancement Permits
- Marine Mammal Acoustic Technical Guidance
- Guideline for Viewing Harbor Seals in Alaska’s Glacial Fjords
- National Template Evaluation Criteria for Marine Mammal Stranding Agreements
- Standards for Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Facilities
- Standards for Release of Rehabilitated Marine Mammals
- Criteria for Large Whale Disentanglement Roles and Training Levels
- Examiner’s Guide for the Marine Mammal Stranding Level A Data Collection
- Pinniped and Cetacean Oil Spill Response Guidelines
- Guidelines for Oil Spill Response and Natural Resource Damage Assessment: Sea Turtles
- Guidelines for Assessing Exposure and Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine Mammals
- Guidelines for Electrofishing Waters Containing Salmonids Under the ESA
- A Citizens' Guide to the ESA Section 4(d) Rule for Threatened Salmon and Steelhead on the West Coast
- ESA Section 4(d) Rule Implementation Binder for Salmon and Steelhead on the West Coast