The North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries have described and identified essential fish habitat in each of the six Alaska fishery management plans according to habitat conservation provisions.
Every year, NOAA Fisheries, in coordination with numerous universities and state agencies, surveys shark populations in coastal habitats along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and into the Gulf of Mexico to identify nursery habitats.
NMFS will make a decision regarding an Amendment to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), Amendment 28. This action was recommended by the Council and could change where bottom trawl fishing and bottom contact gear fishing is allowed off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.
