One purpose of the Council’s Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) and Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) designations is to serve as a tool that can be used by the Council, and, especially, by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) when the agency engages in the EFH consultation process. The EFH consultation process is defined by federal regulations as a responsibility of NMFS (Title 50, Part 600, Subpart K) and is triggered when a Federal agency (including NOAA) proposes an activity that may adversely affect designated EFH. After reviewing the planned activity, NMFS may make EFH conservation recommendations to the Federal agency, and the agency must provide a written response. Permitting agencies are not required to comply with these recommendations, but in most cases adverse effects on EFH are mitigated or avoided as a result of NMFS consultations.

The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office’s (GARFO) Habitat Conservation Division routinely shares EFH conservation recommendations with the Council (see recent letters below). In 2016, the Council asked GARFO staff to share information about certain types of projects earlier in the consultation process. The idea was to allow the Council time to potentially develop its own comments on major projects. This early engagement also allows GARFO and Council staff to share information and expertise. Project types of interest include energy projects, cable projects, sand mining, transportation, and port development. Coordination between NMFS and the Council on EFH consultation issues has continued to evolve since 2016. Since 2018, the Council has frequently interacted with GARFO on renewable energy development issues via the NMFS Wind Team. In August 2019, the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils and NMFS held a national workshop to discuss mechanisms for effective coordination around EFH consultations and non-fishing impacts. The workshop report shares lessons learned and possible next steps for improving coordination.

More information about GARFO’s habitat program can be found on its habitat conservation webpage.

2023
New Jersey Dept of Transportation Disposal Facility Improvements – May 2023

Sandy Hook FNC - April 2023

Salem River Dredging - April 2023

Park City Wind - March 2023

Essex River FNP - March 2023

Ocean Wind - Feb. 2023

Sunrise Wind - Feb. 2023

Maurice River Dredging - Feb. 2023

Maurice River FNP, Part 1 - Jan. 2023

Maurice River FNP, Part 2 - Jan. 2023

2022
USACE Philadelphia District General Permit - Dec. 2022
Mayflower Wind - Dec. 2022
Maurice River - Nov. 2022 part 1
Maurice River - Nov. 2022 part 2

Coastal VA Offshore Wind - Nov. 2022
Northeast Wind - Nov. 2022
Revolution Wind - Nov. 2022
JCP & L Cable Replacement - Nov. 2022
Maurice River - Oct. 2022
Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center - Oct. 2022
Long Point, LLC - Oct. 2022
Empire Wind - Oct. 2022
Sunrise Wind Assessment - Oct. 2022
Tompkinsville Esplanade DOT Pier - Sept. 2022
Buoy 10 NAP - Sept. 2022
Ocean Wind, LLC - Aug. 2022
Seaside Park NJ - Aug. 2022
Revolution Wind - June 2022
Amitie Cable - June 2022

Kingfish Land-based Aquaculture - June 2022

Havre DeGrace Living Shoreline - May 2022

Ocean Wind Assessment - April 2022
Mordecai Island Restoration - March 2022

Pepper Creek Shoreline Mitigation - March 2022

Worlds Fair Marina - March 2022

NJ DOT Shark Bridge - Feb. 2022

NJ DOT Navesink Bridge - Feb. 2022

NJ DOT Manasquan Bridge - Feb. 2022

General Concurrence - Jan. 2022

General Concurrence to NAP - Jan. 2022

2021
Isles of Shoals Breakwater - Dec. 2021
New York New Jersey Harbor Deepening Response - Dec. 2021

Water Street Living Shoreline - Dec. 2021

New York New Jersey Harbor Deepening - Dec. 2021
Havre DeGrace Shoreline Access - Dec. 2021
Norfolk Harbor Navigation Improvements Response- Nov. 2021

Norfolk Harbor Navigation Improvements - Nov. 2021

New Jersey Coastal Storm Study - Nov. 2021

New York New Jersey Harbor Deepening Response - Nov. 2021

New York New Jersey Harbor Deepening - Nov. 2021

Bayview Marina on Barnaget Bay Response- Oct. 2021

Bayview Marina on Barnaget Bay - Oct. 2021
Orsted Transmittal Letter for Sunrise Wind - Oct. 2022
Blue Hill, ME Response- Sept. 2021

Blue Hill, ME - Sept. 2021

Patuxent River Complex - June 2021

New England Aqua Ventus I (Aqua Ventus) - June 2021
Lubec Safe Harbor - June 2021

Southfork Offshore Wind - June 2021

Gardiners Bay, Shelter Island, Suffolk County, New York - June 2021

Little Egg Harbor Graveling Point - May 2021
South Fork Wind Tech Assist - March 2021
Baynes Living Shoreline - Feb. 2021

Jamaica Bay FNP - Feb. 2021

Havre DeGrace Living Shoreline - Feb. 2021

Hyannis Harbor Breakwater - Jan. 2021

2020

Vineyard Wind EFH Response - Dec. 2020
PSEG Hope Creek Port Site - Dec. 2020
New York - New Jersery Harbor Deepening - Dec. 2020
West Pond Living Shoreline EFH Response - Nov. 2020
Nationwide Permits, New Jersey and Delaware - Nov. 2020
Nationwide Permits, New York - Nov. 2020

Nationwide Permits, Pennsylvania, Maryland, DC - Nov. 2020

Oyster Creek Dredging - Oct. 2020
Edgemore Port Expansion - Sep. 2020
Monmouth County Bridge - Jul. 2020
Vineyard Wind - EFH Addendum - Jul. 2020
National CG Museum New London - Jun. 2020
Maurice River Flood Risk Mgmt. - Jun 2020
Jarrow and Bragg Shoreline - Jun. 2020
Philadelphia Floating Classroom - May 2020
Philadelphia Naval Yard Dredging - May 2020
Riverside Drive Groins - Apr. 2020
Spriggs Pond Dredging - Apr. 2020
Herrington Harbor North - Apr. 2020
Kearny, Hudson County. New Jersey - April 2020
Mayflower Site Assess Plan - Mar. 2020
Jarrow Bragg Shoreline Project - Mar. 2020
Barnagat Inlet Dredging USACOE - Mar. 2020
Schuykill River NMFS response - Mar. 2020
Schuykill River USDOT response - Feb. 2020
Beach Haven Complex NJDOT - Jan. 2020

2019
Kennebunk River FNP USACE - Dec. 2019
EPA IOSN Designation - Dec. 2019
Atlantic Coast Project, Maryland - Nov. 2019
Mispillion Inlet, Sussex County, DE - Oct. 2019
Wolf Trap Dredge Placement, Chesapeake Bay, VA - Sept. 2019
New Jersey State Programmatic General Permit - Sep. 2019
Keec River, Bath, ME - Aug. 2019
Vineyard Wind, Martha's Vineyard, MA - June 2019
River Place Marina on the Nanticoke River, Sussex County, DE - June 2019
Dewey Beach Enterprises, Sussex County, DE - May 2019
Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, PA - May 2019
Crescent Beach, Milford, CT - Mar. 2019
Walnut and Wildemere Beach, Milford, CT - Mar. 2019
New Haven Harbor, New Haven, CT - Feb. 2019

2018
Cape Porpoise, Kennebunkport, ME - Nov. 2018
American Littoral, New Jersey - Nov. 2018
Rockaway Reevaluation Study, New York - Oct. 2018
Electric Boat South Yard Project, Groton, CT - Oct. 2018
Scusset Beach, Sandwich, MA - Sept. 2018
Norfolk Coastal, Norfolk, VA - June 2018
Norfolk Harbor, Hampton Roads, VA - June 2018
Maryland Shore Line, Ocean City, MD - May, 2018
Rutgers, Ocean County, NJ - Feb. 2018
Woods Island Harbor, Biddeford, ME - Feb. 2018
American Littoral, Cumberland County, NJ - Feb. 2018