NOAA Fisheries Alaska Essential Fish Habitat and Supplemental Habitat Datasets

Description

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires the description and identification of essential fish habitat (EFH) for species included in federal fishery management plans (FMPs). NMFS Alaska Region provides a collection with EFH maps, supporting data, and supplemental habitat datasets. Alaska EFH maps are developed by species’ life history stages within the spatial extent of the fishery management units of the FMPs. The data included varies by FMP, representing EFH based on species survey distribution maps developed through analysis of species distributions from fishery independent surveys and fishery observer data (Scallop FMP), cumulative frequency distribution model maps developed through analysis of species survey data and environmental covariates (Salmon FMP), and species distribution model maps developed through analysis of species data from fishery independent surveys or fishery observer data and environmental covariates (Groundfish, Crab, and Arctic FMPs). The EFH mapping data available in this collection include GIS files (geodatabases, shapefiles, raster files) that are organized by FMP with supporting documents. The EFH maps and supporting data are updated with the completion of an EFH 5-year Review. One of the challenges for understanding EFH in Alaska’s nearshore is the extensive and complex coastline (~55,000 km) with a diversity of estuarine and marine habitats. Supplemental datasets in this collection are Alaska ShoreZone, Shore Station, and the Nearshore Fish Atlas of Alaska (NFAA). ShoreZone is an aerial imaging, coastal habitat classification and mapping system used to inventory alongshore and across-shore geomorphological and biological attributes of the shoreline. The georeferenced, oblique, low altitude aerial imagery is acquired during the lowest tides of the year and then used to classify habitat attributes into a searchable database. Alaska ShoreZone data in this collection include videos, video still images, photos, GIS files (geodatabase and shapefiles), data dictionary, protocol, and flight plans. Shore Station is a compilation of data collected during low tide surveys from hundreds of intertidal sites throughout coastal Alaska. Survey data include observed species, species assemblages, geomorphic features (e.g., sediment, substrate, bedform), beach length, slope, specific elevation profiles. Shore Station data in the collection include photos, GIS files (geodatabase and shapefiles), and supporting documentation. The NFAA is a centralized, relational database of nearshore fish surveys, providing data on the distribution, relative abundance, and habitat use of nearshore fishes in Alaska. This dataset includes numerous nearshore surveys collected by various agencies and organizations over the past several decades with different objectives and gear types (e.g., beach seines, purse seines, and trawls). NFAA data in the collection include photos, GIS files (geodatabase and shapefiles), and supporting documentation.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. https://doi.org/10.25921/dv90-m778
0 Search for data granules belonging to this collection (a granule is the smallest aggregation of data that can be independently described and retrieved). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/granule/geoportal/?from=0&size=10&esdsl=%7B%22query%22%3A%7B%22bool%22%3A%7B%22must%22%3A%5B%7B%22query_string%22%3A%7B%22analyze_wildcard%22%3Atrue%2C%22query%22%3A%22fileid%3ANMFS-AFSC-EFH-AK.*%22%7D%7D%5D%7D%7D%7D#searchPanel
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-357
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-360
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-373
33 A Refined Description of Essential Fish Habitat for Pacific Salmon Within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in Alaska https://apps-afsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/Publications/AFSC-TM/NOAA-TM-AFSC-236.pdf
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.25923/y5gc-nk42
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.25923/ffnc-cg42
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.25923/ygdf-5f65
33 Arctic Draft under agenda item C4 https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=47fbbddc-1790-46bd-b1c1-ceff260d3a55.pdf&fileName=C4%20Arctic%20Marsh%20Advancing%20Model%20Based%20EFH.pdf
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Application https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=66d51e1a1c34468bb766f6ec1b6f58d9
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Landing Page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/map/alaska-essential-fish-habitat-mapper
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.25923/y5gc-nk42
0 Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. https://doi.org/10.25921/dv90-m778
0 Search for data granules belonging to this collection (a granule is the smallest aggregation of data that can be independently described and retrieved). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/granule/geoportal/?from=0&size=10&esdsl=%7B%22query%22%3A%7B%22bool%22%3A%7B%22must%22%3A%5B%7B%22query_string%22%3A%7B%22analyze_wildcard%22%3Atrue%2C%22query%22%3A%22fileid%3ANMFS-AFSC-EFH-AK.*%22%7D%7D%5D%7D%7D%7D#searchPanel
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-357
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-360
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-373
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.25923/ffnc-cg42
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.25923/ygdf-5f65
33 Arctic Draft under agenda item C4 https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=47fbbddc-1790-46bd-b1c1-ceff260d3a55.pdf&fileName=C4%20Arctic%20Marsh%20Advancing%20Model%20Based%20EFH.pdf
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Landing Page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/map/alaska-essential-fish-habitat-mapper
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Application https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=66d51e1a1c34468bb766f6ec1b6f58d9
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
33 A Refined Description of Essential Fish Habitat for Pacific Salmon Within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in Alaska https://apps-afsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/Publications/AFSC-TM/NOAA-TM-AFSC-236.pdf
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. https://doi.org/10.25921/dv90-m778
0 Search for data granules belonging to this collection (a granule is the smallest aggregation of data that can be independently described and retrieved). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/granule/geoportal/?from=0&size=10&esdsl=%7B%22query%22%3A%7B%22bool%22%3A%7B%22must%22%3A%5B%7B%22query_string%22%3A%7B%22analyze_wildcard%22%3Atrue%2C%22query%22%3A%22fileid%3ANMFS-AFSC-EFH-AK.*%22%7D%7D%5D%7D%7D%7D#searchPanel
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-357
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-360
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-373
33 A Refined Description of Essential Fish Habitat for Pacific Salmon Within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in Alaska https://apps-afsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/Publications/AFSC-TM/NOAA-TM-AFSC-236.pdf
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.25923/y5gc-nk42
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.25923/ffnc-cg42
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.25923/ygdf-5f65
33 Arctic Draft under agenda item C4 https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=47fbbddc-1790-46bd-b1c1-ceff260d3a55.pdf&fileName=C4%20Arctic%20Marsh%20Advancing%20Model%20Based%20EFH.pdf
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Landing Page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/map/alaska-essential-fish-habitat-mapper
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Application https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=66d51e1a1c34468bb766f6ec1b6f58d9
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. https://doi.org/10.25921/dv90-m778
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-357
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-360
0 2018 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/tm-afsc-373
33 A Refined Description of Essential Fish Habitat for Pacific Salmon Within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in Alaska https://apps-afsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/Publications/AFSC-TM/NOAA-TM-AFSC-236.pdf
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Bering Sea https://doi.org/10.25923/y5gc-nk42
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Aleutian Islands https://doi.org/10.25923/ffnc-cg42
0 2023 EFH Review SDM EFH Tech Memos Gulf of Alaska https://doi.org/10.25923/ygdf-5f65
33 Arctic Draft under agenda item C4 https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=47fbbddc-1790-46bd-b1c1-ceff260d3a55.pdf&fileName=C4%20Arctic%20Marsh%20Advancing%20Model%20Based%20EFH.pdf
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Landing Page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/map/alaska-essential-fish-habitat-mapper
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Mapper Application https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=66d51e1a1c34468bb766f6ec1b6f58d9
0 Institution web page http://www.afsc.noaa.gov
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/alaska-shore-zone/
0 Search for data granules belonging to this collection (a granule is the smallest aggregation of data that can be independently described and retrieved). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/granule/geoportal/?from=0&size=10&esdsl=%7B%22query%22%3A%7B%22bool%22%3A%7B%22must%22%3A%5B%7B%22query_string%22%3A%7B%22analyze_wildcard%22%3Atrue%2C%22query%22%3A%22fileid%3ANMFS-AFSC-EFH-AK.*%22%7D%7D%5D%7D%7D%7D#searchPanel
0 Institution web page https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-regional-office
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords

Tags

  • coastal waterways of southeast alaska and british columbia
  • north pacific ocean
  • 9gltlp
  • trawl-bottom)
  • surface trawl and purse seine
  • prince william sound
  • multiple gear types
  • bottom trawl
  • oceanography
  • analyzed aerial photography and video
  • reporting.
  • gulf of alaska
  • arctic ocean
  • the alaska shore station database is a compilation of data collected since 2002 during low tide surv
  • area of occupied habitat
  • low tide
  • noaa technical memorandum nmfs-afsc-239
  • alaska commercial scallop gear
  • shorezone: coastal habitat mapping program capturing geomorphic and biological attributes of alaska'
  • site survey
  • bering sea
  • oblique aerial imagery
  • edjacn
  • surveyed at low
  • nearshore fish atlas: combined results from multiple nearshore biological surveys
  • 3jgfj3
  • survey samples
  • chukchi sea
  • nets (e.g. beach seine

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