Habitat Areas of Particular Concern: a guide to the ongoing designation process in New England waters. According to the New England Fishery management Council on September 16, 2006:
"The intent of the habitat areas of particular concern designation is to identify those areas
that are known to be important to species which are in need of additional levels of
protection from adverse impacts. Management implications do result from their
identification. Designation of habitat areas of particular concern is intended to determine
what areas within EFH should receive more of the Council's and NMFS' attention when
providing comments on federal and state actions, and in establishing higher standards
to protect and/or restore such habitat."
Thus, Habitat Areas of Particular Concern are critical "keystone" locations of for commercially managed fish species and their prey. Locations that would be harmed by additional waste discharges, by building a pier or breakwater, by It requires that any industrial or residential development that poses a threat to that HAPC area through pollution, or fishery activity that could harm these very critical, very specific habitat locations.
* Candidate HAPC Proposals: The Evaluation Process September 2005
* Nearshore Gulf of Maine Habitat Area of Particular Concern for Juvenile Atlantic Cod. Proposal (html) *** Discussion of Proposal (html)***2006 developments Discussion of two alternative depth boundaries, (10 and 20 meters) Alternative 8 – Inshore Gulf of Maine Juvenile Cod HAPC
* Cashes Ledge Habitat Area of Particular Concern Proposal 2006 Developments *** Review of Proposal (html)
*Jeffreys Ledge/Stellwagen Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern Proposal (pdf) *** Review of Proposal (html)
* Georges Bank/Northern Edge Habitat Area of Particular Concern Proposal (pdf)
*** Review of proposal (html)
* Gulf of Maine Groundfish Species Habitat Area of Particular Concern Proposal (pdf)
*** Review of Proposal (html)
* New England Seamounts Habitat Area of Particular Concern Proposal Proposal (pdf)
*** Review of Proposal (html)
RELATED New England Fishery Management Reports and OInformation
* NEFMC Progress Report on Essential Fish Habitat Omnibus Amendment. (pdf) March 2005 (note on page 13 of this document the statement "Includes Inshore GOM HAPC proposal approved in past by Council"
* Draft Marine Protected Areas Policy, New England Fishery Management Council August 12, 2005
* Habitat Annual Review & Report (1.8 mb .doc file) May 1999 See Page 124
* A Proposal to Establish a Marine Sanctuary in Maine. 1989. (html) Part 1 *** Part 2
* Why protect the shallows? Hatchling cod need marine protozoans as first food.